THE CARLTON Football Club is excited to announce that 13 of its AFLW players have recommitted to the Navy Blue.
Star forward and the Club’s 2021 AFLW Best and Fairest winner Darcy Vescio is among 11 Game Changers who have inked new deals, while two Blues have had their contracts extended.
Vescio, along with fellow foundation players Lauren Brazzale and Gabriella Pound join Lucy McEvoy, Nicola Stevens, Brooke Walker, Daisy Walker, Abbie McKay and promising youngster Mimi Hill in signing multi-year deals, tying them to the Club until at least the end of 2023.
In a strong show of the Club’s belief in Hill, the 18-year-old’s two-year deal will see her excite Bluebaggers for seasons to come, after she showcased her talent and class across six games in 2021 before her debut year was cut short with injury.
Joining Hill and the nine other Blues who will continue to call IKON Park home for at least the next two seasons is inaugural Game Changer Natalie Plane and key tall Serena Gibbs, who despite still having another season to run on their existing contracts, have extended by an additional year.
First-year Blue Paige Trudgeon and 2019 draftee Courtney Jones have also put pen to paper on new one-year commitments.
Today’s announcement, which sees both talented youngsters and experienced club leaders re-sign, is another significant step forward for the Club, which acquired former GWS Giant Jess Dal Pos as part of the 2021 AFLW Sign and Trade Period.
Carlton General Manger of Women’s Football Brett Munro?said the Club was thrilled to re-sign all 13 players.
“We are delighted to have all 13 players recommit to our club, including four inaugural Game Changers and a number of exciting young talents,” Munro said.
“Each and every one of them are important members of our team with a significant role to play in taking our club forward in the years to come.
“To have Darcy, Lauren, Gabriella and Natalie all wish to further their careers in the Navy Blue, having made such significant contributions so far, is a terrific show of their belief in the direction of our group. Their leadership will continue to be integral in developing our younger players and driving the standards and culture across our entire club.
“We now have 25 players already contracted ahead of the draft and re-signing such a large number of our players demonstrates their desire to stick together and is a testament to each of them, as well as our coaching staff and the strength of our football program.
“We’re excited to now build on this list in the coming weeks and in the upcoming draft before we return to the playing field in December.”
