Four of Tasmania's most exciting prospects gained valuable exposure to the VFLW competition, representing the Melbourne University Women’s Football Club in a practice match against the Casey Demons last weekend.
Abbey Green, Jacinta Limbrick and Loveth Ochayi took to the field in the nail-biting three-point loss, while Naomi Celebre watched from the sidelines after injuring her Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) the week prior.
The players, all members of North Melbourne’s Tasmanian Senior State Academy, were identified through the AFLW Talent Search held across the state in February.
“We were really pleased with the level of talent we uncovered in Tasmania and the opportunity for these girls to come to Melbourne to play is invaluable and plays a big part in their development,” North Football Operations Manager Laura Kane said.
“Abbey, Jacinta and Loveth all performed well on the day and there are some encouraging signs towards their development.
“Naomi spent time on the bench and in the coaches box, so she was still able to gain exposure to the competition in a different way.”
The quartet will continue to be monitored throughout their TSLW seasons as they return to competition at their respective clubs.
“We’ll have scouts at every round of the TSLW this year in the lead up to the AFLW draft so we’ll continue to monitor each player,” Kane added.
“The development of the state academy players is really important to the club and we will continue to invest in this area of Tasmanian football.”
The partnership between the VFLW and TSLW enables Tasmanian players to compete as the 23rd player for Melbourne University, with the purpose to facilitate the growth and depth of the women’s talent pool.
The AFLW expansion period is just around the corner.
Stay tuned for all the latest news on the North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos, by visiting the AFLW Hub
