Three squads have been named for the inaugural Black Diamond AFL Womens Representative Challenge, to be held at Ferodale Park on Saturday, July 21.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The region’s newest rep-round challenge will see Newcastle, the Hunter and the Central Coast put forward their best players from squads in the area, in a winner-takes-all tri-series at Medowie.
Star women from each of the competition’s sixteen teams – all of which have representatives in the extended squads – now have a chance to show which region boasts the best talent.
“Representative matches are incredibly important, and are a crucial part of the calendar,” Black Diamond football operations manager Garry Burkinshaw said.
“Having this program now is really beneficial to the women, because it gives up to 66 players an opportunity to put their best foot forward.
“Each club in the region will have at least one member in one of the squads, and we want to give every team that pathway. We want to give this platform where players come and learn in the competitive environment, and everyone has the opportunity to get through and learn at this high level.”
Newcastle and Central Coast will have the honour of kicking off the inaugural fixtures, beginning at 11am, before Central Coast plays the Hunter at 12.20pm. Newcastle will clash with the Hunter at 1.40pm in the final fixture of the day.
All three matches will be played over two 25 minute halves.
The winner’s trophy will be awarded on a win-loss record basis, and if there are tied results the title will go to the team level on points but with the better for-and-against record.
In recent AFL news
Burkinshaw also confirmed that the Meadowie tri-series would be part of the Giants AFLW pathways system, to give the players “a chance to impress”.
“The Giants scouting network has already requested the tapes of the matches, and the recruitment panel will be watching,” he revealed. “That gives all the women a fantastic opportunity, if someone stands out they will catch the attention of the Giants, so it’s great from that point of view too.”
All player squads will be reduced to 22 after three training sessions, with the trimmed team to contest the challenge at Ferodale Park. All matches will be live-streamed by sports coverage organisation BarTV.
Full squads for Representative Challenge
CENTRAL COAST: Ange Jones, Maddi Kacorovski, Jasmine Mandy, Svenja Mueller-Byrnes, Claire Walsh, Orana Young (Gosford), Courtney Bartnett, Dixie Butler, Georgia Butler, Natasha Gregory, Megan Jenkins, Jocelyn Kelleher, Ashleigh Page, Hannah Page, Bethany Wood (Killarney Vale), Isabell Brierley, Morgan Ross, Darneka Rowe (Terrigal Avoca), Beth Allards (The Entrance Bateau Bay), Sarah Ball, Emily Bohan, Jesse Graham, Kanesha Murray, Alanna Nicholson, Alexandra Pearce, Rachael Potts (Wyong Lakes).
HUNTER: Stevi Bishop, Sarah Burns, Hannah Centra, Jodie Eagar, Gabrielle Easey, Anna Fraser, Lea O’Donoghue, Amanda Smith (Maitland), Paris Adam, Ashlea Finn, Natalia Heard, Meaghann Sawkins (Muswellbrook), Laura Anstey, Jemma Astley, Sophie Balcombe, Kaitlyn Douglass, Natasha Flint, Kate Holland, Lauren Hughes, Katelyn Jaramillo, Emma Kelly, Annalise Norton, Madeline Norton, Molly Simpson (Nelson Bay), Tia Davidson, Anna Lewis, Cheyanne Neu (Port Stephens), Tori Cowburn, Bree Howard, Kyah McBride, Natasha Pietzrac, Lynan Scott, Tahlia Thompson (Singleton).
NEWCASTLE: Matisse Coram-Parker, Arizona Cross, Eloise Petersen, Claudia Russell, Tayla Wilks (Cardiff), Emma-Jayne Howe, Sheldon Janissen, Holly Kozlik, Billie Schneeweiss (Lake Macquarie), Tayla Braithwaite, Sarah Halvorsen, Taylor Joyce, Amy Morschell (Newcastle Stars), Kate Handley, Caitlin Holcombe, Tjarra Kilpatrick, Jess Lashlie, Anna Ralston, Kath Stellmaker, Erin White (Newcastle Novas), Alyce McCloskley (Wallsend-West Newcastle), Kate Booth, Di Crep, Sam Delaney, Sam Lawrence, Amy Pittman (Warners Bay).