Photo credit: NAB League
FOUR former Eastern Football Netball League juniors found homes at AFL clubs on Tuesday in the 2019 AFLW Draft, with the Waverley Blues and Blackburn boasting three names.
Leading the charge was former Waverley Blues and Blackburn junior, Gemma Lagioia (pictured above), selected with pick eight by the Western Bulldogs.
The 18-year-old played two senior matches for Blackburn this season in the Deakin University Eastern Region Women’s Premier Division and represented Vic Metro at the AFLW under-18 championships, before playing in Collingwood’s VFLW premiership side last month.
Meanwhile, former Ferntree Gully Eagles junior Laura McClelland was taken by Richmond with pick 25.
McClelland earned All Australian honours this season, while also representing Vic Metro in the AFLW under-18 championships and Hawthorn Football Club’s VFLW team.
Former Waverley Blues, Donvale and Blackburn junior Amelia Van Oosterwijck joins Lagioia at the Western Bulldogs, selected with pick 62.
Van Oosterwijck in action for Donvale.
Van Oosterwijck represented the EFNL at under-15 level in 2016, and played in Donvale’s 2018 Deakin University Eastern Region Girls under-18 premiership side. The 17-year-old also played three matches for Vic Metro this year, along with eight appearances for Blackburn’s under-18 Premier Division outfit.
Rounding out a successful draft for the Waverley Blues and Blackburn was junior product Emily Harley, taken by Richmond with pick 93.
Harley made three appearances for Vic Metro this season, as well as representing Blackburn’s Deakin University Eastern Region Women’s teams.