VFLW - Squad

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The Western Bulldogs have finalised their squad ahead of the 2018 VFLW Season opener this weekend at Victoria University Whitten Oval.
The 48-woman squad combines local talent along with Western Bulldogs AFLW listed players, including Katie Brennan (formerly Darebin) and Ellie Blackburn (Melbourne University).
The Bulldogs’ injured AFLW players, while not listed to play, will remain involved in the club’s state level program at training and on match day.
The Bulldogs and Western Spurs have developed a strong relationship in the last three years and in October the Club announced that the Spurs would play under the Western Bulldogs name throughout the 2018 season and beyond, with the team spreading it’s home games between Victoria University Whitten Oval and Henry Turner Oval in Footscray.
The 2018 VFLW season opens on Saturday 5th May at Victoria University Whitten Oval. Click here for the full schedule.
Western Bulldogs VFLW squad:

Brooke Lochland	Lauren Spark	Bailey Hunt	Ashleigh Gunn	Nicole Paul
Ellie Blackburn	Jess Franckie	Hannah Scott	Alyssa Mifsud	April Goldring
Katie Brennan	Laura Bailey	Aisling Utri	Bree White	Makayla Ward
Danni Teasdale	Ellyse Gamble	Kim Rennie	Emma Mckay	Erin McLaughlin
Ricki-Lee Martinuzzo	Rachel Ashley	Rachel Gastin	Natalie Gills	Taylor Moss
Kirsten McLeod	Naomi Ferres	Tara Morgan	Angelica Gogos	Nicole McMahon
Deanna Berry	Hayley Wildes	Kylie Nicolaci	Lauren Murphy	Alicia Rooth
Monique Conti	Libby Birch	Bonnie Toogood	Caterina O'Brien	Simone Rudin
Tayla Dinuccio	Tiarna Ernst	Jessie Davies	Kerrie Clarke
Sarah Jolly	Ashleigh Guest	Amanda Tesssari	Annabel Scott

This is totally awesome and I was wondering why it hadn't happened earlier. Seemed illogical to have our players in an adjacent competition and not play for us.

Interesting to see Cal Wards sister Makayla on the list

Promising signs that so many of our premiership side want to continue to play with our club with two new Vic clubs coming into the AFLW next year.

O'Connor not one of them but she may be remaining loyal to Darebin and still be keen to play for us at AFLW level next year.

Hawks have their chequebook out and have pinched one of ours. Hopefully she will stay with the AFLW team since the Hawks wont have a team for at least 3 years.

Pay for play: VFLW Hawks are in the money

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HAWTHORN will pay its VFLW players in what it is believed to be a first for the statewide competition which has been bolstered this year by several new teams backed by AFL clubs.

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Western Bulldogs AFLW player and former elite cyclist Emma Mackie will captain the Hawks in 2018.

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So how many AFLW bulldogs are playing elsewhere in the VFLW?

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Originally Posted by Cyberdoggie

So how many AFLW bulldogs are playing elsewhere in the VFLW?

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I think Aasta O'Connor is staying with Darebin.

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Originally Posted by Cyberdoggie

So how many AFLW bulldogs are playing elsewhere in the VFLW?

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Probably a lot , I think it's just players wanting to play at the old team that got them where they are , it's s problem that will go as the AFLW grows .
Remember AFLW is only a short summer season, the winter competition they go back to their mates and closer to work/home clubs.
It's not fully professional yet.
We are in a great position though having our own VFLW team early in the growth of the league.

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Originally Posted by Axe Man

Hawks have their chequebook out and have pinched one of ours. Hopefully she will stay with the AFLW team since the Hawks wont have a team for at least 3 years.

Pay for play: VFLW Hawks are in the money

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typical bloody hawthorn.

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Originally Posted by Cyberdoggie

So how many AFLW bulldogs are playing elsewhere in the VFLW?

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Looking at the above list, the vast majority are with us. For some reason, a lot of them weren't available yesterday.

The Club asked the AFLW players to take 7 weeks off after the Grand Final - should be back next week.