Star Emma Kearney at top of North Melbourne’s trade wishlist ahead of inaugural AFLW season

[Bulldog4life]

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/wom...480527f5a63c85

NORTH Melbourne’s women’s team is chasing arguably the biggest fish in the AFLW competition ahead of its inaugural 2019 season.
Foxfooty.com.au understands Emma Kearney is at the top of the Kangaroos’ wish list and the club is considering offering the 28-year-old the captaincy as an incentive.

Kearney has been in scintillating form for the Western Bulldogs this season. She is the only player in the competition to average more than 20 disposals per match and is the early favourite for the league’s best and fairest award, which was won by Erin Phillips in 2017.

But her association with Melbourne University Football Club, which is almost certain to become North Melbourne’s VFLW team, sees the Roos in pole position to sign her if she elects to leave the Bulldogs.

Tongues have been wagging in AFLW circles for several weeks regarding the make-up of North Melbourne’s team for 2019 — and four separate sources confirmed the Kangaroos’ strong desire to lure Kearney.

The Bulldogs expect Kearney, who re-signed in May last year for the 2018 season, to remain at the club next season. But given she is out of contract later this month, there are no guarantees.

Laura Kane doubles as Melbourne Uni’s president and football operations manager at the Kangaroos, while Uni secretary Leah Caluzzi also works at Arden Street.


It’s believed North Melbourne is yet to make any concrete financial offers to prospective targets, largely because the AFL has not finalised the 2019 salary cap and draft guidelines. But Kearney, who also plays cricket for the Melbourne Stars and Vic Spirit in the summer, could realistically command as much as $30,000 for the AFLW season and further benefits via the VFLW and potential full-time employment opportunities.

Victorian-based AFLW clubs will need to give up between two and four players ahead of the 2019 season to ensure North Melbourne and Geelong are competitive.

Draft concessions have been floated, although nothing has been confirmed. If they are granted, the AFLW All-Australian committee will give each player at a Victorian club a points rating between 10 and 50 based on performance, age, injury and other considerations.

Under this system, it will be mandatory for clubs to give up two to four players totalling 100 points.

Given Kearney’s consistently high performances across recent years, she would almost certainly be rated between 45 and 50 points.

The midfielder’s involvement with the Bulldogs pre-dates the AFLW league. She played five exhibition games for the club after she was recruited with Pick 10 in the 2013 AFLW draft.

When the AFLW was launched, Kearney was the Bulldogs’ priority pick, while Katie Brennan and Ellie Blackburn were the marquee signings.

Kearney and Blackburn were the co-winners of the Susan Alberti award for the Dogs’ best and fairest.

If Kearney does elect to defect to the Roos, the Dogs would then have room to hold onto both Blackburn and Brennan, as well as have the option to aggressively pursue other big names.

Kearney attracted attention in late 2016 when she revealed Cricket Australia had asked her to sign documents that would have forced her to prioritise cricket over football, even in the winter. Kearney was having none of it and continues to play both sports at the top level.

North Melbourne did not wish to expand on its list management plans when contacted, while Kearney’s management has been reached for comment.

[Bulldog4life]

Another reason to hate North

[Bulldog Joe]

While it would be great to retain all our better players, we need to be realistic and understand that all current teams will lose players.

If Kearney goes and we retain more of our middle range and the younger up and coming players it would probably be the best outcome we could get.

[Hotdog60]

What's the bet we get pillaged by the incoming teams and have no top tier.
I hope the girls like playing at the dogs and I would rather keep the top end and loose 100 points in 10 sub grade players and refresh with younger players that have some football behind them.

[Bulldog Joe]

What's the bet we get pillaged by the incoming teams and have no top tier.
I hope the girls like playing at the dogs and I would rather keep the top end and loose 100 points in 10 sub grade players and refresh with younger players that have some football behind them.

Clearly set up to diminish the better Victorian teams.
Note that the interstate teams are exempt.

If we have the right set up players will want to stay and it will be money that draws them away, and you really can't blame them for getting what dollars they can.
We do need to be able to get to the draft and keep picking up those young players who have had more continuity in their development.

[bornadog]

Emma is our best player and we need her to stay.

[Twodogs]

We already missed out on Hope and Newman, I'm with BAD we need to keep our stars.


I've got no idea how we will do it we just have to.

[Bulldog Joe]

Emma is our best player and we need her to stay.

If the choice was keep Kearney and lose both Conti and Utri instead, how would you feel?

[bornadog]

If the choice was keep Kearney and lose both Conti and Utri instead, how would you feel?

Take it this way, Emma is The Bont of AFLW

[Bulldog Joe]

Take it this way, Emma is The Bont of AFLW

I think Conti will be better.

[Cyberdoggie]

I think Conti will be better.

I agree with you there. Conti is by far the best young player (not counting injured Huntington) going around.
She has real poise and is probably one of 2 or 3 players at most in the comp that look to find the gaps in packs at all angles and break through them rather than just running in straight lines or towards our end. Conti can stop, turn, go backwards and she has a side step.

Also need to consider the age here, we have to give players up. If we give up an older Kearney we will only have to give up 1 or maybe 2 more fringe players. If we don't, then we will have to give up 4 players of decent quality.

[ledge]

What is the rules on lists , do you have to change the list ?
Is their a cap and can you sign players on long term contracts ?
I have no idea on the ins and outs of the rules the AFL have set regarding the women.

[josie]

Will be sad if Kearney goes however understand fully if she decides to play for north. Let’s hope we keep our other too notchers especially Elle Blackburn (one of my faves- love the way she plays).