Swan Districts women’s team.
Camera IconSwan Districts women’s team. Credit: Supplied/Facebook

Women’s AFL Draft: 11 Swan Districts players recruited for inaugural season

Kristie LimEastern Reporter

ELEVEN Swan Districts women’s premiership players have the chance to play in the inaugural AFL women’s league in 2017.

Kirby Bentley, Ebony Antonio, Ashley Sharp, Stacey Barr, Taylah Angel, Stephanie Cain, Akec Makur Chuot and Jacinda Barclay will join their captain Kara Donnellan at the Fremantle Dockers after being drafted in the women’s draft.

Chelsea Randall and Kellie Gibson were drafted by Adelaide as marquee players.

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Half-forward and Beechboro resident Ashley Sharp (19), who was drafted at pick 20, said she never thought there would be a women’s AFL competition.

“Wednesday was the biggest day of my life and I could not believe it really,” she said.

“I have been playing since I was six years old, so it is something that I wanted to do my whole life.

“Playing with girls from other clubs like getting to know them as well, it will be great…I know most of them already but I just cannot wait to see what the club can offer as well.”

Dual premiership ruck Akec Makur Chuot (24) of Mirrabooka said playing in the club’s premierships prepared her for next year.

“Playing for Swan Districts in the last three years has really just developed me as a player and taken me to the next level to elite,” she said.

“I did not know that I was going to end up becoming an AFL professional player, I knew I was going to become a sport sportswoman…I was really good at soccer.

“We have got such a great bunch of girls and for all of them to be from WA, for me, it is like so exciting because there is a lot of talent here.”

Midfielder Stephanie Cain (20) said she was surprised with her selection since this year was her senior debut season.

“It is a pretty exciting time for women’s footy…to be one of the first people to be a part of it, it is a pretty crazy thing to think about,” she said.

“It just gives those young girls out there that play footy something to look out for instead of having those male counterparts, they have now got females that they can look up to and it is something they can look forward to in the future.”