Bartlett welcomes selection of 10 girls

TASMANIAN women’s coach Trent Bartlett is not surprised by the booming number of players selected in the Allies squad for Round 2 of the AFL Women’s under-18 championships in July.

Ten of Bartlett’s players were selected in the 37-player squad, picked from the Tasmania, South Australia and Northern Territory teams after Round 1 of the titles.

The Tasmanian contingent includes Chloe and Libby Haines, Lauren Stevenson (Burnie), Amy Halaby, Mia King (East Launceston), Elise Barwick, Holly Ryan (Glenorchy) and Daria Bannister, Georgia Hill and Courtney Webb (Launceston). Webb was the Tasmanian MVP from Round 1.

They will take on NSW/ ACT, Western Australia and Queensland on the Gold Coast from July 10-14 if they make the final squad of 26.

Bartlett said he had thought six would make the cut, but was thrilled to see 10 named.

“But it’s not a great surprise as we have some great girls playing. Six to eight of them could play at the next level in the future and they’re still only young, too,” he said.

Three of the 10 girls are only in their first year of playing the game and AFL Tasmania football development manager Leigh Elder said it was a nod to the development of female football in the state.

“Uniquely, there are quite a few players in there who are playing in their first year of football, which just shows the short three-month program we’ve had developing them has got them to a good level already,” Elder said.