AFLW D-DAY ARRIVES

AFL Tasmania won’t be hiding any of its best talent from today’s AFLW draft, even though the state will enter a combined team with North Melbourne in 18 months.

Today five Tasmanian players — Loveth Ochayi (Tigers), Launceston trio Daria Bannister, Georgia Hill and Courtney Webb, and TSLW leading goalkicker Jacinta Limbrick (Clarence) — hope to have their names read out by an AFLW club for the second season of the competition.

AFL Tasmania football development manager Leigh Elder said it would be hard for all the girls to be selected because it was likely there would be only 16 live picks from the Victorian clubs, where the Tasmanian players have nominated.

Bannister, a tough inside midfielder, is considered the state’s top prospect.

“My preference would be the five that are ready to go on top of the four we have. I hope they all get picked up and get that 12 months’ experience in a high performance culture so they come away better,” Elder said.

“I’d love to see Loveth get an opportunity because she will learn so much being in that high performance model. She will come back a better footballer, a better athlete and a better person for it. We hope that’s the case.”

Ochayi turned heads at the recent AFL draft combine, finishing top 10 in four tests.

The 18-year-old has spoken to some clubs but had no idea if she would be selected. But she was confident she could have an impact at the highest level. “I’m a very quick learner and very adaptable,” Ochayi said.

Those who miss out can still be selected as a free agent or in the rookie draft.