Lauren and Zoe Wakfer stunned after Eagles double up on twins at AFLW draft
Lauren Wakfer was already the feelgood story of the AFLW draft when identical twin Zoe, who had planned to be her sister’s support act, stole the show. At pick No 15, West Coast had selected Lauren with the second live pick in Western Australia, despite the ruck being just a week on from a full knee reconstruction.
Then with pick No 36, Zoe, who had not even attended the draft in her South Fremantle club polo, anticipating she would be in Melbourne purely supporting her sister, was brought to tears.
The Eagles called out the key defender’s name with the final selection of the first round, then handed her a polo, which she proudly wore over her dress: a surprise outfit perfect for the occasion.
“It’s really surreal. I didn’t know what to expect, but it wasn’t this,” Zoe said. “I was following her [Lauren]. I was here tonight for her so to be called out as well was an even bigger surprise. So, [I’m] overwhelmed, gobsmacked.”
Lauren, long-expected to land at West Coast despite her serious injury, said she had not been given a heads-up Zoe could join her, but had her suspicions.
“We actually both shared the first interview, we both went in together and they interviewed us together,” she said.
“I think she [Zoe] had more interviews than I did with the Eagles.”
While Zoe could debut as early as August, Lauren, who attended the draft on crutches, will have to bide her time until next season after rupturing her ACL earlier this month. When asked how she had supported Lauren through her injury, Zoe quipped: “everything”.
“The past three weeks I’ve been on foot and hand,” she said, pushing on through her sister’s indignant denials. “We went to a concert a couple of weeks ago when she first did it. We weren’t sure if it was an ACL and we weren’t sure where RAC Arena was at the time, so I ended up piggybacking her.”
Given the pair play different positions, there is plenty of room for excitement when both Wakfers line up together for the first time.
“I would have taken her out if she was competing for my spot. She wouldn’t be here tonight,” Lauren said, laughing.
The twins look set to quickly become Eagles fan favourites, provided they change one thing: their “avid” support of Fremantle.
“We’re diehard Freo fans,” Lauren said. “We’ll go for the Western Australian teams but Freo’s always number one,” Zoe added. “It’s about to change, I guess.”
Earlier on Wednesday night, Sydney pounced on Montana Ham with the No 1 pick after the gun Victorian midfielder shunned clubs in her home state in favour of heading north.
Midfielder Ham nominated for the NSW draft pool, citing lifestyle and future career reasons. That meant the 18-year-old could only be selected by Sydney or GWS and the Swans did not hesitate to select Ham as their first ever draft pick.
“Obviously super excited. You’re always nervous right up until your name’s called out,” Ham said when presented on stage. “Massive honour and I’m absolutely thrilled to be going to the Swans. Obviously it’s a big challenge for me but I’m super-excited to be moving to a new city.”
Ham’s decision follows fellow Victorian Charlie Rowbottom’s call last year to nominate for the Queensland draft pool, where she was taken as pick No 1 by Gold Coast. Drafts are still statebased as the AFLW is semi-professional and part-time.
Jasmine Fleming, daughter of former Australian cricketer Damien Fleming and niece of former Essendon captain Gary O’Donnell, landed at Hawthorn at pick No 2.