The new AFL women’s league has announced 16 marquee players for its inaugural season in 2017.
The players will be paid $25,000 each and their relocation costs by the eight clubs involved in the ground-breaking competition.
Here are some of the players to keep an eye on:
Daisy Pearce
Age: 28
Position: Midfielder
Club: Melbourne
Background: Described as the most decorated, and highest-profile, player in the game, Pearce currently works for the Melbourne Football Club and was a trailblazer in the early exhibition matches for the Demons. She has played for Victorian powerhouse Darebin Falcons for more than a decade.
Pearce said she felt fortunate the women's league was being formed while she was still young enough to be selected.
"I have played for a long time and I guess people say you sort of make sacrifices, but when you're doing something that you love it's not really a sacrifice."
Darcy Vescio
Age: 23
Position: Full forward
Club: Carlton
Background: A triple premiership player with Darebin, Vescio started playing football at the age of five. Already employed by the Blues as a graphic designer, her pace and strong attack at the ball, clean hands and accurate kicking makes her one of the best fowards in the game.
Vescio said she was proud to be named a marquee player.
"We've all been playing for years just purely for the love of it and just to become better footy players so to have an opportunity to enter an elite kind of environment is awesome."
Moana Hope
Age: 28
Position: Full forward
Club: Collingwood
Background: Hope started playing football when she was 13 and has regularly topped the VWFL goal kicking while playing with the St Kilda Sharks. Lively and highly skilled, Hope is as good on the ground as she is in the air.
