Stars from the east prepare for AFLW

Kaila Bentvelzen in action for Casey. Pictures: COURTESY OF REN THOMPSON

By Romy Stephens

A collection of footballers from the eastern suburbs have been picked up in this year’s AFLW draft.

Laura McClelland (pick 25) and Emma Horne (pick 73) from Monbulk Football Netball Club in AFL Outer East were both drafted by Richmond.

Meanwhile, the Casey Demons’ Nicole Garner (pick 50) and Kaila Bentvelzen (pick 67) were picked up by Geelong and Collingwood respectively.

Not only is Monbulk both McClelland’s and Horne’s local club, but the pair have played at Eastern Ranges for the past three years and grew up together.

“It’s pretty insane, I don’t think we’ve quite realised how cool it’s going to be, especially until we actually get down there and start training,” Horne said.

“Considering we were really close friends in primary school and we used to play footy on the oval at lunchtimes.

“To end up here, it’s never something I thought would happen but I’m so glad it has.”

McClelland, a left-footer, is known for her aerial work and is the Eastern Ranges captain.

She started playing in the boys’ team at Monbulk when she was nine-years-old and stayed until she was 14.

At the time, the club didn’t have a women’s side so she relocated to Ferntree Gully before being picked up by the Eastern Ranges.

She also played for Vic Metro this year and earned All-Australian honours.

McClelland said being selected by the team she supports still hasn’t sunk in.

“It’s still pretty surreal for me but it’s getting there, I’m starting to take it all in,” she said.

“It means the world, you’re living your dream. You get to do something you love and for a club I’ve loved since I was little.”

Horne, on the other hand, didn’t start playing football until she was 15-years-old.

As someone who always kicked the football around when she was young, she finally joined a team when Eastern Ranges started its women’s program in 2015.

She said it means a lot to finally reach the ultimate pinnacle of women’s football.

“It’s really fulfilling, especially because the women’s competition wasn’t even a thing when I was a kid,” Horne said.

“When I started being interested in footy it was all about the boys.

“It’s such a privilege to be playing for the Tigers next year and I’m so excited to get started and get around the girls.”

The Casey Demons are also celebrating two of the club’s players being picked up in the draft.

Nicole Garner had a standout season and co-captained the Demons in this year’s VFLW campaign.

Before her time at Casey, Garner won a premiership and best and fairest with the Gippsland Galaxy and has competed in basketball at an elite level.

She will now head to Geelong to continue her football career.

Casey Demons VFLW list and recruiting manager Todd Patterson said Garner came into the club with impressive core skills.

“We always thought she was going to be one of our best chances to get drafted,” he said.

Bentvelzen also comes from a basketball background and played as a key defender for Casey this year.

Patterson said her “natural athleticism” was likely a key reason she was picked up by Collingwood.

The selection of two players for AFLW is set to bolster the club’s women’s program, which Patterson said is designed to feed players right into the AFLW.

“The purpose of the Casey VFLW program is to get players drafted into the AFLW,” he said.

“The talent pool, because of the rapid growth of AFLW, has been spread quite thin but we’re really confident that there are local girls around that haven’t been aware of how to get involved.”

The AFLW 2020 season fixture is expected to be released in the coming days and pre-season is due to start next month.