MELBOURNE has been involved in an 11-club trade on the final day of the AFLW Trade Period.
The mega deal will see the Dees welcome Lily Johnson from Port Adelaide, as well as secure pick No.12, 23 and 40 in next week’s AFLW Draft.
Demon duo Maddi Gay and Charlotte Wilson will depart the club, headed to Essendon and Gold Coast respectively, while Melbourne will also part ways with pick No.19, 26 and 56.
New recruit Johnson is set to bring plenty of class, composure and versatility to the red and blue.
The 19-year-old, who hails from Tasmania, arrives with five senior games to her name, having made her debut in season seven of the competition.
“Lily is a player we have tracked since she popped up winning a contest on Daisy Pearce’s Instagram during COVID, funnily enough,” Melbourne AFLW List Manager Todd Patterson said.
“We then followed her progress when she moved from Tassie to West Adelaide, before joining Port Adelaide.
“We see her as a natural football. She has a great sidestep, uses the ball well and at just 19, we see significant growth in her game with the ability to play in either half of the ground.”
Johnson moved to South Australia in 2022 to pursue greater opportunities, earning a spot on West Adelaide’s SANFLW list before being drafted to Port Adelaide with pick No.80 in the 2022 NAB AFLW Draft.
The Dees will farewell a premiership player in Gay, who has played 47 of her 54 matches in the red and blue.
The 27-year-old started her career at Carlton and made the move to Melbourne prior to the 2019 AFL Women’s season.
Gay missed four matches in season 2023 due to soreness and injury, but has been an unwavering team member over her time at the Dees.
Patterson thanked the much-loved Demon for all she has contributed to the club.
“Maddi is a premiership player and a player we saw as important for a quest to return to the top next year,” Patterson said.
“However, Maddi felt like a fresh start would be beneficial for her to try and regain some continuity with her body again.
“It was of paramount importance to us that her ability and standing within our group was recognised, and whilst this deal took much longer than we would have liked, we were not prepared to compromise on this.
“We’re disappointed to be saying goodbye, but wish Maddi nothing but the best. She will always be part of the Melbourne family.”
Wilson departs after two seasons as a Dee, having arrived in mid-2022.
The 22-year-old played eight matches for the club, including four this past season, adding to her 30-game tally.
“Charlotte joined us from Carlton, keen to re-energise her career, and unfortunately had to manage some illness and injury in her first year, which limited her development,” Patterson said.
“This year, we really started to see what she was capable of; however, her opportunities were inconsistent, which led to discussions around where she would be best placed to continue to grow.
“Gold Coast have been fantastic in this process and will be a great environment for Charlotte. We wish her all the best.”
With the movement, Melbourne now holds two first-round selections in No.5 and 12, as well as 23, 40 and 74, in the 2023 AFLW Draft.
“We’re really excited by the opportunities that our draft hand presents,” Patterson said.
“We can’t wait to welcome some quality young players, that will build on our list for next year and beyond.
“Our members and supporters should be really excited about the prospective talent coming through the doors on Monday night, and the overall direction of our program ahead of the 2024 season.”
