Two of the AFLW’s talented young players have committed to join Essendon for their inaugural season.
In a massive boost for the Bombers as they look to establish themselves in the competition, Carlton duo Madison Prespakis and Georgia Gee have committed to the club.
The Bombers will work with Prespakis and Gee along with the AFL and their management to facilitate the request at the appropriate time, noting the AFLW Sign and Trade Period is yet to be confirmed by the AFL.
Both players bring a wealth of experience.
Prespakis, who has played 34 games, is one of the top players in the competition, having won the league best and fairest in 2020.
She has won three club best and fairest awards at the Blues, including being named the winner of the 2022 award last week.
Prespakis, who has made no secret she was a Bombers fan growing up, has averaged 20.4 disposals and kicked 15 goals across her career.
Her good mate Gee spent five seasons at Carlton.
Gee has mostly played on the wing and in the forward line is dangerous in front of goal.
Essendon football general manager Josh Mahoney said the pair were fantastic additions to Bombers’ team.
“We are very excited to welcome Maddy and Georgia to the Bombers,” he said.
“To attract such high-calibre players to the club is a fantastic reflection on the program we have established throughout the VFLW and the program we continue to build as we head towards our first AFLW season.
“We are setting high expectations for our AFLW team from the beginning and building a program that will give our players an opportunity to be the best they can be. With access to high-class facilities and full-time staff, we are well placed to maximise every player’s career.”
AFLW player contract manager Georgia Harvey said the Bombers were excited by the potential of Prespakis and Gee.
“Maddy, who is a lifelong Bombers supporter, is a young inside midfielder who has already achieved a lot in her short career, but with our support, we are certain she can take her game to the next level, ” Harvey said.
“Like Maddy, Georgia has a lot of potential. She is a versatile player who is a silky ball mover and can also hit the scoreboard.”
In a statement, Carlton said it had been in discussions with Prespakis and Gee for a number of weeks and had been exploring every possible avenue to retain them.
Carlton women’s football general manager Brett Munro said the news was disappointing, however the inevitable reality of expansion had created a situation in the industry that was going to see quality players leaving existing clubs across the entire competition.
“It is obviously disappointing to lose Maddy and Georgia, there is no shying away from that, given our significant investment in both of them to date over the last four years and five years respectively. Our intention, which we had made known right throughout discussions, was to have them both part of the team success we are building with this playing group, to go along with the individual success they have deservingly earned so far in their careers.”
The pair join Essendon VFLW co-captain Georgia Nanscawen. Natalie Wood has been announced as the Bombers first AFLW coach.
