Geelong has strengthened its potent forward line with the selection of Chantal Mason from the Geelong Falcons with its first pick of tonight’s (Monday) AFLW Draft.
The Cats’, whose opening pick came at no.18, pounced on Mason, the leading goalkicker in the Victorian Talent League.
The St Joseph’s product kicked 34 goals from 15 games and was named in the Talent League Team of the Year.
Mason also represented Vic Country, kicking three goals from three games.
At 177cm, Mason is an impressive contested mark that should complement the likes of Chloe Scheer, Jackie Parry and Shelley Scott in the Geelong forward line.
AFLW: HISTORIC DEALS FOR STAR CATS
The Cats moved up the draft board to select father-daughter selection Bryde O’Rourke from the Bendigo Pioneers.
Geelong’s following selection after Mason was in the 30s. However, with Melbourne keen on O’Rourke at pick 23, the Cats matched the Demons’ bid.
O’Rourke, whose father Ray played two games for Geelong in 1969, averaged 16 disposals for the Pioneers during the Talent League season and was named on the interchange in the Team of the Year.
The Cats chose to pass with its final selection, leaving a spot on its list vacant.
Mason wasn’t the only Geelong Falcon selected.
Grovedale product Chloe Adams was selected with pick 38 by Essendon.
Adams, who represented Vic Country, finished runner-up in the Falcons’ best-and-fairest and was named in the Team of the Year in defence.
Former Geelong Falcons’ captain Charlotte Simpson, who won the VFLW and Geelong best-and-fairest in 2023, joined St Kilda as a father-daughter selection.
The sister of recently delisted AFL Cat Sam, Simpson’s dad Sean played seven games with the Saints before his 114 appearances in the Hoops.
Earlier in the night, the first pick in the draft belonged to the Western Bulldogs, who selected Kristie-Lee Weston-Turner from Victorian Talent League club Western Jets.
