Eight locals invited to AFLW Combine

Zoe Besanko was invited to the AFLW National Draft Combine. (Rob Carew: 430152).

By Jonty Ralphsmith

Four Dandenong Stingrays and four Gippsland Power players are among the 91 players nominated for the 2024 AFLW Draft combines.

Stingrays Zoe Besanko and Elli Symonds were invited to the national combine, alongside Gippsland top-five pick contender Ash Centra.

Dandenong midfielders Jemma Reynolds and Kayla Dalgleish and Gippsland trio Jas Sowden, Lilly Leighton and Zali Gallagher were invited to the state combine.

Besanko is an athletic tall, Symonds projects as a strong-marking forward/midfielder and Centra is a smooth-moving utility.

Reynolds is a polished on-baller, Dalgleish is athletic and fierce, Sowden is brilliant in the contest, Leighton is a hard runner and Gallagher is pacy and tenacious off halfback.

The three-day national Draft Combine will be held in Melbourne from Friday, October 4 to Sunday, October 6. It will be held over the same weekend as the 2024 Telstra AFL Draft Combine for boys.

Club interviews will be held at the MCG across Friday and Saturday before players take part in physical testing at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre (MSAC) on Sunday.

Testing will include the vertical jump, running vertical jump, 20-metre sprint, agility test and 2km time trial.

In addition to the national Draft Combine, smaller state-based Draft Combines will also be held in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia for players who were not nominated for the national event.

Selection to attend the 2024 Telstra AFLW Draft Combine and 2024 Telstra AFLW Draft Combines was based on nominations provided by AFLW clubs.