DRAFTEES Charlotte Wilson and Emerson Woods will make their debuts for Carlton on the big stage this Saturday.
Wilson and Woods are two of three inclusions for the Blues’ home clash against Collingwood at Ikon Park on Saturday night.
Taken in the 2018 NAB AFLW Draft, the pairing will provide their team with some energy and zip as the Blues look to return to winning ways.
Wilson was highly-regarded for her leadership qualities and football nous displayed for the Eastern Ranges (where she was co-captain) and the Southern Saints VFLW team.
Selected with pick No.27, she is the youngest player in the competition, after being born on December 29, 2000. She led the way in the standing vertical jump at the AFLW Draft Combine last year.
Speed is the name of the game for childhood Bluebagger Emerson Woods, who played with Wilson at the Eastern Ranges.
Recording the fastest time out of anyone in the 20-metre sprint at the Draft Combine (3.13 seconds), Woods went onto taste premiership success for Hawthorn’s VFLW side alongside Jayde Van Dyk.
View this post on InstagramLoving the blues my whole life I’d never thought I’d be one so honoured to be apart of this club!
The duo is joined by ruck Breann Moody, who has been recalled after missing last week’s narrow loss to Geelong.
Lauren Brazzale, Nat Plane and Rhiannon Watt make way after being omitted.
It’s a confirmed homecoming for Abbie McKay, who will play her first game at Ikon Park after her historic debut last weekend. She rung the bell at the inaugural AFLW game between Carlton and Collingwood in 2017.
“Just to pull on the navy blue in general is such an honour. To do it when your dad has previously played... it’s pretty surreal.”#BoundByBlue
— Carlton FC (@CarltonFC) February 26, 2019
It means that six of the seven-person National Draft class will feature for the Blues, with McKay, Wilson and Woods joining Madison Prespakis, Jayde Van Dyk and Jess Edwards.
Carlton’s clash with Collingwood begins at 7:15pm AEDT from Ikon Park on Saturday. With Brisbane to play Geelong earlier that day, a win could see Carlton return to the top two of Conference B.
| Carlton's Round 5 team | |||
| Backs: | 21. Nicola Stevens | 36. Jayde Van Dyk | |
| Half-backs: | 9. Kerryn Harrington | 6. Gab Pound | 11. Jess Hosking |
| Centreline: | 5. Abbie McKay | 15. Chloe Dalton | 8. Amelia Mullane |
| Half-forwards: | 4. Madison Prespakis | 7. Tayla Harris | 14. Brooke Walker |
| Forwards: | 3. Darcy Vescio | 19. Georgia Gee | |
| Followers: | 30. Alison Downie | 1. Brianna Davey | 10. Sarah Hosking |
| Interchange: | 2. Katie Loynes | 16. Breann Moody | 20. Charlotte Wilson |
| 25. Jess Edwards | 27. Emerson Woods | ||
| Emergencies: | 18. Tilly Lucas-Rodd | 24. Reni Hicks | |
In: Breann Moody, Charlotte Wilson, Emerson Woods
Out: Lauren Brazzale, Nat Plane, Rhiannon Watt (omitted)
New: Charlotte Wilson (Eastern Ranges/Saints VFLW), Emerson Woods (Eastern Ranges/Hawks VFLW)
