POWER, grunt and a leader in the making.

Carlton has added depth to its star-studded midfield with the acquisition of Sandringham Dragons captain Winnie Laing, the talented midfielder selected with pick No.36 in the 2020 NAB AFL Women’s Draft.

Coming from a basketball background, Laing is no stranger to the rigours of elite sport.

Four seasons into her football journey, she started out at the Port Melbourne Colts before moving to East Malvern and making her first NAB League appearance for Sandringham.

A standout performer in the three NAB League rounds of 2020, Laing averaged 20 disposals, three tackles and three inside 50s in her work through the centre.

Known for her competitiveness and hard-working nature during her junior career, the Dragons wasted no time in appointing Laing their captain ahead of the 2020 season after her significant off-season improvement.

GM of Women’s Football Ash Brown believes the Blues have secured a strong talent and future leader in drafting Laing.

“Winnie comes highly recommended for her power, grunt and determination to get the best out of herself – she is well placed for success in an AFLW environment,” Brown said.

“With leadership experience and proven coachability, we’re certain Winnie will add just as much to the group off-field as she will on it.

“This selection has really bolstered our young midfield and we can’t wait for our supporters to embrace Winnie in the Navy Blue.

“A lot of work has gone into making sure we can make the most of our selections in this draft and thanks to our List Manager Brett Munro, we’re really happy to have acquired Winnie with our third selection.”

Position: Midfielder
Height: 165cm
Recruited from: Sandringham Dragons