The Western Jets are no longer the only NAB League club not to have produced an AFL Women’s draftee, with three of their talented youngsters recently graduating to the elite level at the NAB AFLW Draft.

2019 Jets captain Elisabeth Georgostathis (pictured, left) became Western’s first-ever selection at the AFLW Draft when the Western Bulldogs took her with pick no.9.

After being pre-selected under the AFLW’s Father-Daughter rule, Isabella Grant (pictured, centre) – the daughter of Bulldogs AFL great Chris Grant – then officially joined Georgostathis at VU Whitten Oval with pick no.47, before Cleo Saxon-Jones (pictured, right) went to Richmond with pick no.58 to cap a breakout draft for the Jets.

Further, 19-year-old Sharnie Whiting was selected by Carlton with pick no.36 following a stellar season with Williamstown in the Swisse Wellness VFL Women’s, one year after leaving Western.

 

The progression of the club’s female program in general accelerated under new head coach Zachary Read in 2019, the Jets winning three of nine games after posting just one victory across the Victorian under-18 girls competition’s first two seasons in 2017-18.

“The Western Jets were thrilled that the hard work, commitment and time that has been put into developing and improving the region’s girls program – led by Zachary Read and his coaching group – was rewarded when four players (three current and one former) were drafted into the AFLW this year,” the club said.

“Elisabeth Georgostathis capped off a remarkable year that included a club best-and-fairest, Vic Metro selection, second place in the NAB League Girls Best & Fairest and NAB League Girls Team of the Year honours. She’ll go down as the first Jets player to be selected in an AFLW Draft.

“Izzy Grant joins Liz at the Bulldogs and she’ll add another chapter to the Grant family legacy at Whitten Oval. Izzy was a member of the 2019 NAB League Girls Team of the Year and her versatility makes her a top prospect in the years to come.

“Cleo Saxon-Jones can be anything at the elite level. She also developed her off-field capability working as a part-time administrator for the region to complement her studies and was an integral part of all facets of our girls program.

“Finally, Sharnie Whiting was one of the great talents the region identified in the early stages of the girls program. She has many high-level attributes that can grow Carlton’s program as they aspire to go one better (winning a premiership) in 2020.”

Georgostathis claimed her second straight best-and-fairest at Western in 2019 following a prolific campaign as a running defender, when she led the Jets for total disposals, rebound-50s and tackles.

She later graduated to play seven VFLW games for the Western Bulldogs – including the Grand Final – and kicked six goals in a new forward-line role to display the versatility that ultimately helped make her a top-10 AFLW Draft pick.

 

“It’s unreal; I never expected it,” Georgostathis said after her selection at the AFLW Draft. “I’ve played with the Western Jets for the last four years and I’m so grateful to them and all the support they’ve given me.

“When I first started playing football, there wasn’t an AFLW competition, so I thought I’d just play for a bit of fun. Over the last two years I became more serious and that’s when I pushed and worked hardest. Now I get the reward.”