AFLW 2019: Western Bulldogs set to lose Monique Conti to RichmondApril 18, 2019
Tom Morris
FOX SPORTSThe Western Bulldogs will lose their AFLW 2019 best and fairest, with Monique Conti set to play for Richmond next season.
Foxfooty.com.au can reveal Conti’s two-year deal also involves Puma, although the Dogs must first agree to a trade.
The sign and trade period finishes on Thursday, but there is a secondary period from April 23-26 in which AFLW clubs can swap players and draft selections.
The Dogs have already lost four players to expansion clubs so any further departures must now be traded. It’s understood they are expecting Conti, who is currently on holidays overseas, to request a move to Richmond.
The 19 year-old has already been spotted at Punt Road and her impending arrival will cap off a prolific fortnight for the Tigers, who have also lured Conti’s ex-Dogs teammate Katie Brennan to the club.
Before the age of 20, Conti has achieved plenty in the game. She is a premiership player, a best and fairest and was also adjudged best afield in the 2018 Grand Final.
Her 2019 campaign was highlighted by a 25-possession effort against Carlton in Round 7.
She will be the fifth Bulldogs player to leave Whitten Oval, following Belinda Smith (West Coast), Selena Karlson (St Kilda), Tiarna Ernst (Gold Coast), and Brennan (Richmond) out the door.
In return, the Dogs have signed no players from rival clubs yet, though they did manage to lock in Bailey Hunt, Kimberley Rennie, Brooke Lochland, Deanna Berry and Aisling Utri on new deals.
The possibility of Conti joining the Tigers was first broken by foxfooty.com.au last Thursday.
Losing the 19-year-old will be a huge blow to coach Paul Groves, who oversaw a team that won just two of five games this season.
By comparison, the Tigers have made no secret of their desire to lure talent to the club.
Aside from Brennan and Conti, they’ve also acquired ex-Lion Sabrina Frederick via a trade, plus added Christina Bernardi (GWS), Maddy Brancatisano (Melbourne), Phoebe Monahan (GWS) and Iilish Ross (Collingwood).
The influx of quality means Richmond could have three tier one players, which would see the club forced to fit less tier two players into the salary cap.
Carlton had just one tier one player this season — captain Bri Davey — and she appears all but certain to join Collingwood on Thursday if the two clubs can orchestrate a trade.
The poaching of players from expansion clubs has been widely critiqued in recent weeks. On Thursday morning SEN radio, Essendon great Tim Watson queried whether young fans should get velcro numbers on their backs from now on.
In seeking to allow new teams opportunities to be competitive, three of the 10 AFLW captains from 2019 have either left their clubs or are expected to leave.
Monique Conti was best on ground in the 2018 Grand Final. Photo: Graham Denholm/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Imageshttps://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/womens-afl/aflw-2019-western-bulldogs-set-to-lose-monique-conti-to-richmond/news-story/83c21f8f8160cf1d9043585ec576f573
