Emerging NZ talent to play in AFLW U18 Championships

AFL New Zealand Youth Girls squad member Jaimee Wyatt will travel to Sydney on Thursday to represent Tasmania in the AFL Womens Under 18 National Championships.

AFL Female Football development Manager Jan Cooper came up with the idea three year’s ago when she wanted to increase the development of young females playing AFL in New Zealand.

In 2016, fellow Youth Girls squad member Jolyn Collins from Massey High School jumped at the chance to proudly represent New Zealand. Twelve months later, Youth Girls Captain Killarney Morey was the second female to play in the Championships. 17 year old Jaimee will become the third representative from New Zealand in 2018.

Jaimee has emerged as one of the best Female players in the country after continuing to develop her game over the past three seasons.

A nominee for 2018 AFLNZ Female Player of the Year at the High Performance Awards in April this year, the student from Westlake Girls High School is excited about the opportunity to take part in the championships.

“I’m very excited and looking forward to the competition and the opportunity to play AFL at a higher level in the homeland of the sport.”

Tasmania will play NSW/ACT in two games over a four day period during the first phase of the championships. An Allies squad will then be named featuring players from Division 2 for phase two of the championships in July, in a structure similar to the male championships.

The squad will depart on Thursday with their first match against NSW/ACT on Friday, June 1 at 9:00PM (NZT) at Blacktown International Sportspark. They then have a rest day before facing NSW/ACT again on Sunday June 3, at 12:00PM (NZT) at the same venue.