Sydney has taken big Victorian midfielder Montana Ham with their first-ever selection in the AFLW draft.
Ham — who hails from Victoria and grew up a Western Bulldogs supporter — will now join former Bulldog Brooke Lochland at the Swans after last week choosing to nominate NSW as her state of choice.
The AFLW draft, unlike the AFL draft, allows players to nominate the state they want to be drafted in, given many are balancing work and study commitments, including Ham, who is currently finishing year 12 study in Victoria.
She said the choice to move north was primarily a "lifestyle" decision, including her desire to be closer to the beach.
"I love that Sydney is on the water. The water was a big part of who I was growing up," she told media after being drafted.
Ham will be joined by Victorian Metro teammate and fellow midfielder Sofia Hurley, who also made the choice to turn her back on her home state and was taken by the Swans at pick number five.
New clubs taking shape
Along with Sydney, Hawthorn, Port Adelaide and Essendon are all joining the AFLW from season seven, which starts in August.
The four new clubs had the first 13 picks in the draft, as part of a first round with 36 selections.
With pick number two, Hawthorn took Oakleigh Chargers midfielder Jasmine Fleming.
Fleming has an outstanding sporting pedigree as the daughter of Australian cricketer Damien Fleming, while her uncle Gary O'Donnell played 243 games for Essendon and her aunt, Shelley O'Donnell, represented Australia with 84 caps in netball.
Following in the footsteps of her father, Fleming played cricket as well as football before choosing to prioritise AFLW.
"It was a hard decision," she said. "I love both sports equally. It really just came down to opportunity. Oakleigh gave me the opportunity and I loved it so much I wanted to play another season with them."
With pick three, Port Adelaide took midfielder Hannah Ewings from North Adelaide, who was presented her jumper by incoming superstar Erin Phillips and new coach Lauren Arnell.
"It was amazing to be given that [guernsey] from Erin," Ewings said, adding that Phillips's father Greg had also been her coach when she first moved to Adelaide.
"I idolise her through her game and as a person. I've looked up to her my whole life."
The noted ball-winner and stoppage player was taken ahead of the Power's next pick, Glenelg defender and midfielder Sarah Goodwin, headlining a strong South Australian draft contingent.
Perhaps the first small surprise of the night came when the Bombers selected Dandenong Stingray Amber Clarke at pick number four.
Clarke had been linked to the Hawks at pick number six but Essendon swooped in early on the exceptional athlete, who was eyeing off a Commonwealth Games appearance in hurdling before breaking her foot several years ago.
Clarke started athletics when she was four and holds both Australian and Victorian records.
Essendon pulled something of a surprise again with their second pick, taking powerful forward Paige Scott.
Scott had loomed as something of a draft floater, but led the goal-kicking in the under-19 championships as a 17-year-old and will line up alongside Bonnie Toogood in the Bombers' inaugural forward line.
West Coast then provided one of the feel-good moments of the night, taking sisters Lauren and Zoe Wakfer.
Zoe, who accompanied Lauren to the draft, said she was "gobsmacked" to be recruited.
"I thought I was just here to watch Lauren get drafted because I knew she was going to go," she said.
"I didn't even rock up in the right attire."
