GEELONG will win access to talented Bendigo Pioneers midfielder Bryde O'Rourke under father-daughter rules, after the League sent AFLW recruiting teams a full list of the approved players on Wednesday.
Only four players are destined for AFLW clubs under father-daughter rules ahead of December's draft, with O'Rourke – projected by recruiters to be a potential top-15 pick in an open pool – among the most talented.
O'Rourke's father, Ray, played just two games for the Cats in 1969. However, under AFLW rules where the father must have played only one V/AFL game for his club for it to have first access to his daughter, she still meets the criteria to head to GMHBA Stadium through a nomination and bidding process.
Carlton is also set to be among the biggest beneficiaries of the father-daughter nominations and will win access to Dandenong Stingrays mid-forward Meg Robertson, with her father Ben playing three games for the Blues in 1992.
Speedy winger Jemma Rigoni is headed to Melbourne, where her father Guy played 107 games between 1998-2005, while midfielder Charlotte Simpson is set for St Kilda where her father Sean played seven games between 1988-90.
Simpson, who is the younger sister of ex-Geelong midfielder Sam, had also been eligible to head to the Cats – where Sean played 114 games between 1991-98 – but has opted for the Saints.
A change to the father-daughter bidding process, set to be introduced in December's draft, means AFLW clubs will now need to hold a pick in the round where the player is bid on in order to match and win access to the player.
