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Former Black Fern Grace Brooker makes history with Essendon in AFLW

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - JUNE 14: Grace Brooker poses for a portrait during a Black Ferns Portrait Session at Millenium Institute on June 14, 2023 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images for New Zealand Rugby)

Former Black Ferns centre Grace Brooker has made history with Essendon ahead of this year’s AFLW season, with the code-hopper signing on as the club’s first-ever rookie signing for the women’s team.

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After a four-Test international career and some time with Matatu in Super Rugby Aupiki, Brooker is embarking on an ambitious and unique sporting journey. Brooker will wear the famed red sash of Essendon Football Club after filling the AFLW team’s 30th and final list spot.

Brooker also played for Canterbury and enjoyed a stint with Yokohama TKM in Japan, but the 25-year-old’s decision to sign with the Bombers is literally an all-new ball game. The Kiwi was raised in a rugby-dominated household and is now looking to learn a new sport at the elite level.

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In rugby, Brooker has showcased a strong frame and athletic versatility in the backline, with the Bombers eager to see what their newest signing can achieve in the Aussie Rules. Pre-season is set to get underway in May before the round-robin kicks off in August.

“My first conversation was with [coach Natalie Wood] and I was amazed by her car. She was so passionate about helping me understand the landscape of AFLW, which I really appreciated,” Brooker said in a statement.

“When my interest was expressed, [list and recruiting manager] Georgia Harvey and ‘Woody’ would call me up every month or so. It was very clear from the beginning that the management team were focused on taking care of me as a person, before anything else.”

Brooker was among a group of trailblazers in women’s rugby, with the midfielder part of the first Black Ferns squad who were paid as professionals. Now, after signing with the Bombers, the athlete will look to inspire more and continue to make an impact in a growing competition.

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As the Bombers revealed this week, the club was impressed with Brooker’s “power, strength and explosiveness” during her first-ever group skills session. Brooker was officially unveiled as the club’s latest signing earlier this week, and all involved seem excited for the future.

“When I received the list spot, my dad was super excited for me. We are both keen to show how the change from rugby to AFLW challenges me,” Brooker reflected.

“Mum always supports me in any decision I make. I can guarantee she will be over on the sideline of Windy Hill in a heartbeat.

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“I’ve met quite a few of the players already, their kindness and the overall energy of the group was extraordinary. I’m ready to put everything into getting cleaner with my skills, knowledge of the game and my fitness, and I can’t wait to get started.”

Former All Blacks Sevens captain Sam Dickson is another rugby player who has tried Aussie Rules, with the eventual Olympian representing New Zealand at the International Cup in Australia, which is the World Cup equivalent for the sport.

As Dickson told RugbyPass in 2023, “There was a few small glimpses of hope” about a pro deal in the AFL with the New Zealander holding “a little bit of talks” with Victorian club St Kilda before eventually returning to rugby union.

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reginaldgarcia 1 hour ago
Crusaders rookie earns 'other than Dupont' praise from All Blacks star

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JW 2 hours ago
Kyren Taumoefolau All Blacks stance splits opinions on eligibility

MP are a NZ side through and through, NZ is even having to pay for it.

Yes they caved to public demand, I bet it accomplished a lot of internal goals. They could have left it to the other groups, but I’m of the belief that they weren’t showing the capability to make it work as being a good reason for NZR to jump in and do it. I think it’s actually funded 50/50 between NZR and WR though.

(when nothing was stopping a pi player playing for any side in Super Rugby)

Neither is that fact true. Only 3 non NZ players are allowed in each squad.


I see you also need to learn what the term poach means - take or acquire in an unfair or clandestine way. - Moana have more slots for non eligible players (and you have seen many return to an NZ franchise) so players are largely making their own choice without any outside coercion ala Julian Savea.

Not one of these Kiwis and Aussies would go live in the Islands to satisfy any criteria, and I’d say most of them have hardly ever set foot in the islands, outside of a holiday.

Another inaccurate statement. Take Mo’unga’s nephew Armstrong-Ravula, if he is not eligible via ancestry in a couple of generations time, he will be eligible because he plays his rugby there (even if he’s only their for rugby and not living there), that is a recent change made by World Rugby to better reflect examples like Fabian Holland and Fakatava.

It’s becoming the jump-ship/zero loyalty joke that international League is.

Look I understand you’re reason to cry and make an example at any opportunity, but you don’t really need to anymore, other recent changes made by WR are basically going to stop the Ireland situation, and time (perhaps no more than a decade) will fix the rest.

26 Go to comments
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