Another ray of Sunshine has joined the Lions with Maroochydore’s Bella Smith selected as Pick No.35 in the 2021 NAB AFLW Draft.
The 17-year-old midfielder joins a growing crop of talented Sunshine Coasters to make their mark in the big league, with AFLW Premiership players Belle Dawes, Lily Postlethwaite and Shannon Campbell also beginning their football careers on the Coast.
A key figure in the Maroochydore Roos QAFLW season, Smith has spent the 2021 season honing her footy skills in the Hyundai Help for Kids Lions Academy and the NAB AFL Women’s Academy.
In Queensland’s U19 match-up against Country Victoria earlier this year Smith impressed with her consistent work in the midfield gathering 14 disposals and five marks.
Her talent around the contest is something that AFLW Head Coach Craig Starcevich is looking forward to adding to the AFLW Premiership side.
“Bella has had her eye on this day for many years, I think,” Starcevich said.
“Always a talented junior, this season she has shown the initiative and professionalism to do extra work to improve, traits that will serve her well in AFLW.
I’m looking forward to adding her clean ball winning and composed decision making to our midfield group.”
