West Coast has swooped early in the AFLW sign and trade period by securing the services of two-time all-Australian Dana Hooker for the club’s inaugural season.
Hooker is undoubtedly one of the competition’s biggest stars.
The inside midfielder claimed back-to-back all-Australian honours in 2018 and 2019, was runner-up in the AFLW best and fairest award the past two years and also claimed Fremantle’s club champion award 2017.
She placed second in the Dockers’ best and fairest race in 2018 and 2019.
Hooker has signed a two-year deal, tying her to the club until the end of season 2021.
West Coast Eagles head of female football Adam Selwood said he was thrilled to have Hooker on board for the club’s inaugural AFLW campaign.
“We’re so excited to have Dana sign with the club this week,” Selwood said.
“She is an exceptional person who we highlighted a couple of years ago (as someone) we would have loved to have brought in.
“What she displays out on the field with her work ethic, level of consistency and obviously her performance have been sensational.
“I think a lot of Dana’s consistency comes from the way that she trains and prepares and gets the most out of herself every week.
“As this competition moves forward we know that Dana is in a really good spot in the next four or five years of her career and I think that could bring a lot of success here at the Eagles.”
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Hooker said she was elated to start the next phase of her AFLW journey as an Eagle.
“I’m incredibly excited to be here and a part of this football club,” Hooker said.
“I felt privileged to have been a part of Fremantle and the inaugural side there and work through three years of really great growth there, but I met with Adam Selwood, (AFLW senior coach) Luke Dwyer and just earlier this week with (chief executive) Trevor Nisbett and they all were incredibly respectful of my situation and outlined the opportunities for me here and what this club really stands for.
“It’s quite powerful when you have those conversations and hearing the opportunities ahead of you and ahead of a really great developing team. It was something that really excited me and I felt like I’d be part of the family here.”
West Coast Eagles head of female football Adam Selwood, Dana Hooker and AFLW senior coach Luke Dwyer
The 28-year-old onballer hoped to lead by example on the field and share the knowledge she had accrued over the past three seasons with the club’s up-and-coming players.
“I like to be one of those players that every time I step on the field everyone knows what they are going to get from me,” Hooker said.
“I just like to be a leader in the way that we go about my business and just setting an example from the way that I play and the way that I interact with my teammates.
“I’ve had all the experiences so far of the highs and lows of the competition and when things are going your way and when they aren’t as well.
“I’m just looking forward to this next chapter, putting on some new colours and helping lead the way for the girls.”
