The Geelong Cats welcome back inaugural AFLW player Erin Hoare, with the Club drafting the former player with Pick 1 in the 2023 AFLW Season 8 Supplementary Draft on Tuesday night.

After joining Geelong from the Melbourne Football Club ahead of the Cats’ inaugural AFLW Season in 2019, the athletic ruck led the AFLW for average hit-outs per game in Season 3 with 25.4, while bringing the pressure on ground level averaging 2.6 tackles a game.

Standing at 194cm tall, the 33-year-old departed the Cats at the conclusion of AFLW Season 3 and has been out of the game since, pursuing a career outside of football in the mental health space.

Hoare explored an exciting opportunity overseas to continue her studies and completed a post-doctorate fellowship, before returning to Australia to take a role at the AFL as Mental Health and Wellbeing Research Lead.

Hoare will join and support fellow tall Liv Fuller in the ruck department next season as Sammy Gooden works through her return to play program after being placed on the inactive list following the birth of her daughter last month.

Geelong Cats Head of AFLW and Football Pathways Brett Johnson said the Club is excited to welcome back Erin to GMHBA Stadium.

“Erin is a wonderful Club person, a talented ruck and was a key figure in our inaugural AFLW Season, so we are thrilled that she will once again wear the Hoops,” Johnson said.

“With Sammy Gooden placed on the inactive list, the Draft provided us with an opportunity to top up and bring in another tall to support Liv Fuller, with Erin well poised to hit the ground running in her return to the competition.”

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Erin Hoare Highlights | AFLW

Erin Hoare has returned to the Cats as the the #1 Pick in the 2023 Supplementary Draft. Watch some of her best work from a past lifetime here!

Hoare’s selection completes Geelong’s list for AFLW Season 8 after the Cats announced Irish duo Aishling Moloney and Anna-Rose Kennedy as Other Sport Rookie signings last week.

Geelong’s AFLW Season 8 List

New players:
Erin Hoare (Pick 1), Kate Surman (Trade with Port Adelaide), Aishling Moloney, Anna-Rose Kennedy (Other Sport Rookies)

Returning Players:
Mikayla Bowen, Annabel Johnson, Amy McDonald, Darcy Moloney, Jackie Parry, Julia Crockett-Grills, Kate Darby, Nina Morrison, Georgie Rankin, Meghan McDonald, Renee Garing, Liv Fuller, Chloe Scheer, Shelley Scott, Chantel Emonson, Brooke Plummer, Zali Friswell, Becky Webster, Rachel Kearns, Sammy Gooden*, Mia Skinner, Claudia Gunjaca, Ingrid Houtsma, Gabbi Featherston, Abbey McDonald, Georgie Prespakis, Melissa Bragg

*Sammy Gooden will begin Season 8 on Geelong’s inactive list