Senior 1. Amelia Velardo

[Aphrodite]

Welcome Amelia, born & bred Bluebagger

Velardo to join the Game Changers

Amelia Velardo is the first player to make her way to the Blues this trade period.

www.carltonfc.com.au

THE CARLTON Football Club can confirm Amelia Velardo is joining the Game Changers on a two-season contract.

The 20-year-old is an exciting prospect, playing primarily as a midfielder, with strong attributes around stoppages and movement around the ball.
Velardo has played a total of 11 games for Collingwood over two seasons and joins Carlton as part of a trade which sees Lauren Brazzale move to the Pies.

 

[GalaxyBlue]

Fact: can never have too many Baggers supporters on our list. Welcome Amelia!

 

[AndyLucimitis]

Can she play Full-Back ?

 

[Aphrodite]

Highlights | Amelia Velardo

Watch some of the best highlights from new recruit Amelia Velardo, as the Blues acquired her during the 2022 Sign and Trade period.

www.carltonfc.com.au

 

[TENACIOUS]

Maddi who?

Welcome Amelia... Nice little upgrade in the middle

 

[BlueGum]

Welcome Amelia. We don't need to tell you how much better you're going to look in navy blue.

 

[jj1978]

Good physique for WAFL (lady equiv of a Kouta), strong.. just needs to work on her kicking.

 

[Jimmae]

Good replacement for the roles Stevens and McEvoy have been playing... frees McEvoy to go back inside, which we'll need.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Has played as a back up ruck and midfielder. She seems to be a utility type.

We did give up 38 and 89 along with Brazzale but got 73 back.

Velardo is 20, Brazzale is 28 and had fallen out of our best side last season.

Velardo was taken by the Pies at #25 in the 2020 draft. It was never going to be a straight swap.

The rebuild continues and picking up players with a Carlton heart is a great move with the way players move so easily.

 

[Gethelred]

Welcome, Amelia.

 

[Jimmae]

Has played as a back up ruck and midfielder. She seems to be a utility type.

We did give up 38 and 89 along with Brazzale but got 73 back.

Velardo is 20, Brazzale is 28 and had fallen out of our best side last season.

Velardo was taken by the Pies at #25 in the 2020 draft. It was never going to be a straight swap.

The rebuild continues and picking up players with a Carlton heart is a great move with the way players move so easily.

Significant injury aside, the only thing stopping Brazzale and Stevens playing until they're 35 is the will to play and prepare.

It's not the same timeline as the men's format due to them having physically played less football, both in the AFLW and through their previous football careers. The standard also remains low enough that they can stagger along on football talent alone through this expansion period.

If clubs start kicking cash into player development that might change, but that's also a net positive for them as individuals.

I expect a more favourable swap than what's transpired, but I concede that she is technically more talented, but seemingly far less mobile. Between that and bleeding out Wilson, that's put a huge dent in our trade period thus far.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Significant injury aside, the only thing stopping Brazzale and Stevens playing until they're 35 is the will to play and prepare.

It's not the same timeline as the men's format due to them having physically played less football, both in the AFLW and through their previous football careers. The standard also remains low enough that they can stagger along on football talent alone through this expansion period.

If clubs start kicking cash into player development that might change, but that's also a net positive for them as individuals.

I expect a more favourable swap than what's transpired, but I concede that she is technically more talented, but seemingly far less mobile. Between that and bleeding out Wilson, that's put a huge dent in our trade period thus far.

Meh, our forward structure has been a mess. I think going back to a traditional tall structure with roving smalls will suit us fine, especially now that we are focussing more on ball use from the midfield.

Brazzale fell out of the side at 28. Your hypothetical as to her performing for the next 7 years, first has to rely on her finding her best football again, then managing her body. Then she has to be part of a game plan that suits her.because no team is building a game plan to cater to her strengths.

I like Brazzale but I completely understand why we are moving on from her.

Bleeding Wilson ... we needed her as the last line one on one, and she got the yips with her marking. She struggles when the ball hits the ground and panicked chaos balls inside our defensive 50 hurt a lot.

Trudgeon showed more as soon as she went back by necessity. That's all she wrote unfortunately.

Of course these players might do well at their new clubs, but that doesn't change the reasons it has happened.

 

[thylacine60]

Loving the input from better track watchers than moi.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

I expect a more favourable swap than what's transpired, but I concede that she is technically more talented, but seemingly far less mobile. Between that and bleeding out Wilson, that's put a huge dent in our trade period thus far.

I just want to revisit this one point. Velardo is 176cms, Brazzale is 163cms. Velardo is taller than Harrington. If she is in our midfield, she would be our tallest midfielder. You're going to sacrifice some mobility the taller you are. She can play tall, she can pinch hit in the ruck, she can go forward or back. We shouldn't be comparing the two players just because they were part of the same trade.

 

[blueboy25]

Bleeding Wilson ... we needed her as the last line one on one, and she got the yips with her marking. She struggles when the ball hits the ground and panicked chaos balls inside our defensive 50 hurt a lot.

Trudgeon showed more as soon as she went back by necessity. That's all she wrote unfortunately.

Of course these players might do well at their new clubs, but that doesn't change the reasons it has happened.

So you are happy we are letting a 21yo, good size key position size who had a very good season in 2021 but unfortunately had a poor year in 2022 after losing her confidence.

The club is losing players left right and centre, so instead of the coaches working with her and getting her confidence back we trade her out and hope for the best in the draft.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

So you are happy we are letting a 21yo, good size key position size who had a very good season in 2021 but unfortunately had a poor year in 2022 after losing her confidence.

The club is losing players left right and centre, so instead of the coaches working with her and getting her confidence back we trade her out and hope for the best in the draft.

Wilson wanted to go for more opportunities and a top side in Melbourne needed her type (they are losing players too, go figure).

I'd suggest that Wilson starting dropping marks and being exposed on the ground in 2021. 2020 was when she looked like an awesome prospect.

- Charlotte Wilson

www.aflwstats.com

I mean, I'm commenting on what has transpired. Trudgeon surpassed Wilson while she was injured. Wilson's form was heading downward. She wanted a guaranteed key post, she had fallen out of our top side, and we got what we could for her.

You're speculating we could have fixed her and I don't know, played her and Trudgeon in the same backline perhaps? You are speculating that we are just hoping for the best in the draft, rather than having a specific type of player in mind to suit a particular game plan, considering we never had a game plan worthy of winning a flag, so are reinventing ourselves.

My biggest issue with our AFLW side is that we have been as slow as treacle, only looking fast enough when Dalton, Walker and Gee were flying.

Recruiters are getting better and the quality and depth of players in the draft is getting better and better. I'm backing us in. We may struggle for a year or two but we will be a better drilled and closer unit now that the conditional or disillusioned players are leaving.

 

[blueboy25]

Wilson wanted to go for more opportunities and a top side in Melbourne needed her type (they are losing players too, go figure).

I'd suggest that Wilson starting dropping marks and being exposed on the ground in 2021. 2020 was when she looked like an awesome prospect.

- Charlotte Wilson

www.aflwstats.com

I mean, I'm commenting on what has transpired. Trudgeon surpassed Wilson while she was injured. Wilson's form was heading downward. She wanted a guaranteed key post, she had fallen out of our top side, and we got what we could for her.

You're speculating we could have fixed her and I don't know, played her and Trudgeon in the same backline perhaps? You are speculating that we are just hoping for the best in the draft, rather than having a specific type of player in mind to suit a particular game plan, considering we never had a game plan worthy of winning a flag, so are reinventing ourselves.

My biggest issue with our AFLW side is that we have been as slow as treacle, only looking fast enough when Dalton, Walker and Gee were flying.

Recruiters are getting better and the quality and depth of players in the draft is getting better and better. I'm backing us in. We may struggle for a year or two but we will be a better drilled and closer unit now that the conditional or disillusioned players are leaving.

I'm speculating we could have fixed her and you are speculating that our recruiters know what they are doing.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

I'm speculating we could have fixed her and you are speculating that our recruiters know what they are doing.

Our recruiters are relatively new and I think they did well with what they had last year.

I'd rather bank on the draft depth and targeting the types we need that keeping talls for depth in case we need them. She has been offered a starting gig at Melbourne. We couldn't offer that. Why would she stay?

 

[thylacine60]

What's the average contract period in the AFLW? 3 and a half hours?

 

[Jimmae]

I just want to revisit this one point. Velardo is 176cms, Brazzale is 163cms. Velardo is taller than Harrington. If she is in our midfield, she would be our tallest midfielder. You're going to sacrifice some mobility the taller you are. She can play tall, she can pinch hit in the ruck, she can go forward or back. We shouldn't be comparing the two players just because they were part of the same trade.

I was speaking from the perspective of improving our overall mobility, which remains a huge issue for us despite Hill and Guerin now establishing themselves. Hammans will help, but she's not a natural endurance runner.

Given the moves we've made, it's extremely important that we find an outside, or highly athletic balanced mid. I think that will wind up being outside our draft range unless the AFL agree to letting us trade into the Victorian top 3.

So you are happy we are letting a 21yo, good size key position size who had a very good season in 2021 but unfortunately had a poor year in 2022 after losing her confidence.

The club is losing players left right and centre, so instead of the coaches working with her and getting her confidence back we trade her out and hope for the best in the draft.

Yeah to me this speaks to the coaching group having too much say. Egan I can understand given what transpired, but Brazzale and Wilson had fixable issues that have been left to languish for a year or more.

Wilson probably just has a banged up shoulder after 3 years of senior football straight in from the juniors. She didn't miss a beat and was playing KPD at 18.

 

[agro]

Can we clarify exactly what we are welcoming Amelia Velardo to?

 

[Bfevola]

Can we clarify exactly what we are welcoming Amelia Velardo to?

I reckon anything at this point Agro. Given the amt of players we have lost and hardly any incoming.

I dont even know what position she plays, but they say mid.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Yeah to me this speaks to the coaching group having too much say. Egan I can understand given what transpired, but Brazzale and Wilson had fixable issues that have been left to languish for a year or more.

Wilson probably just has a banged up shoulder after 3 years of senior football straight in from the juniors. She didn't miss a beat and was playing KPD at 18.

The coaching group having too much say?

In what way, as to who we keep and who we let go? I mean, they are certainly the best placed to decide who will fit into our game plan, who is coachable, who we should be putting our resources into ... surely?

I keep coming back to the same point. Trudgeon went past Wilson. A top team in Melbourne offered Wilson a position in their side. What would you do? Are we arguing we should have 'fixed' her and kept her for depth or some fight to the death between her and Trudgeon? How many sides have two genuine tall defenders in the same side or two genuine tall forwards for those defenders to play on? If we delisted Wilson, then there might be something to fire up about against the club, but we didn't.

 

[Jimmae]

The coaching group having too much say?

In what way, as to who we keep and who we let go? I mean, they are certainly the best placed to decide who will fit into our game plan, who is coachable, who we should be putting our resources into ... surely?

I keep coming back to the same point. Trudgeon went past Wilson. A top team in Melbourne offered Wilson a position in their side. What would you do? Are we arguing we should have 'fixed' her and kept her for depth or some fight to the death between her and Trudgeon? How many sides have two genuine tall defenders in the same side or two genuine tall forwards for those defenders to play on? If we delisted Wilson, then there might be something to fire up about against the club, but we didn't.

Trudgeon went past Wilson, yes, but we had a first team role for Wilson in 2022. There's more to this than immediate form.

I'm seeing us write off players for silly reasons, and it hints to the organisation as a whole struggling to get people to buy in. Would we even still have Vescio and Harrington if they didn't have jobs with us?

I know that's an extreme question to ask, but we are leaking badly.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Trudgeon went past Wilson, yes, but we had a first team role for Wilson in 2022. There's more to this than immediate form.

I'm seeing us write off players for silly reasons, and it hints to the organisation as a whole struggling to get people to buy in. Would we even still have Vescio and Harrington if they didn't have jobs with us?

I know that's an extreme question to ask, but we are leaking badly.

Did we have a role for Wilson? She obviously didn't see it that way as she chose to accept Melbourne's offer. Who would rather play for right now?