Fremantle have a big talent pool to choose from as the club begins the process of building their team for the inaugural women’s football league.

Sixty athletes from across multiple sports showcased their football skills at Fremantle’s talent search at Emanuel College on Saturday morning.

Head coach Michelle Cowan said the club was happy with the number of players interested in joining the clubs.

“We’re absolutely rapt with the turn out,” she said.

“To see the interest is great for us and there is certainly a few girls putting their hand up which is good to see.”

Fremantle's new marquee players "exceptional athletes": Cowan

Cowan said the distance the player’s had travelled to tryout was impressive.

“(They came from) far and wide and that’s what we were hoping. One girl drove down from Geraldton, we’ve got Broken Hill and far up north in the Pilbara,” she said.

“If they want an opportunity they’re going to get on a plane or get in a car and make their way down here.”

Fremantle will build a list of 25 players, including their two marquee signings Kiara Bowers and Kara Donnellan and can include a further two rookie players from outside the system.

“Each club is allowed to list two rookie players who haven’t been playing football in the pervious three years and they can be listed outside the 25 regularly listed players,” said Fremantle’s national women’s league academy and community manager Wade Spilcker.

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Of the 16 marquee players announced by the AFL earlier this year, eight were from WA, and Spilcker said this highlighted the depth of talent in the State.

“We are really confident there is not only a huge talent-pool of girls playing in the WA Women’s footy league, but that there are number of girls out there that have drifted away for whatever reason,” he said.

“There are first choice athletes that hopefully we can attract across to playing football now there is a national competition.”

Fremantle cast the net far and wide in the hope of uncovering talent from across a number of sports, and Cowan said there was a number of sports for which the skills were transferable.

“A lot of the sports cross over, and to play football it’s very similar in regards to the rugby, the gridiron, the soccer and the basketball as well,” she said.

Former Perth Lynx guard Stacey Barr was one of a number of professional athletes trying their hand at football, including Australian cricketer Nicole Bolton, and she said it was great to see the opportunity open up for women to play football.

“It’s awesome for women in sport,” Barr said.

“I haven’t been in WA too long, but what I’ve seen is football is pretty big over here and it’s awesome to see they’re going to have a pathway for them.”

Tarnee Tester travelled from Broken Hill in New South Wales to take part in the talent day and said it was a great experience.

“I loved it,” she said.

“It’s definitely a challenge with the fitness, but if you put hard work and dedication into it, you’re bound to make it.”

Ten players will be shortlisted from Saturday’s combine and will be invited to the club for further football testing.