Women’s recruit Belinda Smith is hopeful that Fremantle’s strategy to build a team from high quality WA based players will pay off in next year’s inaugural AFL Women’s season.

Of the 25 players currently listed for the Fremantle Dockers, 22 hail from three WAWFL clubs. Alongside teammates Brianna Green, Melissa Caulfield, Cassie Davidson and rookie Gabby O'Sullivan, Smith is one of five East Fremantle Sharks players making the short journey to their new home in Fremantle.

Swan Districts, who defeated East Fremantle in the 2016 WAWFL Grand Final, will have eight players in purple in 2017 while nine are coming from Preliminary Finalists, the Coastal Titans.

“I’m just stoked for everyone who got the call,” said Smith, who was selected with pick 100 in last week’s AFL Women’s National Draft.

“I couldn’t be happier and you can’t help but feel you have an advantage already knowing how everyone plays, and I can feel that with the five of us, especially as we’re all quite close already.”

“And on top of the five of us, I think I’ve played with about half of the team at least during State games.

“We all have a very distinctive style of play that we’re all very aware of, and I think knowing everyone’s next move is going to give us that edge that, hopefully, sets us apart from the other teams.”

Smith spent last Wednesday’s draft day at the beach, and as her name was called the messages from teammates, family and friends came flooding in. 

“I feel like I was too busy crying!” joked Smith about the emotional day.

“I was hanging out with a friend at the beach and got a few texts from everyone and I was just glued to my phone for the rest of the day and just getting back to everyone, it was great.”