A desire to be part of something new led Monique Conti to make the difficult move from the Western Bulldogs to Richmond.
Having been denied the chance to move to the Tigers as a straightforward expansion signing because the Dogs had already lost their quota of four players to a new club, Conti endured a protracted period in limbo, but has ended up at Punt Road, traded to Richmond for pick one in this year's draft.
It is a major blow for the Dogs, who lost league best and fairest Emma Kearney to North Melbourne last year and co-captain Katie Brennan to the Tigers earlier this month.
Monique Conti.Credit:Jason South
The loss of Conti – who doesnt turn 20 until later this year – may be the biggest loss of all. Leaving her promising basketball career to one side, Conti is already a very accomplished AFLW player, named best afield in the Dogs winning grand final side last year, and earning a best-and-fairest and All-Australian selection this year.
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Its understood the Dogs tabled a lucrative deal to the young midfielder in a last-gasp bid to retain her services.
But the pitch from Richmond womens football chief Kate Sheahan and coach Tom Hunter proved too good to refuse.
“[It was a ] really difficult decision,” Conti told The Age.
“Bulldogs were a great club to me and I really enjoyed my time there, and they really helped me a lot with my basketball side of things, and Im really appreciative of them.
“Probably one of the toughest decisions Ive ever had to make. But Ive come into Richmond and theyre such a great club. I clicked really well with the coaching staff. Theres a really professional feeling here at Richmond. I think I just want to be a part of something new and thats going to grow.
“They obviously have this vision of what they want the AFL womens program to be and Im really interested in that. I just want to be a big part of that.
“[Also] the fact theyre supportive of dual athletes in general and theyre really willing to help me achieve where I want to go in both sports.”
Conti said that informing Dogs coach Paul Groves and his assistants was the hardest part of moving.
“And obviously the girls that you grow strong friendships with as well,” she said.
“But theyre understanding that its my future, its my decision to make. Theyre tough conversations, but its good that people are understanding of it as well.”
Conti said she made her decision independently of Brennan but that the pair have spoken about the move, and that it will be nice to have a familiar face at Richmond.
For someone still in her second decade, Contis list of sporting achievements is remarkable. She made her WNBL debut for the Melbourne Boomers at just 16, was named the competitions rookie of the year, haRead More – Source
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