Richmond recruiting manager Lauren Tesoriero has put the finishing touches on the Tigers’ inaugural AFLW squad by drafting herself.
Richmond’s AFLW football chief Kate Sheahan was spotted sharing a laugh with Tesoriero when she was picked at No.96 at Tuesday’s draft meeting at the Melbourne Showgrounds.
Tesoriero, who played 11 AFLW games with Collingwood, earned a second crack at the elite level playing with the Tigers’ VFLW side this season.
“At one point she didn’t want to do anything and I said, ‘Bad luck, it’s my call, I’ll get it over the line’,” Sheahan told Fox Footy of the surprise move.
Tesoriero ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament playing in the VFLW team this year and will play without having the ligament surgically repaired.
“It was a complete rupture and there was also a bit of damage to her medial ligament … we were like, ‘Oh well, that puts out one of our AFL options’,” Sheahan said.
“But she worked really hard with our medical team to see if she could get strong before Friday’s deadline to nominate for the draft.
“She got the all clear on Friday afternoon when she was doing some physical work with our coach and some one-on-one stuff.
“Everyone was a bit blown away as to where she was at.”