Dual-code star Chloe Dalton will sit out next year’s AFLW season to focus on Australia’s bid to secure back-to-back rugby sevens Olympic gold medals but will return to Carlton in 2022.
Dalton, 27, won a gold medal in Rio in 2016 but stepped away from rugby sevens in January 2018 – signing with Carlton in May that year.
Earlier this year, Dalton committed to returning to rugby sevens after the 2020 AFLW season, with plans of pushing for selection at Tokyo 2020.
But following the postponement of the Olympics to 2021, Dalton has re-signed with rugby sevens and is required to be based in Sydney to prepare for the tournament – ruling her out of next year’s AFLW season.
Dalton, who impressed in her two AFLW campaigns, has signed a new contract with the Blues and will remain on their list next year before returning to the sport in 2022.
“The Olympics is obviously an opportunity that very few people will ever get to experience so we are fully supportive of Chloe setting herself the goal of winning back-to-back Olympic gold for Australia,” Carlton general manager of women’s football Ash Brown said.
“She has already committed to return to our football club at the end of the Olympics so we look forward to her being part of our side for the 2022 season.”