2024 Geelong AFLW draftee Alexis Gregor (third from right) shows off her new colours with family Eve, Sid, Cain, Jasmine and Mia.
To call Alexis Gregor an AFLW draft bolter might be a bit of an overstatement given her impressive 2024, but the Moama prospect shrugged off projections on Monday, December 16, to become one of the surprise early pick-ups.
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Geelong loved what it had seen from Gregor in the lead-up to the draft. So much so that it pounced on the tall utility at 10th overall.
“It still doesn't feel real yet,” Gregor said.
“It's literally a dream come true, I'm so excited.
“I don't want to say it was surprising, but I wasn't expecting to go that early.
“I knew the Cats were interested, but I didn't think that I was going to be their first pick, so it was a lot, very overwhelming.”
The Gregor household was packed with friends and family, pandemonium ensuing as her selection was read out.
Father Cain Gregor is full of emotion after Alexis officially became an AFLW player.
Gregor met with Geelong ahead of draft night, but was told the Cats were probably looking to secure her services later in the night.
“I had a club tour with them about four days before the draft and that was kind of an indication that they were pretty keen,” she said.
“I spoke to a few managers and they told me the Cats were keen, but not at their first pick, so I was expecting to slide down a little bit.”
Although it also possessed the 18th selection, when it came to the crunch, Geelong wasn’t willing to risk losing Gregor to a rival franchise and pounced on her at its first opportunity.
Able to function as a key forward or defender, Gregor looks likely to bolster the Cats’ backline.
Geelong missed the AFLW finals series this year after four wins, six losses and a draw and will hope Gregor and fellow 2024 selections Sienna Tallariti and Piper Dunlop can improve its fortunes in 2025.
“It seems like a very fun, young, energetic team, so it’s something that I think I’ll be able to slide into,” Gregor said.
As she steps into her new club, there will be at least one familiar face in the Cats’ locker room.
“I used to play with Bryde O'Rourke at Bendigo and she's a Geelong girl now, so that'll be exciting to go back and play with her again, hopefully at some stage,” Gregor said.
With plenty of time until the season opener in August, Gregor hopes to check in with her new club in the coming weeks as she continues off-season preparations for her rookie campaign.
With that, a banner year wraps up at Moama following the selection of fellow Magpie Jobe Shanahan to West Coast with pick 30 in November’s AFL men’s national draft.
