{"id":932675,"date":"2026-10-18T14:22:19","date_gmt":"2026-10-18T14:22:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/932675\/"},"modified":"2026-10-18T14:22:19","modified_gmt":"2026-10-18T14:22:19","slug":"mixed-emotions-roos-aflw-star-reveals-discontent-over-blakey-deal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/932675\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Mixed emotions\u2019: Roos AFLW star reveals discontent over Blakey deal"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kangaroos champion Jasmine Garner acknowledged teammates were still unhappy about the trade North Melbourne agreed to last week which brought Blakey to Arden Street.<\/a><\/p>\n

Blakey, who signed an eight-year contract worth more than $1m per season to join the Roos, is one of four subjects of the ongoing police investigation into the Pullman Hotel incident which occurred on August 17.<\/p>\n

The 26-year-old was suspended for the rest of the season after the incident for breaching Sydney\u2019s behavioural standards, saying he was \u201csorry for the events that led up\u201d to his exit and that he had to \u201cwin back the trust of the broader community\u201d at his new club.<\/p>\n

North Melbourne AFLW players were addressed by club president Sonja Hood and chief executive Jen Watt on the Friday morning before he completed his move to the club.<\/p>\n

It is understood several Kangaroos women\u2019s players voiced their concerns about the trade, before the club elected to proceed.<\/p>\n

Garner, a dual premiership midfielder widely regarded as the competition\u2019s best player, said her teammates continued to have \u201cmixed emotions\u201d about the club signing Blakey.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s obviously a decision that has been made, and it\u2019s probably a decision that we\u2019ve all got a bit of mixed emotions \u2026 but it\u2019s something that we\u2019re working through as a group,\u201d Garner said after starring in the Kangaroos\u2019 52-point win over Essendon at Windy Hill on Sunday.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor us, we\u2019re really backing in the leadership of Jen (Watt) and Sonja (Hood). We know we\u2019ve got finals to play, we\u2019ve got a big few weeks to play, so we also want to focus on that and our performance.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it\u2019s definitely a decision that brings a lot of mixed emotions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked if she felt the club\u2019s AFLW players had been consulted adequately before the decision, Garner said: \u201cYeah, look, it\u2019s probably one that we\u2019re still working through. But we were spoken too, and at the end of the day, I think we\u2019re backing in Jen and Sonja and their leadership.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another senior North Melbourne player, Eilish Sheerin, told the Herald Sun the decision had been explained to the players \u201cto some degree\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think you\u2019ve really got to trust the people who are making those decisions to make decisions in the best interest of the club,\u201d Sheerin said as she celebrated her 50th AFLW game with friends and family on Sunday.<\/p>\n

\"Blakey<\/p>\n

\u201cThey sat us down, and to some degree explained their reasoning and their mindset behind it.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to trust that they\u2019re making good decisions, not only for the club but for the women\u2019s program.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a testament to our program, we have feedback on what we think that should look like, and I feel like that feedback is going to be heard and implemented to the best of their ability. We\u2019ve got to trust that process as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

North Melbourne\u2019s AFL list manager Brady Rawlings said on Tuesday he had not attended the meeting with the women\u2019s players, but the club was \u201ccomfortable\u201d with the trade.<\/p>\n

In a press conference which was ended abruptly after a mention of disgraced former North Melbourne player Tarryn Thomas, Rawlings said other clubs had also pursued Blakey.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think our members would have a lot of faith in our leadership at the club,\u201d Rawlings said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSonja, Jen and (football boss) Todd (Viney) have been massive for this club over the last few years and our board has endorsed everything.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Kangaroos champion Jasmine Garner acknowledged teammates were still unhappy about the trade North Melbourne agreed to last 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