Erin Hoare will pull on a familiar number when she runs out in the Hoops in the 2023 NAB AFLW Season.
The Cats’ no.1 pick in the AFLW Season 8 Supplementary Draft will once again wear the number 46, as she did in her previous season with the Cats in 2019, and in her season with Melbourne prior to that.
Forward Kate Surman, who was traded to the Cats from Port Adelaide, will wear the number 7, previously worn by Madisen Maguire (2020-2022 Season 6) and Mia Rae-Clifford (2019).
Surman, who previously wore number 26 at both Gold Coast and Port Adelaide, said choosing the number seven this time around was paying homage to her partner, Brett.
“It’s his favourite number,” Surman said.
“I’ve never been an odd number and I’ve never been a single digit number, so it’s all a shout-out to him for being so supportive.”
Irish recruits Anna-Rose Kennedy and Aishling Moloney will step into the numbers 18 and 45 respectively.
Kennedy’s 18 was previously worn by inaugural Cats AFLW captain Melissa Hickey in 2019 and 2020, and, more recently, by Laura Gardiner (2021-2022 Season 7)
As she wears the number 8 at Tipperary, Kennedy was happy to find a number at the Cats featuring her familiar 8.
Aishling Moloney will take on the number 45, previously worn by Maddy Keryk (2019-2022 Season 7).
Moloney said Geelong’s Ireland-based scout picked the number for her, in tribute to another great red-haired Cat, 2011 Premiership captain Cameron Ling.
