Hawthorn young guns Jasmine Fleming and Laura Elliott have affirmed their commitment to the brown and gold by inking long-term deals to keep them at the club until at least the end of 2027.
The pair of new deals locks away the 19-year-old star duo at the Hawks for at least the next four seasons, in a huge coup for the club in its exciting list build.
Both Fleming and Elliott are among the league’s most talented teenagers, with both players bursting out of the blocks across their first two seasons after they were drafted to Hawthorn ahead of its inaugural year in 2022.
Selected with Pick 2, Fleming has played 19 of a possible 20 games in brown and gold. The highly-skilled and hard-running midfielder has quickly established herself as a mainstay in Hawthorn’s engine room.
After being elected by her peers as Hawthorn’s co-vice captain ahead of just her second season, Fleming went on to average 16 disposals and four tackles per game in 2023 to cement her status as one of the AFLW’s most promising midfielders.
A bookend in the brown and gold backline, Elliott has featured in 14 games for the Hawks after she was selected with Pick 26.
Gifted with an elite aerial ability and sound decision-making with ball in hand, Elliott has been trusted with shutting down among the best key forwards in the game in her short career to date. Her 2023 campaign saw her average 9.5 disposals and three marks per game.
Hawthorn AFLW List Manager Keegan Brooksby was delighted that the talented duo was so keen to commit to the direction of the club.
“We are thrilled that Jas and Laura were so eager to show their faith in the football club and sign long-term contracts at Hawthorn,” Brooksby said.
“Both Jas and Laura are inaugural Hawks and have been with us since the very beginning, so it’s exciting that they are invested in the bright future that we are building towards.
“Jas continues to blow us all away with her professionalism and leadership for such a young player, and the sky really is the limit for a person and player of her calibre.
“Meanwhile, Laura houses an incredible desire to get the best out of herself each and every day, she’s a real competitor and we see her being a long-term asset for our club.”
Fleming and Elliott’s long-term contract extensions come as a result of the latest Collective Bargaining Agreement enabling players to sign deals longer than the previous maximum of two years for the first time in the competition’s history.
