St Kilda have welcomed the return of two-time best and fairest Georgia Patrikios, who is now eligible to play and train with the Saints after the AFL eased its vaccine policy.
Patrikios decided to step away from the club shortly after the two-dose mandate was introduced last October, with the 21-year-old missing the entirety of the AFLW's sixth campaign earlier this year.
With the league now encouraging players to meet state government vaccine advice as opposed to requiring personnel to be double jabbed, Patrikios has been welcomed back into the fold at Moorabbin.
โIโm very excited to be back at RSEA Park,โ she said.
โIโm incredibly thankful for the loyalty the club has shown me over the past 18 months.
โAll I want to do now is train hard alongside my teammates and run out there with the girls next season.โ
Patrikios was listed among 22 newly re-signed Saints last month ahead of season seven, with the club deciding to retain their young star in the hope of adjustments to the AFL's vaccine policy.
With that change now in place, the Saints and Patrikios have their sights set on the upcoming season.
โWeโre really looking forward to having Georgia back training with her teammates and preparing for the season ahead,โ the Saints' AFLW boss Tessie McManus said.
โSheโs a very talented player and a great person, so everyone in the program is really excited to have Georgia back inside the four walls doing what she loves again.โ
Nick Dal Santo's side will be seeking to improve on their 13th-placed finish from earlier this year, with the AFLW now expanding to 18 teams.
St Kilda will begin their upcoming AFLW campaign against newcomers Sydney at North Sydney Oval on Saturday, August 27.
