CARLTON has bolstered its defensive stocks with the acquisition of Brooke Vernon in the 2019 NAB AFL Women’s Draft.

A courageous defender from the Dandenong Stingrays, Vernon officially became a Carlton player when she was selected with pick No.26.

Formerly a forward, Vernon relished a new role down back in 2019, performing a role on taller or smaller opponents with aplomb.

Her form in defence saw her rewarded with representation for Vic Country while she also played a game for the Southern Saints in the VFLW competition.

Equally as adept at shutting down her opponent as she is rebounding from defence, Vernon’s ball use by foot is one of her strengths, operating at 81 per cent efficiency in the NAB AFLW Under 18 championships.

GM of Women’s Football Ash Brown said Vernon’s class and ability to play either end would be an asset for years to come.

“We were really impressed with the form Brooke showed down back this year, so we’re delighted to welcome her to our club,” Brown said.

“She showed she could do it all down back: she’s a really strong defender but her main strength is her ability to open up the game with her ball use.

“Brooke has shown she can do the job against talls or smalls while she can also play up forward as well, so she’s a really exciting addition for us.”

Position: Defender

Height: 173cm

Recruited from: Dandenong Stingrays