Inspirational defender Leah Kaslar will captain the Brisbane Lions’ AFLW team for the first time in 2019.
Last night the Women's playing group elected Kaslar as the new captain, a decision endorsed by the coaching staff.
She won the Lions’ Most Competitive Player award in 2017 and was awarded the All For One award in 2018. She also made the 40-woman AFLW All-Australian squad in 2017 and 2018.
Lions AFLW CEO Bree Brock credited leadership depth as a valuable asset again in 2019.
“Every year its been a very close vote. It’s a testament to the depth of leadership we have here at the Club," Brock said.
"They all support each other and have created a strong bond between them. They all have unique styles and attributes that complement each other."
Brock also paid tribute to Zielke, who laid the foundations for Women’s football at the Lions and carried the team to two AFLW Grand Finals as captain.
“Emma has been a key driver to getting this team through the last 2 seasons," Brock said.
"She’s always lead from the front and been inspirational in some pretty clutch moments in games.
"Emma has expressed a strong desire to continue her development as a coach and we will look to continuing to develop her in an opposition analysis role. We are really looking forward to seeing her take on this new challenge and will be supporting her all the way."
The Lions’ AFLW team welcome all members and fans to join them for an open training session at the Maroochydore Multi Sports Complex on Saturday, January 5, from 8-10am. The whole squad will be available for autographs and photos post-training.
The 2019 AFLW Leadership Group (L-R): Zielke, Virgo, Kaslar and Lutkins.
