Clara Fitzpatrick is a Saint once more, re-signing with the club as a delisted free agent to reignite her career in red, white and black.

The 31-year-old was originally placed on the club’s inactive list in November 2020 after her Permanent Residency in Australia application was delayed due to COVID-19, before being delisted at the conclusion of Season 2021 after rupturing her ACL while playing Gaelic Football in her native Ireland.

Fitzpatrick’s move to the inactive list enabled Jess Matin to join the Saints as an injury replacement player.

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The key defender was a member of St Kilda’s inaugural side in 2020, closing out her maiden season with a top-10 finish in the club’s Best & Fairest and the Dare Iced Coffee Coaches’ Award.

“We’re very pleased to welcome Clara back to St Kilda for the upcoming season,” Head of AFLW Tessie McManus said.

“We were disappointed not to have Clara available to us in 2021 due to the unforeseen impacts of COVID-19, and despite being delisted later that year, it was always our intention to welcome her back into the fold.

Clara was a vital member of our defence in our first campaign in 2020 and we’re confident she will add a great deal of stability and composure to our backline.

- Head of AFLW Tessie McManus

“We are excited to embrace Clara back at St Kilda when she makes her way over from Ireland and look forward to her pulling on the red, white and black once again.”

Fitzpatrick’s return to the Saints comes following special compensation by the AFL to re-sign the key defender during the Sign & Trade Period instead of via the NAB AFL Women’s Draft and subsequent free agency window.

St Kilda has five spots remaining on its list ahead of this year’s NAB AFL Women’s Draft following the signings of All-Australians Nicola Stevens and Erin McKinnon.

2022 AFLW Sign & Trade Period

IN:

Nicola Stevens (traded in for pick No. 28, first-round compensation pick)
Erin McKinnon (traded in for pick No. 37)
Pick No. 54 (received from GWS as part of McKinnon trade)
Clara Fitzpatrick (delisted free agent)

OUT:

Kate McCarthy (delisted)
Tahlia Meyer (delisted)
Tilly Lucas-Rodd (expansion)
Cat Phillips (expansion)
Paige Price (delisted)
Isabella Shannon (delisted, study leave)
Jacqui Vogt (expansion)
Alana Woodward (delisted)

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