GSFLW star Taylah Orzel set to take her game to the next level with move to Claremont in WAFLW

Classy Great Southern Football League and Royals midfielder Taylah Orzel says she is looking forward to taking her game to the next level after signalling her intentions to play for the Claremont women’s team this season. Orzel, the 2022 GSFLW best and fairest winner, was selected to play in the Tigers clash against a representative team from the Northern Territory in Darwin last week, and played as part of the Cazaly’s Rep Carnival at TIO Stadium. The Tigers side bounced back from an eight-point deficit at half time to finish 5.3 (33) to 3.4 (22) winners with Orzel shining in her debut in tough conditions. “It is a goal to keep striving higher, I wouldn’t have thought a couple of years ago that it would be but I’m really enjoying footy and definitely liking playing at a higher level, you gain so much experience from it,” she said. ‘I actually only trained three times with Claremont before going away so I didn’t really know the girls super well but the club and everyone was very welcoming. To play well, I would have had to feel welcome but the girls just made it really easy for me. “I really enjoyed playing against some of the better competition, there’s so much quality and good talent all around the different States.” The 25-year-old said she planned to play for Claremont for the 2023 WAFLW season as she looked to further her rapid rise in football. “I’m actually registering with them (Claremont) this year, they start mid-March so I’ll be able to get a few local games with Royals before heading up but the main goal is playing up there. I’ll be back and forth (from Albany) at the moment, I just want to see if it’s really what I want to do before I make any commitments like moving up there just yet. “I’m just happy to train and travel at the moment. “I had a message from the Swan Districts coach after the State game last year so I was tossing up between two teams to play with in Perth this year but this opportunity really came up quicker than expected. “I made a decision to go with Claremont and I’m super happy about it.” Orzel was recently selected as an All-Star for her performances at the Nutrien Ag Solutions Country Football Championships where the GSFL secured a fourth place finish. The move to play for Claremont caps a brilliant couple of years for the hard-running mid, having won a premiership and best-on-ground honours in the Lions’ grand final triumph in 2021 before her best and fairest award last season.