MELBOURNE has claimed midfielder Ashleigh Guest from the GWS Giants in exchange for Pepa Randall in the AFLW sign/trade period. 

Guest, who played two exhibition matches for Melbourne in 2016, and was previously an employee of the club in the community area, said she was “stoked” to be donning the red and blue again.

“I’m rapt to be coming back to Melbourne and I’m rapt that I’m back at the Dees,” she told melbournefc.com.au.

“I told my manager that I was interested in moving home and she went out and approached the clubs and got back to me with who was interested. It was a no-brainer when I found out who was interested in me.

“I found out that [women’s football operations manager] Deb [Lee] was keen to have me and I wanted Melbourne to be my first choice and then it all happened.”

After playing all seven AFLW games for GWS in 2017, Guest said she was returning to Melbourne a much better player.

“I’m coming back knowing my leadership skills have improved and my knowledge of having to teach other girls has improved as well,” she said.

“GWS was fantastic and a really good club. They were really supportive and it was a great learning year for the club. Some weeks were tougher than others, but we got the win over the Dees.

“Learning under GWS coach Tim Schmidt, who played [17 games] for Sydney [from 2006-08], and has been in the coaching system for quite a while, also had a lot to offer. I felt like I learned a heap up there.”

The 27-year-old, originally from the VU Western Spurs, played with the likes of Daisy Pearce and Mel Hickey in the Melbourne exhibition series, and Alyssa Mifsud and Ainslie Kemp at the Spurs.

She said it was “funny how it all worked out” and had come full circle.

“I was working at the club for two years and then I moved to Sydney and played at GWS and now I’ve come back to the Dees, which is fate, isn’t it?” Guest said.