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Time spent kicking a Sherrin should only help Chloe Dalton as the Carlton AFLW convert launches a late bid for a second Olympic rugby sevens gold medal. The talented kicker was a key piece in Australia's triumph at the Rio Games and was named player of the year in her last rugby sevens season before swapping codes. Dalton will play for the Blues this AFLW season before rejoining the rugby program in April, giving her three months and two world series tournaments to press her case for Olympic selection. Australia haven't won a leg of the world series since Dalton departed, with 2016 Olympics silver medallists New Zealand the team to beat in Japan. However, Australia, the United States and Canada have closed the gap in the past six months. Coach John Manenti, who was assistant coach in Rio, was always hopeful Dalton would return and do so as a more complete player. "The more sports you play, you pick up skills and training attitudes and I don't have any doubt she'll come back better," he said. "The competition for positions is already red-hot and adding a multi-skilled player into the mix will only increase that drive amongst the players for the gold jersey." Dalton debuted in 2014 and played 16 world series tournaments before her move to Melbourne to play in the AFLW. She is already adding extra strength work to her program to prepare for the switch, but says her fitness and kicking skills have improved while at Carlton. "It's definitely changed my game and hopefully helped me," the 26-year-old said. "I'd like to thank Carlton for their support in me pursuing the gold jersey and to John Manenti and Scott Bowen for their faith in me in giving me this opportunity. "I'm really looking forward to getting back to and getting on with the hard work with my teammates." Australia sit second on the world series ladder behind New Zealand after three legs of the 2020 campaign, with five still to play before the Games.
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