Richmond has signed 20-year-old ruck Lilly Pearce to its list as a replacement player for the upcoming AFLW season.

Pearce has been the dominant ruck in the QAFLW competition this season, averaging 35 hit outs per game to help Southport to a top-of-the-ladder placing.

The 186cm former national level heptathlete’s stellar form was rewarded with a position in the ruck for Queensland in their state victory over Tasmania this month.

Pearce has been a train-on player at perennial AFLW powerhouse Brisbane for the past three seasons, working alongside established talls Tahlia Hickie and Taylor Smith.

The Beaudesert product relocated to Gold Coast to further develop her football and has successfully become a Southport premiership player, AFLW train-on, and now Richmond player.

Richmond AFLW Recruiting Manager Trent Mosbey said Pearce’s strengths were her tap work, particularly in the centre bounce.

“Lilly has a huge leap to help her get over opposing rucks. She possesses elite athleticism and can cover the ground and get involved in possession chains post clearance,” he added.

“She is highly competitive on the follow-up after ruck contests and displays clean hands at ground level.

“We believe Lilly has significant upside and growth to come in her game which we are excited about to help her develop within our system and working with fellow rucks Gabby Seymour and Poppy Kelly.”

Off the field, Pearce recently deferred her criminology and criminal justice degree to make AFLW her priority.

The Queenslander replaces Stephanie Williams on the Tigers’ 2023 AFLW list, who was recently placed as inactive.