The veteran Aby Maraño recites the oath of sportsmanship together with the other players during the launch of the six month long All-Filipino Conference. —AUGUST DELA CRUZ
Alohi Robins-Hardy, the crack setter announced by Farm Fresh as its newest cog a few weeks back, will not be able to suit up for the Foxies when the PVL All-Filipino Conference 2024-25 unfolds on Saturday.
She’s actually not eligible to play for any team until after the next Rookie Draft.
“Alohi is a good addition to our league. But because of regulations that we created earlier this year, [she is not a free agent],” control committee chair Sherwin Malonzo told the media on Monday at the sidelines of the press launch of the six-month long tournament.
“[Anyone] would have to have played from 2021 to 2024 (to be considered a free agent),” Malonzo said.
The Filipino-American playmaker played for Cignal in the defunct Philippine SuperLiga in 2020—a year before the PVL saw birth as a professional league.
“If you were already a part of any other teams and you were listed in the lineup during those periods, you are considered a veteran player so you don’t have to go through the draft,” Malonzo said.
The only pathway for Robins-Hardy is the Draft, where Farm Fresh could take a chance to tab her.
The only rookie who will be suiting up for Farm Fresh despite not going through the draft will be Lorene Toring, who had a season-ending injury back when she was with National University. She was signed and put on the rosted by the Foxies in February this year.
Robins-Hardy would also need to provide a Philippine passport, one of the requirements to play and join the draft. INQ