• COMMENT

For all his last-ditch attempts to manage expectations around the national launch of women's football, it seems that Gillon McLachlan and his team have created a monster with the birth of AFL Women's.

It was a landmark weekend for the AFL as the first season of the women's league commenced. There was plenty to keep an eye on, and here are five observations from the opening round.

The Collingwood-Melbourne AFL Women's match on Saturday night looks set to be moved from the under-sized Olympic Park Oval to Ikon Park, and be played after the Carlton-GWS match at 5.05pm

It was a night Talia Radan never thought possible, and something the "six-year-old version" of her would be over the moon about.

One afternoon in 1996, a girl from Adelaide sat down and wrote some #fakenews.

The old stadium was full as a beer glass with froth running down its side. Gil McLachlan had to go outside the stadium and apologize like a publican telling a thirsty group on a hot day that he cannot serve them.  

Follow our live match tracker for the final game of the inaugural opening round of AFLW.

It was an opening night to remember.

Coaches of AFLW sides must take some responsibility to ensure the game remains attractive, says Western Bulldogs coach Paul Groves.

Having shed the tag of the AFL's "lovable losers" four months ago at the MCG, the Western Bulldogs keep winning.

​Dual Olympic basketballer Erin Phillips played a starring role in Adelaide's 36-point trouncing of Greater Western Sydney in Saturday's women's AFL game.

The inaugural match of the AFLW league between Carlton and Collingwood on Friday night was an attendance and broadcast-ratings success but the league insists there are no immediate plans for expansion.

The Bulldogs open their AFLW account at home against Fremantle.

Collingwood defender and women's football operations manager Meg Hutchins says the Magpies were "outworked" by Carlton in Friday night's historic AFLW clash at Ikon Park.

The historic opening round continues as the Crows meet the Giants in Adelaide.

It looks like 'Eddie Everywhere' McGuire can't be everywhere - or at least not when it comes to women's footy.

Carlton's goal-kicking star Darcy Vescio is confident the Blues - and the wider AFLW - will have the depth to cover injuries after a "rough" start to the inaugural season.

When it comes to making the leap to the football field in the fledging AFLW league, it's easy to see how a background in basketball, netball, American football and soccer could help.

The AFL will consider moving another Collingwood women's home game to Ikon Park after the stunning success of Friday night's AFLW opener.

• Live

It's an historic night for Australian football. We're about to see the first game of the new AFLW competition, featuring two heavyweights of the old VFL - Carlton and Collingwood.

The Blues' ball movement was considerably slicker than that of the Pies.

It was a memorable opening night for the AFL Women's competition, with the crowd catching everyone by surprise.

Six months ago, Canberra's Heather Anderson was told she could never play football again.

The AFL has apologised to more than one thousand disappointed fans locked out of Princes Park for the historic first game of the new AFLW competition.

As Western Bulldogs president Peter Gordon said at the launch of the Dogs' AFLW season, this is the week when "aspirations" get realised.

The moment has finally arrived, with the AFLW league to spring to life on Friday night when Carlton and Collingwood clash at Ikon Park from 7.45pm.

The Age has partnered with the Outer Sanctum podcast for the historic AFL Women's season.

​The Australian Football League picked its most famous foes to boot it into a brave new world.

Former Australian netball captain Sharelle McMahon has joined the AFL Women's match review panel for its inaugural season, which starts on Friday night.