AFL Women's: Everything you need to know about AFLW as the season kicks off
Updated
History is being made this weekend with the launch of the AFL Women's, the first elite national competition for female players of our indigenous game.
The season is here already, but rest assured it has been years in the making, with our star footy women finally about to get the chance to showcase their talents on a national stage.
It's uncharted territory, which is exciting and nerve-wracking in equal measure. Get yourself up to speed with the league as it gets underway with a bang.
When does it start?
Tonight! Footy season has come early, but this isn't any preseason scratch match nonsense. Carlton is playing Collingwood at Princes Park, and if that's not enough to get your footy juices flowing, then you are damn hard to please.
This is hell for leather for footy with premiership points on the line. In February! How good?
Which clubs are in it?
There was an extensive application process, in which 13 of the AFL's 18 clubs applied for a license. But in the end, only eight teams were picked for the maiden voyage of the league.
The lucky winners were Carlton, Collingwood, Western Bulldogs, Melbourne, Brisbane, Fremantle, GWS and Adelaide.
Fans of the five other teams to apply — Geelong, Richmond, West Coast, St Kilda and North Melbourne — shouldn't despair though, as they have already been granted provisional licenses, and could appear in an expanded comp as early as next year.
What do I do if my team isn't in it this year?
Get yourself a new AFLW team! Nobody will question your loyalty if you adopt a squad specifically for this new comp, in fact, it should be encouraged.
Obviously West Coast supporters might struggle to get behind Freo, for example, but maybe you want to get aboard the Doggies bandwagon? Always wanted to know what it was like to be a Collingwood supporter? Feel like the Giants are on the rise? Here's your chance to get involved.
Which players should I be watching out for?
You've probably already heard of most of the big guns — Melbourne superstar Daisy Pearce is the best player in the land, Collingwood's Moana Hope is a top pick to lead the goalkicking and Tayla Harris has become famous for her technically superb kicking technique.
But you'll also want to keep an eye on Dogs skipper Katie Brennan, Freo's Kara Donellan (whose nickname, ominously, is 'Juddy'), and veteran of eight VWFL flags Lauren Arnell, now captain of Carlton.
The best way to find out is to watch the games though, you'll have a new favourite player in no time.
How does the comp work?
Simple. Each team plays seven home and away games (one against every opponent), and the top two teams at the end of it all face off in the grand final.
Are there any different rules?
Not really, but the games will be 16-a-side rather than the 18 used in the men's comp. Also the footy itself is a fraction smaller than the fellas kick about.
As an aside, the league has thrown out the interchange cap for the tournament, though that's due to the AFL's heat policy, not something specific to AFLW.
Can I listen to it on the ABC?
You sure can!
NewsRadio will carry one game per round throughout the eight-week season, starting with tonight's opener between Collingwood and Carlton.
Topics: australian-football-league, sport, australia
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