It's exciting knowing that this time tomorrow AFLW 3.0 will be back and it sure is great to have football back for 2019!

If the first two seasons of the AFLW are anything to go by as far as the growth of women’s sport and crowd attendances, then AFLW 3.0 will be biggest and best season yet with the inclusion of two new AFLW teams and the new conference format. The Lions will be out to prove themselves after being the team to beat in the first two seasons, as they made the grand final for two consecutive years but did not come away with the premiership, so will AFLW 3.0 be the season they finally finish the season on a high as AFLW premiers.

Image Source: AFL Women's 

The Western Bulldogs will be the hunted this season after an incredible grand final upset win over the Lions, but the question is can the Dogs win back to back or will another team make history and win their first AFLW premiershipω In AFLW 3.0 the inclusion of North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos and the Geelong Cats is massive. There is a lot of speculation that North Melbourne will provide headaches for the rest of the competition due to the amount of stars they have picked up from other clubs in the AFLW expansion including former Western Bulldogs captain and premiership player Emma Kearney and classy Lions trio Kaitlyn Ashmore, Brittany Gibson and Tahlia Randall. 

Since the inaugural AFLW season, Emma Zielke has been a household name at the Brisbane Lions with her leadership and star talent.

Zielke captained the Lions in the first two seasons after she was signed as a priority access player in August 2016 before the inaugural AFLW season in 2017. “It was one of the best memories so far, I was extremely grateful and excited for the opportunity.”

 Zielke handed over the captaincy to Leah Kaslar for AFLW 3.0.

 “Leah is a great leader, being the Vice Captain the past two seasons I have leant on her in both seasons,” Zielke said. “I know she will be great, she gives it her all every time she steps out on the track and is fearless. I look forward to running out behind her this season!”

Image Source: Jason O'Brien/Getty Images AsiaPac

Image Source: AFL Women's 

The AFLW is finally back for it's third season and it promises to be the best season of the AFLW yet with two new teams North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos and Geelong Cats making history and joining the competition. First match of the season will commence this Saturday at the cattery and this match will be a history breaking match for the Geelong Cats, a team playing their first ever AFLW match. 

Round 1 extended team lists have been released below

Geelong Cats vs Collingwood, Saturday 2nd February 6:45pm at GMBHA Stadium

Geelong Squad 

Position	Name	#	Name	#	Name	#
Backs	A.Teague	40	R.Goring - C	44	C.Blakeway	4
Half Backs	D.Taylor	28	M.McDonald	11	R.Webster	21
Centreline			R.Garing	12
Half Forwards	S.Van De Heuvel	27	M.Boyd	26	N.Morrison	9
Forwards	K.Darby	8	P.McWilliams	23	J.Ivey	5
Followers	A.O'Connor	14	J.Crockett-Grills	6	O.Purcell	16
Interchange	D.Orr	2	M.Keryk	45	M.McMahon	24
	M.Fogas	13	M.Clifford	7
Emergencies	G.Rankin	10	R.Caris	1
	EMG4	EMG4_NO

In: - A.Teague, R.Goring, C.Blakeway, D.Taylor, M.McDonald, R.Webster, R.Garing, S.Van De Heuvel, M.Boyd, N.Morrison, K.Darby, P.McWilliams, J.Ivey, A.O'Connor, J.Crockett-Grills, O.Purcell, D.Orr, M.Keryk, M.McMahon, M.Fogas, M.Clifford

Out: - None

 Collingwood Squad

Position	Name	#	Name	#	Name	#
Backs	J.Allen	6	A.Brazill	10	I.Ross	21
Half Backs	S.Livingstone	12	S.Casey	22	E.Grant	5
Centreline			B.Bonnici	8
Half Forwards	L.Butler	23	S.D'Arcy	4	M.Cann	25
Forwards	S.Rowe	7	S.Alexander	24	C.McIntosh	20
Followers	S.Layton	1	S.Chiocci - C	17	J.Lambert	13
Interchange	R.Schleicher	18	G.Gourlay	32	S.Dargan	46
	K.Stratton	41	E.Fowler	15
Emergencies	H.Whitford	28	K.Lynch	16
	EMG4	EMG4_NO

 

 

In: - J.Allen, A.Brazill, I.Ross, S.Livingstone, S.Casey, E.Grant, B.Bonnici, L.Butler, S.D'Arcy, M.Cann, S.Rowe, S.Alexander, C.McIntosh, S.Layton, S.Chiocci, J.Lambert, R.Schleicher, G.Gourlay, S.Dargan, K.Stratton, E.Fowler

Out: - None

 

Adelaide Crows vs Western Bulldogs, Saturday 2nd February 7:40pm at Norwood Oval

Adelaide Crows Squad 

Position	Name	#	Name	#	Name	#
Backs	R.Forth	27	S.Allan	39	C.Cramey	22
Half Backs	A.Foley	3	C.Randall	26	S.Thompson	14
Centreline			E.Marinoff	10
Half Forwards	D.Varnhagen	9	A.Hatchard	33	C.Scheer	4
Forwards	E.Jones	2	M.Rajcic	32	J.Mules	23
Followers	J.Foley	24	E.Phillips - C	13	D.Cox	31
Interchange	M.Nankivell	12	H.Martin	6	J.McCormick	5
	A.Considine	16	S.Li	19
Emergencies	S.Riley	8	D.Ponter	15
	EMG4	EMG4_NO

In: - R.Forth, S.Allan, C.Cramey, A.Foley, C.Randall, S.Thompson, E.Marinoff, D.Varnhagen, A.Hatchard, C.Scheer, E.Jones, M.Rajcic, J.Mules, J.Foley, E.Phillips, D.Cox, M.Nankivell, H.Martin, J.McCormick, A.Considine, S.Li

Out: - None

Western Bulldogs Squad

Position	Name	#	Name	#	Name	#
Backs	L.Birch	18	L.Spark	11	B.Hunt	21
Half Backs	N.Callinan	10	T.Ernst	19	H.Scott	22
Centreline			B.Smith	12
Half Forwards	N.Ferres	16	K.Brennan - C	3	M.Conti	8
Forwards	K.McLeod	6	E.Mackie	25	A.Utri	23
Followers	K.Rennie	24	K.Lamb	27	E.Blackburn	2
Interchange	B.Toogood	28	C.Moody	13	E.Brown	9
	A.Gogos	36	D.Berry	7
Emergencies	A.McCarthy	15	S.Karlson	26
	EMG4	EMG4_NO

In: - L.Birch, L.Spark, B.Hunt, N.Callinan, T.Ernst, H.Scott, B.Smith, N.Ferres, K.Brennan, M.Conti, K.McLeod, E.Mackie, A.Utri, K.Rennie, K.Lamb, E.Blackburn, B.Toogood, C.Moody, E.Brown, A.Gogos, D.Berry

Out: - None

After the off-season, footy is back in town this weekend with the much-anticipated return of the AFLW competition. Round 1 will see the debut matches for both Geelong and North Melbourne. It also sees the Western Bulldogs step onto the fields of battle to defend their 2018 premiership title.

As the women's game continues to grow, the footballing community cannot wait to see the women warriors take the field. This includes younger women and girls who dream themselves of playing for their club on the way to a career at the top.

Below is the AFLW promotional video released this week.

It is a forlorn hope for St Mary’s. Two games out of the top five and a poor percentage with just three games to play means that the Saints can’t reach the NTFL Premier League finals. There just aren’t enough miracles left to make it happen. However, they can raise merry hell over the final three rounds, and they started last weekend against the Darwin Buffaloes.

Snapping a four game losing streak, the incentive was there for the Saints. If finals aren’t going to happen, let’s make life difficult for those in the running. Their victory over the Buffaloes saw them come from behind at the main break and kick eleven goals to two in the second half to run out 37 point winners. The loss for the Buffaloes may not see them miss finals, but it will give them the shakes, knowing they are far from invincible.

Gab Pound has called Carlton home since 2017 when she made her debut in Round 1 against Collingwood.

“You couldn’t describe it, it was just an insane feeling it was very surreal and emotional,” Pound said. “I’m getting emotional thinking about it right now.”

“It was amazing to not only play AFL but women’s sport I think, we were given a massive platform and people were interested in it. A filled up Ikon Park and we never expected that so pretty insane to get that amount of people coming and watching. It was a magical night and yes it was pretty insane.”

Image Source: Adam Trafford/AFL Media/Getty Images AsiaPac

Fremantle Dockers AFLW best and fairest winner Ebony Antonio is primed and raring to go as the 2019 AFLW season is almost upon us.

Antonio debuted for the Dockers in Round 1, 2017 against the Western Bulldogs and it was a surreal feeling for her. “It’s hard to describe that feeling but yes I guess it was quite overwhelming,” Antonio said.

Image Source: Adam Trafford/AFL Media/Getty Images AsiaPac

After bringing down the reigning premiers, the Tiwi Bombers will be reassessing their goals for the 2019 season. Their victory against the Southern Districts Crocs proved that they have the “A” game capable of reaching finals and causing havoc when they get there. But ahead is a period of developing consistency and belief – mixed with hard work – to finish the season well. Nevertheless, they now sit in fourth place and finals are theirs to lose.

Travelling to the Crocs home ground, and trailing at half time, the Bombers were up against it. But four unanswered third quarter goals saw the Bombers grab the lead and were good enough to increase that in the last quarter to win by 22 points. The loss was costly, though not terminal, for the Crocs as they lost their third game from their past four starts and need to regroup, answer the wake-up call and re-establish their premiership credentials.

The Western Bulldogs drafted 22-year-old Irish recruit Aisling McCarthy after she impressed at the Cross Coders program.

McCarthy was picked at no.23 in the draft.

“It was the middle of the night at home so I was quite tired but waited up eagerly to see if my name was going to be called out,” McCarthy said.

“I could not believe it when I was announced at pick 23 – it did not feel real until I actually landed in Melbourne a month ago.”

“I am delighted to have been selected by the Bulldogs, they are a great club with a great ethos and culture.” 

Image Source: @aish_mac

Nicola Barr, the inaugural number one draft pick for the AFLW has made a name for herself not only on the footy field but also off field too.

“I have recently graduated from the degree and am now working at Starlight Children’s foundation as well as taking a couple of spin classes each week,” Barr said.

“Balancing these things in addition to AFLW training can be quite a challenge at times! For me the best way to juggle these commitments is to ensure that while I am doing something to be completely focused on it," Barr said.