The 2025 AFLW season is just a fortnight away, and after a long pre-season it's set to kick-off its 10th season on Thursday, Aug. 14 in a prime-time slot, at Ikon Park between traditional rivals Carlton and Collingwood.
In celebration of every AFLW fan's favourite time of year, let's look at where each team is at ahead of the upcoming season.
Adelaide
Captain: Ebony Marinoff & Sarah Allan
Coach: Matthew Clarke
Where they finished last year: 4th
Player movement:
Ins - Grace Kelly (from St Kilda) , Hannah Ewings (from Port Adelaide), Two draft picks (12, 43)
Outs - Najwa Allen (to Hawthorn), Taylah Levy (to GWS), Picks 16, 34, 52
Where they're at:
The Crows finished last year on a high with Ebony Marinoff winning the AFLW best and fairest, beating North Melbourne's Ash Riddell by three votes. Despite finishing fourth on the ladder, they were dominant throughout the season, falling short in another preliminary final, echoing three previous seasons of heartbreak. Their core of proven stars -- Ebony Marinoff, Sarah Allan, Anne Hatchard, and Danielle Ponter -- remains intact, while newcomers like Hannah Ewings and Grace Kelly add fresh energy. If they can convert tight finishes and maintain defensive consistency, Adelaide should firmly remain in the top four conversation and have another shot at escaping the preliminary finals hoodoo.
Brisbane
Captain: Bre Koenen
Coach: Craig Starcevich
Where they finished last year: 3rd
Player movement:
Ins - Picks 15, 39
Outs - Picks 17, 35, 53
Where they're at:
The Lions will be out for redemption after losing the Grand Final to North Melbourne last season. With Head Coach Craig Starcevich remaining at the helm, and only a few changes in the list, they remain a stable, same-look side. A milestone seasons looms with both Ally Anderson and Bre Koenen nearing their 100th AFLW games. Brisbane looks to remain firmly in contention.
Carlton
Captain: Abbie McKay
Coach: Mathew Buck
Where they finished last year: 14th
Player movement:
Ins - Tara Bohanna (from Gold Coast), Pick 45
Outs - Picks 41, 56, 59
Where they're at:
With new captain Abbie McKay leading for the first time, and some significant player movement it's clear that the Blues weren't satisfied with their 14th ladder position at the conclusion of season 2024. Finishing with a low percentage margin and only three wins on the board last year, the Blues will be looking to rebuild. With the exciting injection of sixth selection, Poppy Scholz (sister of Port Adelaide Rising Star winner Matilda), they will be a team to watch as they focus on getting the basics right to move forward. Injuries to Mimi Hill and Abbie McKay hit the side hard, and exposed a lack of depth in a young side, but with both fit and firing, and the injection of Tara Bohanna from the Gold Coast Suns, Carlton will be focused on their forward pressure and managing soft tissue injuries which affected them heavily last season.
Collingwood
Captain: Ruby Schleicher
Coach: Sam Wright
Where they finished last year: 18th
Player movement:
Ins - Mattea Breed (from Hawthorn), Airlie Runnalls (from Fremantle), Pick 26
Outs - Picks 19, 37
Where they're at:
Ruby Schleicher steps into the captaincy for the 2025 season, after winning Collingwood's Best and Fairest in 2024, and coach Sam Wright enters his second season, continuing to lead a heavy list rebuild after a difficult debut year. The Pies selected midfielder/half-back Ash Centra as pick one in the draft and delisted a number of players which indicates a clear intention to find a new direction. The midfield will also receive a bolster with the arrival of Mattea Breed from Hawthorn. The side played Essendon in a pre-season game on Saturday and gave a first look at draftees Georgia Knight and Violet Patterson, Irish recruit Kellyann Hogan, and returning defender Annie Lee and Kalinda Howarth, which showed some promising changes to the game tactics.
Essendon
Captain: Bonnie Toogood & Steph Cain
Coach: Natalie Wood
Where they finished last year: 8th
Player movement:
Ins - Courtney Murphy (from GWS), Picks 8, 35
Outs - Ashleigh Van Loon (to Sydney) , Amber Clarke (to St Kilda), Paige Scott (to Richmond) - Picks 47, 65
Where they're at:
Essendon had a solid 2024 season with the team showing more consistency and depth, making the finals series for the second year in a row. Midfielder Madison Prespakis finished third in the league best and fairest and under the guidance of inaugural coach Natalie Wood, the side showed cohesion and a strong foundation. They've welcomed star former AFL player Ben Brown as Head of Development for 2025, and with this we will see the team enter a significant growth phase. Courtney Murphy's arrival from GWS will help fill the void left by Amber Clarke's departure. Expect to see the Bombers continue to grow in strength.
Fremantle
Captain: Ange Stannett
Coach: Lisa Webb
Where they finished last year: 5th
Player movement:
Ins - Bella Smith (from Sydney) - Picks 34, 38, 45, 51.
Outs - Ariana Hetherington (to North Melbourne), Airlie Runnalls (to Collingwood), Picks 31, 45, 49
Where they're at:
Fremantle finished fifth on the ladder in season 2024 under the guidance of head coach Lisa Webb, playing their first finals series since 2022. Losing Airlie Runnals to Collingwood will leave a gap in their midfield which Bella Smith will fill as she comes across from Sydney. The expected return of Kiara Bowers and captain Ange Stannett should bolster their depth while the side's leading goalkicker, Aisling McCarthy will play a pivotal role in their forward strength.
Geelong
Captain: Meghan McDonald
Coach: Daniel Lowther
Where they finished last year: 10th
Player movement:
Ins - Picks 16, 37
Outs - Darcy Moloney (to Sydney), Picks 27, 45
Where they're at:
Captain Meg McDonald will lead the Cats for the sixth consecutive season, with coach Daniel Lowther continuing into his fifth season. A new head of AFLW, Dominique Condo will bring fresh ideas and new strategy. Nina Morrison continues to be an anchor for the side, off the back of winning the club's best and fairest award last year, while Aishling Moloney, Geelong's AFLW leading goalkicker (21 goals) in 2024 will be a mainstay in their forward line. Despite finishing tenth on the ladder, the Cats had multiple close calls with narrow losses against Melbourne, Richmond and Adelaide which cost them a place in finals.
Gold Coast
Captain: Niamh McLaughlin
Coach: Rhyce Shaw
Where they finished last year: 17th
Player movement:
Ins - Lily Mithen (from Melbourne), Picks 19, 27, 30, 41, 46.
Outs - Tara Bohanna (to Carlton), Picks 2, 20, 38, 56.
Where they're at:
Under new head coach Rhyce Shaw and new captain Niamh McLaughlin, the Suns will be looking to improve on their 2024 season where they finished 17th on the ladder with one win and one draw, a disappointing comparison to the year prior where they played finals. The Suns had a busy trade period, losing key forward and former captain Tara Bohanna to Carlton, and picking up former Melbourne midfielder Lily Mithen as part of a six-club trade. They have also recruited academy talent Havana Harris. Star midfielder Charlie Rowbottom remains firmly at the Suns after speculation she may be headed to Sydney and will be an important cog in the wheel of a new era for the Suns. This season will be focused on establishing themselves under new leadership and finding their feet with a new-look side.
GWS
Captain: Bec Beeson
Coach: Cameron Bernasconi
Where they finished last year: 16th
Player movement:
Ins - Eleanor Brown (from Western Bulldogs) - Taylah Levy (from Adelaide) - Picks 52, 65
Outs - Courtney Murphy (to Essendon), Nicola Barr (to St Kilda, Picks 39, 57
Where they're at:
After finishing 16th in 2024 with just two wins, the GWS Giants will be hoping to reset and rebuild in 2025 under the continued leadership of captain Bec Beeson and coach Cam Bernasconi. The Giants have undergone a big restructure of their list and bring in experience with Eleanor Brown from the Western Bulldogs to provide elite running capabilities and Taylah Levy joining from Adelaide, offering further midfield depth. With a shakeup in their personnel, the Giants will be focused on establishing some consistency around their game plan and getting some experience under the belt of some of the younger, developing players.