A NUMBER of star AFL Women's players will line up in different colours in the VFL Women's season starting this weekend.
Melbourne's aligned club Casey has lost 10 AFLW players to other sides, with five to Darebin (Karen Paxman, Elise O'Dea, Brooke Patterson, Maddy Guerin and Lauren Pearce) three to Geelong (Richelle Cranston, Anna Teague, Erin Hoare) and two to the Western Bulldogs (Alyssa Mifsud and Ashleigh Guest).
There will be a distinct Magpie flavour at Tigerland this year, with Emma King, Lauren Tesoriero and Millie Barden moving a few blocks down the road to play at Richmond.
AFLW IN THE OFF-SEASON: Giants star's Indian summer school
With team lists released ahead of the season starting Saturday, it appears some big names might not be playing in the VFLW this year.
Daisy Pearce, Tayla Harris, Moana Hope, Jess Hosking, Lily Mithen, Aleisha Newman and Kirsty Lamb are not yet on any club list.
Pearce had already announced she was choosing to sit this season out, saying her body needed a break after three football seasons in two years.
Brisbane's Kaitlyn Ashmore is another notable absentee. The Victorian has previously played for Melbourne University in the VFLW. Uni is now directly aligned with North Melbourne ahead of the Kangaroos' AFLW entry next year.
In other VFLW news:
• Carlton announced its VFLW coach, with Collingwood AFLW development coach Shannon McFerran taking the reins. The VFLW Blues had been training under the club's Next Generation Academy coach Brett Potter. The Blues signed Australian Rugby 7s Olympian Chloe Dalton, who has expressed an interest in playing at AFLW level.
• The Western Bulldogs finalised their VFLW coaching panel, with Debbie Lee assisted by former Collingwood midfielder Bree White (senior assistant), AFL player Jordan Roughead, Jayden Shea and Esther Hassett (both Bulldogs AFLW assistant coaches).
• Stand-alone VFLW club Williamstown has signed three AFLW players: Jenna Bruton (Bulldogs) and Jasmine Garner and Jess Duffin (Collingwood).
• Essendon, yet to be given indication of when it will receive an AFLW licence, will have three Greater Western Sydney players on its books, with Tanya Hetherington, Maddy Collier and Tait Mackrill making the journey south.
• VFLW clubs can select only 12 AFLW players per game, but there is no limit to how many they can sign.
• For every additional AFLW player above 12 on a list, a club can sign an extra development player. Lists start at 40 players plus three rookies.
• Carlton's VFLW list makes for some interesting reading, with 15 of its AFLW players – half its list – not playing for the Blues or any other VFLW side this season.
• Clubs can still make changes to their lists, with allowances made for players who are delisted by AFLW clubs to change to another VFLW side if they no longer want to be at the club.
• The new AFLW clubs, Geelong and North Melbourne haven't yet revealed their hands in relation to their lists (apart from the Roos announcing they will sign this year’s AFLW best and fairest Emma Kearney. The VFLW Cats have four AFLW players (Richelle Cranston, Anna Teague, Erin Hoare and Maddie Boyd), while Melbourne Uni as three (Kearney, Alex Saundry and Jess Anderson).
• The Bombers also boast two famous club names, Stephanie Hird and Michaela Long, daughters of James and Michael respectively.
In other state league news:
• Most of Adelaide's players will line up for the Northern Territory in the VFLW. The SANFL Women's competition finished several weeks ago, but the Adelaide Footy League season is underway.
• Brisbane's players are slowly beginning to filter back through the QWAFL competition after taking time off following the AFLW season. Lions best and fairest Kate Lutkins picked up where she left off in being named best on ground for Wilston Grange in its round-three match.
• Four rounds of the WAWFL have been completed, with Fremantle's players scattered between the eight teams. A few West Australian locals have come back to play after the AFLW season, including Caitlyn Edwards and Georgie Parker.
• Two rounds of the five-team Tasmanian State League Women's have been completed. Most of Tasmania's AFLW players have stayed on the mainland.
• The AFL Sydney competition has been going for a month. Despite the fact many Greater Western Sydney players have signed elsewhere for winter, Giant and former Blue Bec Privitelli has stayed in NSW, playing for UNSW Eastern Suburbs. Renee Tompkins and Haneen Zreika are playing for the Auburn-Penrith Giants.
