IT'S BEEN a long 10 months, but the NAB AFLW competition is back and firing on Thursday night.

Take a look at all the round one action to come.

WATCH IT LIVE How to catch every AFLW match in 2021

CARLTON v COLLINGWOOD

7.15pm AEDT, Thursday, January 28
Ikon Park, Carlton North, Vic

• All pre-season, Carlton has been talked up as one of the premiership favourites for 2021, but flags aren't won in January. The Blues will unveil star new recruit Elise O'Dea to partner AFLW best and fairest Maddy Prespakis in the middle.
• Collingwood caught the eye with an impressive pre-season win over top side North Melbourne, and the Magpies seriously look like they could contend this year. Watch for Bri Davey playing against her old side for the first time.
• Tip: The Magpies are yet to beat Carlton in a season-opener, but this is the best shot they've had thus far. Saying that, the Pies may struggle against the Blues' backline. Carlton by five points.

GOING TO THE FOOTY? All you need to know about COVID safety at AFLW games

ST KILDA v WESTERN BULLDOGS

7.10pm AEDT, Friday, January 29
RSEA Park, Moorabbin, Vic

• St Kilda will be without star recruit Bianca Jakobsson (collarbone), but Jayde Van Dyk is a handy inclusion to the backline. Check the team sheet to see if father-daughter selection Alice Burke will be playing against the side her dad Nathan coaches.
• It'll be a battle of new faces in the midfield, but keep your eyes peeled for Jess Fitzgerald taking on Tyanna Smith. The pair have had teammates at their respective clubs raving about their work and form over summer.
• Tip: The Dogs shot out of the blocks in this match last year and held the Saints at bay, but will be faced with a much sterner and more experienced side this year. Saints by 10 points.

GOLD COAST v MELBOURNE

2.10pm AEST, Saturday, January 30
Metricon Stadium, Carrara, Qld

• The Suns will debut their new-look forward line for the first time, adding experienced premiership Crow Sarah Perkins to work alongside All Australian Kalinda Howarth. They've also added plenty of run in the middle through Lucy Single and ex-Saint Ali Drennan.
• The Dees have already confirmed they will have three debutants on Saturday, with 18-year-olds Alyssa Bannan (key forward) and midfielders Eliza McNamara and Megan Fitzsimon set to play.
• Tip: Gold Coast weren't an easy-beat side by any means last year, and the club is pleased at the progression made by players over winter. Despite their personnel losses, Melbourne just still have too many experienced players. Dees by 16 points.

CRYSTAL BALL Check out Sarah Black's 2021 AFLW predictions

WEST COAST v ADELAIDE

2.10pm AWST, Saturday, March 7
Mineral Resources Park, Lathlain, WA

• It will be new coach Daniel Pratt's first match in charge after Luke Dwyer parted ways with the club. Recruit Aisling McCarthy and draftee Bella Lewis should add some much-needed depth to the midfield after a tough first season.
• Adelaide will be welcoming back newly standalone captain Chelsea Randall with open arms, as well as a fully fit Erin Phillips and Rhi Metcalfe. The Crows will be desperate to improve on just two wins last year.
• Tip: A very tough ask first up for West Coast, even at home, with Adelaide piling on 2.21 against GWS in its practice match. Crows by 27 points

GEELONG v NORTH MELBOURNE

12.10pm AEDT, Sunday, January 31
GMHBA Stadium, Geelong, Vic

• Geelong let another strong start slip in its practice match against Melbourne, something which happened a few times last year. Two of the side's best players – Liv Purcell and captain Meg McDonald – have full pre-seasons under their belt after carrying shoulder and finger injuries respectively last summer.
• It was an uncharacteristically undisciplined North Melbourne who faced Collingwood in the practice match, but the Roos should be better for the run. All Australian defender Jess Duffin is set to make her return after a year on the sidelines due to pregnancy.
• Tip: Geelong's last official game happened to be against North Melbourne, and it conceded eight straight goals. While that's unlikely to happen again, the Roos bat too deep. Kangas by 22 points.

GET YOUR TICKETS Why you must secure your seat in advance

RICHMOND v BRISBANE

2.10pm AEDT, Sunday, January 31
Swinburne Centre, Richmond, Vic

• Still winless, the Tigers will be desperate to break that duck in their seventh overall AFLW match, their first under new coach Ryan Ferguson. They'll be boosted by recruits Harriet Cordner, Sarah Hosking, D'Arcy and Dargan, and No.1 draftee Ellie McKenzie.
• After a tumultuous few off-seasons, the Lions have been quietly going about their business this pre-season, with a stable list for the first time in a while. They hit the ground running last year, undefeated until round five, and will be hoping for the same strong start in 2021.
• Tip: The Tigers will be hungry, but the Lions have plenty of experience and have had fewer personnel changes, important in a short pre-season. Lions by eight points.

FREMANTLE v GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY

1.10pm AWST, Sunday, January 31
Fremantle Oval, Fremantle, WA

• If the Tigers are hungry for their first win, the Dockers are even more desperate to keep their undefeated streak alive. Fremantle last lost a game in 2019, and haven't dropped one at home since 2018.
• There's no disputing GWS has had the toughest pre-season of anyone, having left home due to COVID-19 restrictions at the start of January. The Giants didn't make too many changes to their squad – it remains to be seen if ex-Dee Katherine Smith (ACL) is fit for round one, while athletic draftee Tarni Evans is one to look out for.
• Tip: The Giants leaked scoring shots all over the place in their practice match against Adelaide, conceding 23 of them. It doesn't bode well for a game against the highest-scoring team of 2020 in Fremantle. Dockers by 29 points.

A KAREN Paxman masterclass has led Melbourne to a comfortable 21-point first-up win over an ill-disciplined Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium on Saturday.

The four-time All Australian was sublime in the hot and humid conditions, racking up 19 of her 25 disposals in the decisive first half of the 9.2 (56) to 5.5 (35) victory.

SUNS v DEMONS Full match coverage and stats

Paxman slowed down after half-time, but had plenty of help from her teammates.

Lily Mithen (22 and one goal) was terrific onball, while debutant Eliza McNamara also caught the eye with a polished, hard-running wing display to finish with 18 touches.

Lauren Pearce was also a welcome return in the ruck with her strong marking around the ground.

After a tight first quarter in which Gold Coast led by seven points, the Demons put the game away with five unanswered goals in the second.

Goals to Shelley Heath and Tegan Cunningham came via 50m penalties, as did one to Krstel Petrevski just after half-time to split the game wide open.

The Suns will be kicking themselves.

Jamie Stanton (18 disposals) worked hard in an outgunned midfield, while Sarah Perkins (two goals) made a promising start for her third club.

Did you see that?
It was hard to not smile at the performance of Sarah Perkins. Running out for the first time in Suns colours after previous stints with Adelaide and Melbourne, Perkins had a wonderful debut. She took a contested mark and goaled on the quarter-time siren and then added another in the third. Not only were her 11 disposals eye-catching, but the three tackles and willingness to play high up the ground made the Suns look far more dangerous in attack than any stage in 2020.

Five minutes of madness
Melbourne split the game wide open with three quick goals in the second quarter. Trailing by a point at the five-minute mark, Krstel Petrevski gave the Demons the lead when she cleverly roved a marking contest and snapped truly on her right boot. Shelley Heath and Tegan Cunningham then cashed in from close range following 50m penalties and the visitors never looked back.

The difference
With most of the traditional stats – contested possessions, clearances, scoring shots and inside 50s – close to equal, it was Melbourne's aerial dominance that really shone. They hauled in 10 contested marks to Gold Coast's four, with tall forward Tegan Cunningham, who was a handful for Jade Pregelj all day, and ruck Lauren Pearce particularly powerful in the air. The Dees were able to get deep entires inside their forward 50 and either mark or create a contest for their crumbers.

Say what?
"They're the simplest of things (50m penalties) and the girls are so apologetic, but they're the simple things that cost you. Before you know it it's three goals and then you go the other end yourself and don't kick your chance and the gap just widens that little bit more." - Gold Coast coach David Lake

"The exciting thing about 'Paxy' (Paxman) is she continues to find ways to improve. Whether that's physically, athletically or football-wise. She's invested a lot of time into her skill development and understanding the game and I think this year you can expect to see a more efficient, more consistent Paxy around the ball. I think she's going to continue to have a serious impact on games." - Melbourne coach Mick Stinear

What's next?
The Demons will attempt to make it two-from-two when they return to Melbourne to host Richmond next Saturday at Casey Fields from 6.10pm (AEDT). Gold Coast will also play in Melbourne, a little earlier that afternoon, when travelling to Victoria Park to play Collingwood from 4.10pm (AEDT).

GOLD COAST     3.1     3.3     5.4     5.5     (35)
MELBOURNE     2.0     7.1     9.1     9.2     (56)

GOALS
Gold Coast: Perkins 2, Stanton, Kaslar, Perry
Melbourne: Cunningham 2, Hore 2, Petrevski 2, Zanker, Mithen, Heath

BEST 
Gold Coast: Stanton, Perkins, Keaney, Ahrens, Drennan
Melbourne: Paxman, Mithen, McNamara, L.Pearce, Cunningham, Hanks 

INJURIES 
Gold Coast: Bradfield (knee)
Melbourne: Nil

Reports: Nil

Crowd: 1902 at Metricon Stadium

Did you head to the footy over the weekend? Tell us your thoughts! Take the survey now