THE ABILITY to kick goals from the midfield is how superstar Erin Phillips dominated the early stages of the NAB AFLW competition.

While the 37-year-old is playing a different, deeper role now in her new Port Adelaide colours, there's a new wave of scoring midfielders starting to take charge.

For some who are already best and fairest winners at a young age, it's been considered the next step in their development as potential champions of the game.

Maddy Prespakis kicked just one goal from her 10 matches last season, but already has four to her name.

At Richmond, Monique Conti is more known for her creative play in delivering the ball inside 50, but took full advantage of a raw Hawthorn defence to slot three majors of her own.

Alyce Parker has already booted two goals this season to go with her league-leading average of 25.0 disposals per game, as has reigning AFLW best and fairest Emily Bates (20.0).

Teammate Orla O'Dwyer has been a weapon on the wing for a second straight season, kicking a quarter of her career tally in just three matches.

Perhaps the recognised leader of goalkicking midfielders, Jasmine Garner, is yet to hit her stride in front of the big sticks, slotting one so far but averaging 24.3 touches, while Fremantle skipper Hayley Miller is yet to recapture her stellar season six form after an injury-interrupted pre-season.

"[Conti is] able to work both ways, put some pressure on and lay some big tackles, but when the time's right, the mids have to get more dangerous, and they did today," Tigers coach Ryan Ferguson said after the side's win over Hawthorn.

"It was good to see Grace Egan getting forward, even Eilish Sheerin off the flank – when there's times to attack, we have to attack, so it was good to see a few players put some pressure on the opposition."

Brisbane has so far had 12 goalkickers from its three matches – the widest spread at this point of the season – demonstrating just how valuable it can be to have midfielders contributing to the scoreboard.