FOR THE first time in AFLW history 18 teams will play in a competition-wide Pride Round this weekend.
In addition to the celebration of diversity and inclusion, the round also features mouth-watering matchups that will ultimately shape the rest of the season.
Kicking off the round on Friday evening are Carlton and Richmond at Ikon Park, where the Tigers will be looking to register their sixth straight win, while a win for the Blues keeps their finals hopes alive.
"I think (Pride Round is) hugely exciting, I think this round, it's got a great energy around it," breakout Richmond defender Eilish Sheerin told womens.afl.
"We have people who come from varying walks of life, whether that be their ethnicity, their religion, their sexuality and that brings with it unique aspects of them, and we want to celebrate that and recognise that by doing that, we can get the best out of ourselves."
Carlton defender Mua Laloifi echoed the sentiment, also looking toward the chance to snap the Tigers' winning streak.
"They are going well, five game winning streak, so hopefully we could be those baddies that come in and just destroy it," Laloifi said with a laugh.
PRIDE ROUND Every club's specially designed guernsey
Friday's game will also mark Carlton captain Kerryn Peterson's 50th AFLW game.
"As a leader, 'Kez' has really shown what a true leader is and I couldn't be more proud of her ... she has had really good leadership skills and someone I look up to daily, and made me a better player and also a better person off-field," Laloifi said.
On Saturday there will also be a Pride double header at Ikon Park for the first time, featuring Essendon, Sydney, Geelong and West Coast.
Recent Geelong recruit Mikayla Bowen was part of the playing group that assisted in designing the side's season seven Pride guernsey.
"When you're running out there and being able to look down and know that, you know, you're a part of a club that really embraces inclusion, diversity, and not even just the club, the competition as well, is really important ... it's great to be a part of," Bowen said
West Coast, who unveiled its inaugural pride guernsey last week, will face Bowen, and a Geelong side that is on track to make its second finals series.
"I would say to (Bowen), 'friends now, not on the field later', but I think it'd be a very good game," young Eagles midfielder Bella Lewis said.
Her Eagles were the only side not to don a pride guernsey last season, but this year have unveiled their first.
"It's our inaugural one this year, which we've taken a lot of steps from last year in terms of getting that on-field representation of (pride) and the process was something very special to all of our players, so we're very excited to run out on Saturday."
