THERE'S a growing rumble to the east of Melbourne, and it's originating from Punt Road.

Richmond is one of the premier teams in the AFL competition, and is now poised to take the NAB AFLW competition by storm in its first season, according to the AFLW players themselves.

The Tigers received six of 14 votes for "best new team" – with one player anonymously surveyed from each club – with West Coast hot on their heels with four. St Kilda was named by three players, while just one said Gold Coast.

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List manager Kate Sheahan hit her first signing period with a vengeance, employing a slightly different approach to other expansion sides.

The Tigers brought in two former marquee players (Katie Brennan and Sabrina Frederick), the 2018 Grand Final best-on-ground winner (Monique Conti) and an All Australian forward (Christina Bernardi).

In total Richmond added just eight existing AFLW players during that period, filling up the rest of its list with its VFLW players and through the NAB AFLW Draft (nine of whom were 18-year-olds).

By contrast, the other expansion sides added a higher number of players from other AFLW clubs.

One surveyed player gave Richmond the nod on the back of its recruiting plan.

"Richmond, for its firepower and its mix of experience and youth," she said.

Voting results

6 – Richmond
4 – West Coast
3 – St Kilda
1 – Gold Coast 

This is part of a series which saw 14 players – one from every club – surveyed anonymously about who they regard as the best in the competition. Check back to womens.afl as more answers are revealed over the coming days.