RICHMOND will enter its maiden AFLW season with the weight of expectation on its shoulders but captain Katie Brennan is confident the newcomers can stamp their authority on the competition.

The Tigers will kick off the season against Carlton at Ikon Park on Friday night and former Western Bulldogs star Brennan said she was relishing featuring in the season opener for the first time.

"It's been something that I've looked on in a bit of envy in a sense," Brennan told AAP.

"The first game I just remember being in tears of pride and just being so excited for all the girls running out there, that it was finally possible - we were playing for premiership points in AFLW gear.

"It's something that I've really aspired towards but I've loved watching along the way.

"I'm genuinely so excited and all you want to do is just play footy at this time of year."

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After two AFL premierships and a VFL flag in three years, Richmond fans have become accustomed to success but may have to be patient with their AFLW team.

"We certainly want to be really competitive," Brennan said.

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"I think every team that comes into the competition wants a genuine shot at winning a premiership.

"But for us it's really about playing our way and I think we'd probably be disappointed if we won games and we weren't playing the style of football we want to play, and I think it'll take a bit of time."

Brennan's time at the Bulldogs was marred by injuries and a Grand Final suspension, with the forward finding herself falling out of love with the game.

Now fit and ready to fire, the 27-year-old is reinvigorated leading into her fourth campaign.

"I think my big focus over the pre-season was just getting the love for the game back and once you are loving the game you end up playing better footy in a sense," Brennan said.

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"I've been really lucky to be able to move up the ground a little bit and have some midfield time and get around the football, and I think that certainly helps the headspace.

"Learning a new position, bringing my forward craft up around the football and working on heaps of different aspects of my game, it's just refreshed my love for the game and refreshed the challenge of getting back to playing some good footy."