AFLW is growing rapidly, with the 2024 season as fierce, strong and competitive as ever.

NAB AFLW general manager Emma Moore, who began in that role earlier this year, joined AFL.com.au’s Tagged this week and said he focus was ensuring continuous growth for one of the most exciting sporting competitions across the globe.

"I want to see the game grow. By growth, as we all know, it means the growth of athletes and the performance on the field, the support for the performance I think is absolutely key," Moore told Tagged. "I also want to see it grow in terms of the engagement of audiences.

"Turning up to games, turning it on TV, connecting with it on digital channels and with our content and through our talent. I also really want to see the talent grow themselves. They are so incredible; I'm always blown away when I meet any of the players by their capability."

>> WATCH THE LATEST EPISODE OF TAGGED BELOW

AFLW has placed a significant focus on increasing activations at matches this season, giving fans and spectators the chance to get up and close with the stars of the show.

Moore said the player engagement is one of the best things about the women's competition.

"That amazing ability at the grounds for fans to come up and actually interact with their heroes. Every time I see it, I get really fuzzy inside in how it makes me feel," she said.

"You don't actually get to get up close with your heroes much in life and when you see young kids and their older siblings and then you see parents and their friends, you can see all the different generations connecting with them. I think that part of it is incredibly special, and we want to increase that experience and the ability to connect.

"Being right up at the games and seeing it close and actually the play and the field and the movement and the noise is also something I want to absolutely make sure we bottle up and keep."

Moore is confident the game will only continue to improve as engagement numbers soar through the roof.

"We've supercharged it, there's more and more people coming to games, there's more and more people watching it, and it has become an incredibly robust competition that continues on that trajectory. We have just blasted it out of the water when you think about the number of professional athletes that we have," she said.

"We're stepping forward harder and faster and growing more and more. I think that's where the connect with the talent and audience is so key. We're got more and more talent coming through. Year on year we are going to see rapid growth and I think that's amazing for footy."

After the Lions pulled off a heart-stopping victory over Adelaide in week five, they joined with men's side (who had just claimed the premiership) to sing the song as an entire club at their training base.

Moore says she hopes to see all clubs embrace that "one club" mentality as rusted on men's fans begin to embrace the women's competition as well.

"I think that's the point, right? It's footy. And why do people connect with footy? Because it's got that really deep basis in community," Moore said.

"It's why participation has skyrocketed through the roof off the back of women and girls playing the game. That's the future.

"That's exactly how it is and how it should be in the sense that you're one club. You play footy and you're one club and you're supporters of a club and you're connected to that club and you're embedded in your community. You celebrate the wins and support the losses and be part of that ride."

In fresh episodes of Tagged every Tuesday, co-hosts Sarah Hosking and Sarah Rowe will tackle everything from pop culture to the latest footy news.

This week's episode also includes: 

• Blind date blues - Hosko is stood up! 
• How many Sarahs does it take to change a tire? (Too many)
• "Loved!" - Katy Perry gets a thumbs up
• Hosko and Rowey reflect on the Brisbane v Sydney Grand Final blowout
• Collingwood's controversial first win
• The Captain's Curse gets worse
• "It's so frustrating" - the bump debate rages on 

You can watch Tagged every Tuesday on AFL.com.au and the AFLW and the AFL Live Official apps, and list to the podcast on your preferred platforms on the same day.