THE 2025 rebel VFLW competition is set to kick off in mid-April, but for the most part, AFLW clubs won't be heavily participating.

Clubs vary in their approaches to the state leagues, and all Victorian clubs bar Richmond have either a VFLW team under its own banner, or an affiliate with a VFLW club.

The timing of the VFLW season has changed this year, starting in mid-April and running till the start of August. Finals will run through that month, overlapping with three weeks of the NAB AFLW season.

With AFLW pre-season beginning in mid-May, it means some clubs have changed their approach, set to only field inexperienced players who didn't record many (or any) AFLW games last year, and those returning from long-term injuries who need a run.

When it comes to the standard of VFLW matches, there's a view that after several years of hits to the Victorian talent pool – including COVID interruptions and AFLW expansions, with Sydney also recruiting heavily from Victoria – this year will see a stabilisation or increase in talent.

Last year's strong national draft also saw some talented players overlooked, who have since joined the VFLW. A number of senior delisted AFLW players will also feature, with Lauren Brazzale captaining Sandringham, alongside fellow ex-Pies Erica Fowler, Eleri Morris and Imogen Evans, while Nat Exon is lining up for Box Hill.

Talls Simone Nalder and Jemima Woods have joined Geelong, while Collingwood has recruited heavily, signing Courtney Jones, Lily-Rose Williamson, Tahlia Fellows, Jemma Ramsdale and Dom Carbone. Gen Lawson-Tavan, Stella Reid and Bridget Deed are now Roos.

Abbey McDonald and Brooke Plummer have moved up the highway to Essendon, while delisted AFLW Dog Bree McFarlane is sticking at the Kennel, playing alongside Renee Saulitis and Sarah Sansonetti.

Premier North Melbourne is once again unlikely to utilise the VFLW (its VFLW team also won the Grand Final last year), whereas the young Western Bulldogs are keen to rotate through quite a few of their AFLW players.

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St Kilda's affiliate has changed names from the Southern Saints to Sandringham (in line with its men's team), while the Saints' AFLW senior assistant coach Lachie Harris will also coach the VFLW side, to increase coordination between the programs.

The Saints last week named 10 AFLW players for their VFLW practice match, a clear standout from the other sides.

Essendon has heavily utilised the VFLW over the past few years for its younger and developing players, and will still roll players through, but unlikely to be quite as frequent. List manager Georgia Harvey has taken up a new role running the VFLW program for the club.

Carlton was a big proponent of its VFLW team last year, and like St Kilda, has appointed an AFLW assistant (Western Bulldogs premiership ruck Aasta O'Connor) to lead its VFLW team. After most players got a run last year, the Blues are anticipating fewer players in 2025, with a focus on inexperience and those coming back from long-term injuries.

Last year was Hawthorn's first under new coach Daniel Webster, and the Hawks played entire lines at a time in the VFLW to build understanding for the new game plan. At this stage, it's understood the Hawks may not go quite as hard with AFLW participation.

Richmond mutually parted ways with affiliate Port Melbourne, with the new timing of both the VFLW and AFLW seasons one of the factors involved. The club remain open to further involvement in the VFLW, but are keen for clear direction about both competitions before investing further. The Punt Road redevelopment is also a complicating factor.

Tigers players will continue with voluntary off-season sessions and the official pre-season.

Geelong has oscillated in its use of VFLW over the years. After barely utilising it for its AFLW-listed players last year, the Cats will up their involvement somewhat, using it as an opportunity for their new crop of developing talls and players who didn't get many AFLW games last season.

One unintended consequence of moving the VFLW season to have greater overlap with the AFLW season may be the availability of train-on players.

AFLW teams often run their match simulation sessions on the weekend during pre-season, given VFLW train-ons are at work or studying during the week.

But those players will now be playing finals in August, making participation in AFLW sessions near impossible.

When the AFLW season starts, unselected players form scratch sides to play in "scrimmage" matches, with an increasing number of clubs believing the scrimmages are of a higher standard than state leagues.

One non-Victorian club boss threw up the idea of moving the VFLW to completely align with the AFLW.

VFLW-listed players would have the opportunity to play some community footy at the start of the year, and two AFLW "scrimmage" teams could be included for non-Victorian, non-selected players.