Club: Carlton

Coach: Daniel Harford

Captain: Kerryn Harrington

2021 best and fairest: Darcy Vescio

2021 in a nutshell: Head of women's footy Brett Munro has been on record saying 12 minutes of football stood between Carlton and finals in 2021. Having come into the season as hot favourites, the Blues struggled to live up to expectations, and lost three games – against Collingwood, Western Bulldogs and Fremantle – by a combined 16 points. The Trade Period was messy, losing Tayla Harris, Jess Hosking and Chloe Dalton to other clubs, although luring Jess Dal Pos back home was a win and Poppy Schaap as a replacement player was a steal. AFLW leading goalkicker Darcy Vescio and Nic Stevens were a dangerous duo in attack, and Mimi Hill (ACL injury aside) proved her top-12 draftee status.

Full squad: Lauren Brazzale, Jess Dal Pos, Grace Egan, Georgia Gee, Jess Good, Maddy Guerin, Charlotte Hammans, Kerryn Harrington, Mimi Hill, Courtney Jones, Mua Laloifi, Annie Lee, Lucy McEvoy, Abbie McKay, Imogen Milford, Breann Moody, Elise O'Dea, Nat Plane, Gab Pound, Madison Prespakis, Poppy Schaap, Keeley Sherar, Nicola Stevens, Paige Trudgeon, Brooke Vernon, Darcy Vescio, Brooke Vickers, Brooke Walker, Daisy Walker, Charlotte Wilson

Recruits: Jess Dal Pos (GWS), Poppy Schaap (Geelong Falcons, replacement player)

Draftees: Jess Good (free agent), Annie Lee, Imogen Milford, Keeley Sherar, Brooke Vickers

Inactive: Serena Gibbs (mental health)

Out: Chloe Dalton (GWS), Tayla Harris (Melbourne), Jess Hosking (Richmond), Katie Loynes (GWS), Jess Edwards, Winnie Laing (delisted), Alison Downie (delisted, then Collingwood)

2022 FIXTURE Every match, every round

2022 opponents: Collingwood (H), Brisbane (A), Western Bulldogs (A), North Melbourne (H), Adelaide (H), Fremantle (A), St Kilda (H), GWS (A), Gold Coast (H), Melbourne (A)

Circle it: We had to wait for the separate round 10 release, but we've now got confirmation new Demon Tayla Harris will be taking on her old side this season at Casey Fields.

Player to watch: Maddy Guerin is now well and truly over the torn ACL which ended her 2020 season, and should be capitalising on the greater midfield time on offer in the absence of Hosking and Katie Loynes.

Best NAB AFLW Rising Star chance: Annie Lee

2022 prediction: Carlton was stung by last season's fall out of finals contention, and will be eager to jump back into the top six. A tough first half of the season will sort out exactly where the Blues sit. In the absence of Harris, the Blues look set to unveil a slightly restructured forward line, while young midfield core Maddy Prespakis, Abbie McKay, Lucy McEvoy and Grace Egan will be better for another year under their belt. The Blues have too good a squad to continue to slide down the ladder. Pacey Brooke Walker is also a virtual recruit after missing most of 2021 with a foot injury.