NEROLI Meadows picks up Samantha Lane and twirls her around the room. The photographer starts snapping.
"You better not use that one!" an upside-down Lane says with a laugh.
Meadows and Lane, part of the television commentary crews for the NAB AFL Women's competition, update one another on recent events in their lives as the camera clicks and flashes.
Meadows has just finished following Australia's summer cricket program, while Lane spent several months in New York.
In an instant, Meadows has her arms around Lane's shoulders and both smile at the camera. It's clear they're great mates and they're overdue for a talkfest.
"We often just get together, have a chat about all sorts of things and bounce ideas off each other," Meadows said.
"We don't always agree, but it's nice to know you always have someone to go to."
Neither are strangers to the big stage, and are conscious of their key roles in the game, especially with the AFLW competition.
Meadows worked at last year's AFL Grand Final, her first covering the action from the boundary line.
"I looked around and to my knowledge I was the
only woman on TV or radio working on the game," said Meadows, who works for Fox Footy and also covers football for ABC Radio.
"I remember thinking afterwards, 'It makes me sick how much I love my job. No one should love their job this much'," she said.
Meadows, born in country Western Australia, will be working alongside the game's first female commentator Kelli Underwood on Fox's AFLW coverage.
"I'm obviously really excited to be part of it now. And also in 30 years time I'll get to say, 'I was there'. That's pretty awesome."
Lane, an award-winning Age journalist, will be on the boundary line as part of Channel Seven's AFLW coverage.
Melbourne-born Lane has been closely covering the evolution of women's football and is excited about being involved in the inaugural AFLW season.
"It thrills me to the bone. The fact I can have a role is an honour," she said.
"The more people with more diverse experiences sharing their views, the healthier the game is.
"By including a range of voices across the media landscape, we actually get more depth in our discussion, more depth in our outlook and a better understanding of not just the game, but people.
"That's what attracted me to footy. It allows people to talk and connect in a way they might not otherwise because it's common ground."
Both have been encouraged by the recent increase in coverage of women's football, particularly the number of podcasts gaining credibility and popularity.
Lane recently interviewed Brisbane Lions marquee player Tayla Harris. She walked away impressed by Harris's openness, especially in comparison to the usually on-message, 'say nothing' approach of well-trained AFL players.
"She's candid, she's totally 'generation now'. That's refreshing."
Meadows agrees. "I like the personalities. There are so many restrictions covering sport these days, but this [start of the AFLW competition] has been different," she said.
Meadows is an ambassador for Fremantle's women's team and recently spent time inside the club.
"To be invited by coach Michelle Cowan to team meetings and be allowed to ask them whatever I wanted was great," she said.
Both Meadows and Lane are genuinely passionate about the game and are looking forward to being involved in the AFLW coverage.
"I am more excited about football than I ever have been. My love for the game has grown. It's next-level excitement," Lane said.
