THERE was a simmering subplot playing out on Alberton Oval on Friday.

Yes, it was the first women's footy ever played as part of the AFL's Gather Round.

And it was the first time since the VWFL became the VFLW that it combined for a state game against the best of the SANFLW.

But it was also a showcase of the elite talent Collingwood's VFLW program has snared over the off season, and the potential those in black and white have to surge up the ladder.

Four Pies donned the Big V in the 27-point win over South Australia. One, Tahlia Fellows, was awarded the VFLW’s best on ground medal for her four-goal performance, while another, Dom Carbone, captained the side.

Collingwood head coach Tom Cashin, who was part of the state side's coaching panel and was the runner on game day, now has a year with his feet under the desk, and has gone all out in his recruiting.

Fellows is an addition out of the AFLW system, where the goalsneak played 18 games and kicked 10 goals for Hawthorn. Carbone was snatched out of the Western Bulldogs' system, with whom she played in the 2024 rebel VFLW Grand Final and won last season's Lambert-Pearce Medal.

Lily-Rose Williamson was discarded by Essendon's AFLW program after eight games in three seasons, and Lauren Szigeti was tossing up joining either North Melbourne or Collingwood after being delisted by Sydney, and ultimately opted for the Pies because of Cashin's influence.

“I walked in the doors and I was like, there's something about this place. The walls, just everything, the facility,” Williamson told the State of Play podcast after the game, in which she kicked two important goals.

“I was just like, yeah, this is home. And 'Cash', my coach, just made me feel supported and like I can play my brand of football and I'm doing that.

“He's got the balance of the fun and the serious and he's always in my corner. He knows how I play and how sometimes I get in my head, and he gets me out.”

Head coach of the Big V, and reigning VFLW premier North Melbourne Brett Gourley is well aware of the influx of talent that Collingwood has enjoyed in recent months, and will be watching the club closely.

“You never know what any team is going to spit out in round one, so I'm interested to see how those results go,” Gourley said.

“I know they've got Casey first up, which I'm sure will be a challenge.”

For Carbone, however, Friday's performance wasn't only a reflection of what her new side could do this year, but something broader.

“I think the reflection is that you should be scared of what the whole state league's going to bring, if I'm honest,” Carbone said.

“We're all looking at what's ahead right now, and the fact that we were able to come out and put out what we just did, I think it proves what the VFLW season is about to be.

“It's really exciting and definitely tune in because it's going to be a good season.”

The 2025 rebel VFLW season kicks off on Friday April 18. All games will be streamed live and free on AFL.com.au and via the AFL Live Official AFL app and VFL app.