SATURDAY night's enthralling Brisbane Lions-Adelaide game at Norwood Oval may have been a preview of the NAB AFL Women's competition's Grand Final.

The Lions won by just three points in a thrilling top-of-the-table clash in Adelaide to move one game clear of the Crows.

The tough battle between two of the most highly skilled teams in the competition was one of the best matches of the season. The Crows had their chances, but the Lions' pace and aggression proved to be the difference in the end.

The Queenslanders are now favourites to host the Grand Final on March 25, possibly at the Gabba. But don't write Adelaide off just yet.

If the Lions lose one of their two remaining matches – and the Crows win both of theirs and maintain their already superior percentage – the Grand Final would be in Adelaide.

Carlton and Melbourne, third and fourth respectively and one game behind Adelaide, will be hoping one of the top two loses both of its remaining matches.

On Friday afternoon, Melbourne blew a big opportunity to make some ground, dropping its game to the previously winless Greater Western Sydney. The Demons peppered the goals in the second half in wet conditions at Blacktown International Sportspark, but couldn't convert, finishing with 1.9 – and five more scoring shots than the Giants.

The loss was compounded when Melbourne's flight out of Sydney was cancelled due to storms and heavy rain. The Demons' party was told halfway through the match they wouldn't be able to fly home that night (a few did manage to get on flights for pressing Saturday commitments), with club and AFL officials scrambling to find last-minute accommodation.  

Carlton set a record for the highest AFLW score in its six-point win over the Bulldogs, finishing with 54 points in perfect conditions at Ikon Park on Saturday afternoon. The teams combined for 102 points, also a new AFLW best.

Curiously, marquee defender Brianna Davey, who had missed the previous match with a lower back, was a surprise late inclusion and provided stability to the backline.

The run home

The top four teams are still in contention for a Grand Final berth. Here are their remaining matches:

Brisbane Lions – Bulldogs (home) and Carlton (away)

Adelaide – Melbourne (home in Darwin) and Collingwood (away)

Carlton – Fremantle (away) and Brisbane Lions (home)

Melbourne – Adelaide (away) and Fremantle (home)

The two matches crucial to the make-up of the Grand Final are the Adelaide-Melbourne clash at TIO Oval in Darwin on Saturday night, and the Carlton-Brisbane Lions battle at Ikon Park the following week – although it will take a few upsets to see either Melbourne or Carlton in the Grand Final.

Building for the future

Clubs that were unsuccessful in their application for an AFLW team were granted a provisional licence for entry when the competition eventually expands (not before 2019, based on the AFL's public stance). And they're not wasting their time developing their own women's teams. Some clubs, such as Geelong and Hawthorn, have established teams to play in a revamped VFL Women's competition starting in May.

Richmond has chosen to go down a different path, announcing a partnership with Bendigo Thunder, which previously played in the VWFL Premier Division. Coaches and players from the Thunder will have development opportunities with the Tigers, with the team to play some of its home matches at Punt Road Oval as part of new Northern Football League, a mostly metropolitan competition.

Umpiring pathway

AFLW has provided an opportunity for female players around the country to play at the highest level, but they're not the only ones benefiting from the new competition. Boundary, field and goal umpires from both men's and women's state leagues around the country, as well as rookie AFL umpires, have been officiating the new competition.

AFL Victoria established a Female Umpire Academy three years ago to encourage the development of female umpires across the state. Female community umpires are nominated for the academy, and get to train once a fortnight under the supervision of former AFL umpire Mathew Nicholls at Ikon Park.

Libby Toovey and Annie Mirabile, field umpires in the AFLW, are graduates of the academy. The pair's umpiring has developed to such a level that Mirabile was selected for the first AFLW match, between Collingwood and Carlton, with Toovey umpiring the Bulldogs-Fremantle round one match.

Best of the rookies

Each club was given the opportunity to sign two rookies in the pre-season. Rookie qualification was restricted to those who had not played a football match at any level in the three years to June 15, 2016. Consequently many rookies crossed from other sports, none more successfully than Adelaide co-captain Erin Phillips.

Western Bulldogs coach Paul Groves, speaking at the Susan Alberti Medical Research Foundation charity breakfast in Melbourne on Friday, said Phillips' achievements has forced him to re-think his philosophy on signing rookies.

[We're] scratching our heads as to how we approach the rookie [signings] next year," Groves said.

"Do we look at volleyballers who have gone [overseas] on a scholarship and not landed in the professional league and are coming back to Australia? There are so many avenues for people to come across … but we also can't forget the talent we have in our own backyard."

There's been a mix of hits and misses in the class of 2017 rookies, led by Phillips. With lists initially capped at 27 (not counting injury replacement players), it's even more important to get the rookie selections right. Carlton's Nat Exon (athletics) and Kate Shierlaw (via the Wimbledon Hawks in the United Kingdom) have been integral to the Blues' three wins.

Fremantle's Gabby O'Sullivan (basketball) has been lively in the middle and up forward, although her inexperience has shown at times. Melbourne's Cat Phillips (Ultimate Frisbee) has proven to be an integral cog in its forward line, using her speed to burn off opponents and create scoring opportunities.

Cold Pies

The Collingwood men's and women's team last week travelled as one club to Perth for their respective matches against Fremantle. Football operations manager and key defender Meg Hutchins said the trip was a chance for the two teams to work together.

"It was a good opportunity for the men's program to learn some things from us, and vice versa. They came out and watched the tail end of our match (a one-point win over the Dockers), and we watched as much of their game as we could manage in the heat.

"Then we all went out and got ice cream together at the end, which was a fun ending to the trip."

There, the black and white theme continued, with captain Steph Chiocci reportedly a fan of cookies and cream-flavoured ice cream.