IF THE betting agencies are to be believed, then the first season of the NAB AFL Women's competition will play out in a similar fashion to the 2016 men's season.
CrownBet has installed the Western Bulldogs as $4.50 equal favourites to win the women's premiership, together with Fremantle.
At the other end of the table, the Brisbane Lions, who finished 17th in the AFL last season, are at long odds to win the AFLW flag, at $11 together with Greater Western Sydney.
The women's season starts on February 3, with a Collingwood-Carlton match at Olympic Park Oval.
There is more love for the Giants in the men's competition. They are clear favourites for the 2016 premiership at $4, with the Bulldogs ($6), Sydney ($7.50) and Geelong and Adelaide (both $11) the next in line.
The Lions are again on the bottom line of betting and are rated a $501 chance to win the flag.
2016 winner Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong) sits atop the betting for the Brownlow Medal at $5, followed by Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs) at $8.50 and Dustin Martin (Richmond) and Nat Fyfe (Fremantle) both at $9.
West Coast's Josh Kennedy ($3.50) leads Sydney's Franklin ($4.25) for the Coleman Medal, while GWS midfielder Jacob Hopper at $6 is the favourite for the NAB AFL Rising Star Award. Essendon's Aaron Francis is next at $8 while new teammate, No.1 draft pick Andrew McGrath, is fourth favourite at $10.
The Bombers are listed at $2.50 to beat Hawthorn ($1.52) in the season opener, while the tightest round one game at this stage is St Kilda ($2) at home to Melbourne ($1.80). The line has been set at 2.5 points.
