THE AFL will work with the new AFL Women's competition committee when deliberating new rules and the future of the competition.
In a similar vein to the AFL competition committee, the AFLW panel will look at ways to decrease congestion and improve the standard of play.
"We will look at what they're doing with the AFL … we meet with the same people, then we figure out what might be compatible," the AFL's head of women's football Nicole Livingstone told AFL.com.au.
"It'll be practical things that don't really change the game from its foundations: anti-density at centre bounces, keeping two players in the forward line, looking at extending the distance of the kick-outs, and potentially looking at the length of a legal kick, whether it's 10 or it's 15 metres.
"Some have been trialled in the Winter Series (between Brisbane, Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney). That doesn't mean they'll go in to the AFLW … but the competition committee can get feedback and data. We've looked at two seasons of AFLW and had a look at data from that as well."
The committee, which will meet for the first time next month, is comprised of people holding a variety of positions at clubs.
The players are represented by Brisbane's Lauren Arnell and Fremantle's Kara Donnellan, while CEOs Mark Evans (Gold Coast) and Cain Liddle (Carlton), football operations managers Debbie Lee (Western Bulldogs) and Laura Kane (North Melbourne), and coaches Peta Searle (St Kilda) and Alan McConnell (GWS) are also on the committee.
AFL commissioner Simone Wilkie is the committee chair, while Livingstone and the AFL's general manager of football operations Steve Hocking are also members.
Livingstone said the committee has a "versatile scope".
"It was important for us to have our own standalone competition committee, particularly given how young we are," Livingstone said.
"Given we have expansion on the horizon, with two new teams (in 2019) and then four (2020), it is really important for us to have a cross-section of people as well."
All AFLW clubs – including the six set to field sides for the first time over the next two years (Geelong, Gold Coast, North Melbourne, Richmond, St Kilda and West Coast) – were invited to nominate one or more people to join the committee.
"We needed to have the engagement of CEOs, while Kara (Donnellan, the sole Western Australian representative) is important as well. She's gone through the West Australian pathways and knows the landscape really well," Livingstone said.
"She has the ability to garner opinion from the clubs and WA Commission to bring to the table as well."
AFL Women's competition committee
Lauren Arnell, Brisbane AFLW player
Kara Donnellan, Fremantle AFLW player
Mark Evans, Gold Coast CEO
Phil Harper, Adelaide general manager of football administration
Steve Hocking, AFL general manager of football operations
Laura Kane, North Melbourne football operations manager (men's and women's)
Debbie Lee, Western Bulldogs women's football general manager
Cain Liddle, Carlton CEO
Nicole Livingstone, AFL head of women's football
Alan McConnell, GWS AFLW senior coach and AFL director of coaching
Brett Murphy, AFLPA general manager of player relations
Todd Paterson, Melbourne AFLW list manager
Peta Searle, St Kilda AFLW and VFLW senior coach
Simone Wilkie, AFL commissioner (chair)
