From rule changes to introduction of two new teams, AFLW will take on different look for season 2019

From rule changes to the introduction of two new teams, AFLW will take on a different look this season. Does the competition have the depth of talent to accommodate new clubs Geelong and North Melbourne? We’re about to find out.

In year one of AFLW, the catchcry was ‘see what we created’.

Season three it could well be, “see what we’ve re-created”.

Everything is new, really.

Fresh teams in Geelong and North Melbourne is just the start — and it’s a seismic shift.

After all, a quarter of the Magpies’ best starting 16 from last season now play for North Melbourne. That’s Hope, King, Duffin, Garner.

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Dees darling Daisy Pearce is expecting twins and Melbourne’s other original marquee Mel Hickey is now captain at Geelong.

Carlton has been disappointing, that much has been a constant. But the Blues have a new coach and Daniel Harford adds legitimate interest as the first former AFL player to lead a Victorian AFLW team. He’ll have Bri Davey at his disposal, with the captain returning from the ACL injury which blotted her 2018, which will help massively.

AFLW captains (back left to right) Melissa Hickey, Leah Kaslar, Elise O'Dea, Kara Donnellan and Brianna Davey. (Front left to right) Chelsea Randall, Steph Chiocci, Ellie Blackburn, Amanda Farrugia and Emma Kearney at the season launch. Picture: Ian Currie

Opening night is Geelong v Collingwood at GHBA Stadium, one of a number of new venues — the Magpies play two games at spiritual home Victoria Park while the Kangaroos host in Werribee and Tasmania.

Morwell will again get a game, but in Round 3 Victorian AFL fans should brace for withdrawal with all five games scheduled interstate. At least there’s the telly — with Fox Footy and Seven sharing rights.

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Rule changes are plentiful and potentially transformative. The ‘spirit of the game’ instruction demanded after Round 1 last year has been formalised and teams must start centre bounces with five forwards, six midfielders and five defenders.

“It certainly opens up the midfield at the centre bounce,” Melbourne coach Mick Stinear said.

“It creates more opportunities for mids to take that ball forward and get a deeper entry.”

Geelong and North Melbourne enter the AFLW competition this season. Picture: Ian Currie

Boundary throw-ins have been brought in 10m and the new kick-in rule applies. Players no longer need to kick to themselves before playing on out of the goal square with the defender a minimum 10 metres from the top of the square, allowing for a deeper exit.

There’s hope with these rule changes and others, along with the further skill development of players, that the game will be more open and more goals will be kicked.

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“Season two, the defence and physicality and pressure overrode the offence and the skills,” Stinear said.

“We’ll hopefully see more players a bit more composed and then able to execute. We’ll see less contest and scrap and more opportunities to score, at least that’s what I’m hoping and that’s what I’ve seen at training.”

Under fresh tribunal rules, Katie Brennan would not have missed last year’s Grand Final for a second reprimand. Fines are now in place for minor indiscretions.

Bulldogs captain Katie Brennan was suspended for last year’s Grand Final and has since successfully advocated for change to the system. Picture: Andrew Tauber

We’ll get our first taste of a conference system, perhaps a harbinger for the men’s competition.

The two conferences were allocated based on finishing order in 2018 and then North and Geelong were dropped in randomly. Teams play each side in their conference and then three crossover games.

All points count, but there are separate conference ladders with the top two teams in each group qualifying for the preliminary finals.

Conference A (Bulldogs, Demons, Adelaide, Fremantle and North) looks toughest on paper. In Conference B there are biggest wraps on GWS, Carlton and Brisbane with the Magpies and Cats rounding out the group.

Two extra teams means the player cohort has grown by a whopping 25 per cent. That’s an extra 60 players. The question is has the depth of talent kept pace? Time will tell, but there are a lot of sceptics.

On the flip side, the kids coming in have never been better prepared.

Young stars led by top draft picks Nina Morrison (Geelong) and Madison Prespakis (Carlton) have had the benefit of years in development programs — honing skills, building fitness, sharpening tactical nous — so expect them to stand out, like teen Magpie Chloe Molloy last year.