Geelong and North Melbourne have named their historic first AFLW teams ahead of Round 1

Former Australian netball star Sharni Layton is now the first-choice ruck for the Collingwood AFLW club after the Pies named her to face Geelong in this weekend’s season-opener. SEE ALL THE TEAMS HERE

Sharni Layton will make her AFLW debut against Geelong. Picture: Michael Klein

Geelong and North Melbourne have named their historic first AFL Women’s teams.

Unfortunately, captain Mel Hickey will miss the Cats’ first game when they launch AFLW03 on Saturday against Collingwood at GMHBA Stadium.

Hickey, who has moved from Melbourne and overcome a knee reconstruction, had been desperate to play but will miss with a hip injury.

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Last year’s top two draft picks Nina Morrison and Sophie Van De Heuvel have been named across half-forward for the Cats for the game at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday night.

The Kangaroos, led by Emma Kearney, will make their debut on Sunday against Carlton in Hobart.

One-time Australian netball captain Sharni Layton is now first-choice ruck for the Collingwood Football Club.

The AFLW’s big names at the season launch.

Layton will join former Collingwood netball teammate Ash Brazill in the Magpies’ starting 16.

The Kangaroos have named former glamour Magpie Mo Hope at full-forward and included fellow ex-Pies Emma King, Jess Duffin and Jas Garner in their onfield team.

League best-and-fairest Emma Kearney was named in the middle after crossing from the Bulldogs while former Brisbane Lion, Victorian Kaitlyn Ashmore, lines up in a pocket alongside Hope.

Ex-Hockeyroo Georgia Nanscawen will start in the other forward pocket for the Kangaroos.

North Melbourne plays Carlton in Hobart on Sunday with the Blues unveiling their vaunted new forward line-up led by returning captain Bri Davey, Tayla Harris and Darcy Vescio.

Melbourne named mature-aged Chantel Emonson in the middle in her debut game.

Emonson gets her chance on the Demons list as a category B rookie after playing state level cricket for Victoria as a junior.

Reigning premier Western Bulldogs travel to Adelaide and look formidable led by co-captain Katie Brennan at centre-half-forward.

Sharni Layton will make her AFLW debut against Geelong. Picture: Michael Klein

ROUND 1

GEELONG v COLLINGWOOD

Saturday, February 2 at GMHBA Stadium, 6.40pm (EDT)

CATS

B: Anna Teague, Bec Goring, Cassie Blakeway

HB: Denby Taylor, Meghan McDonald, Becky Webster

C: Renee Garing

HF: Sophie Van De Heuvel, Maddie Boyd, Nina Morrison

F: Kate Darby, Phoebe McWilliams, Jordan Ivey

Foll: Aasta O’Connor, Julia Crockett-Grills, Olivia Purcell

I/C: Maddy Keryk, Danielle Orr, Maddy McMahon, Maighan Fogas, Mia-Rae Clifford

Emerg: Georgie Rankin, Rene Caris

MAGPIES

B: Jordyn Allen, Ash Brazill, Iilish Ross

HB: Stacey Livingstone, Sophie Casey, Emma Grant

C: Brittany Bonnici

HF: Lauren Butler, Sarah D’Arcy, Mikala Cann

F: Sarah Rowe, Sophie Alexander, Cecilia McIntosh

Foll: Sharni Layton, Steph Chiocci, Jaimee Lambert

I/C: Ruby Schleicher, Georgia Gourlay, Sarah Dargan, Kristy Stratton, Erica Fowler

Emerg: Holly Whitford 28, Katie Lynch 16

ADELAIDE v WESTERN BULLDOGS

Saturday, February 2 at Norwood Oval, 8.40pm (EDT)

CROWS

B: Renee Forth, Sarah Allan, Courtney Cramey

HB: Angela Foley, Chelsea Randall, Stevie-Lee Thompson

C: Ebony Marinoff

HF: Deni Varnhagen, Anne Hatchard, Chloe Scheer

F: Eloise Jones, Marijana Rajcic, Justine Mules

Foll: Jessica Foley, Erin Phillips, Dayna Cox

I/C: Maisie Nankivell, Hannah Martin, Jenna McCormick, Ailish Considine, Sophie Li

Emerg: Sally Riley, Danielle Ponter

BULLDOGS

B: Libby Birch, Lauren Spark, Bailey Hunt

HB: Nicole Callinan, Tiarna Ernst, Hannah Scott

C: Belinda Smith

HF: Naomi Ferres, Katie Brennan, Monique Conti

F: Kristen McLeod, Emma Mackie, Aisling Utri

Foll: Kim Rennie, Kirsty Lamb, Ellie Blackburn

I/C: Bonnie Toogood, Celine Moody, Elenor Brown, Angelica Gogos, Deanna Berry

Emerg: Aisling McCarthy, Selena Karlson

Geelong and North Melbourne captains Melissa Hickey and Emma Kearney. Picture: Ian Currie

NORTH MELBOURNE v CARLTON

Sunday, February 3 at North Hobart Oval, 1.05pm (EDT)

KANGAROOS

B: Tahlia Randall, Brittany Gibson, Jenna Bruton

HB: Jessica Trend, Danielle Hardiman, Jessica Duffin

C: Emma Kearney

HF: Kate Gillespie-Jones, Jasmine Garner, Sophie Abbatangelo

F: Kate Ashmore, Mo Hope, Georgia Nanscawen

Foll: Emma King, Jamie Stanton, Ashleigh Riddell

I/C (from): Alison Drennan, Jasmine Grierson, Chloe Haines, Courteney Munn, Daisy Bateman, Nicole Bresnehan, Emma Humphries

BLUES

B: Kerryn Harrington, Nicola Stevens, Lauren Brazzale

HB: Jess Hosking, Kirby Bentley, Jayde Van Dyk

C: Katie Loynes

HF: Madison Prespakis, Tayla Harris, Darcy Vescio

F: Tilly Lucas-Rodd, Bri Davey, Sarah Hosking

Foll: Breann Moody, Shae Audley, Amelia Barden

I/C (from): Gabi Pound, Jessica Edwards, Alison Downie, Brooke Walker, Emerson Woods, Chloe Dalton, Nat Plane

MELBOURNE v FREMANTLE

Sunday, February 3 at Casey Fields, 3.05pm (EDT)

DEMONS

B: Meg Downie, Harriet Cordner, Shae Sloane

HB: Sarah Lampard, Elise O’Dea, Karen Paxman

C: Chantel Emonson

HF: Kate Hore, Bianca Jakobsson, Aliesha Newman

F: Eden Zanker, Tegan Cunningham, Maddison Gay

Foll: Lauren Pearce, Lily Mithen, Shelley Scott

I/C (from): Catherine Phillips, Katherine Smith, Claudia Whitfort, Tyla Hanks, Ashleigh Woodland, Ashleigh Guest, Ainslie Kemp

DOCKERS

B: Evie Gooch, Tayla Bresland, Angelique Stannett

HB: Alex Williams, Ebony Antonio, Stephanie Cain

C: Sabreena Duffy

HF: Kellie Gibson, Gemma Houghton, Gabby O’Sullivan

F: Philipa Seth, Ashley Sharp, Kiara Bowers

Foll: Parris Laurie, Dana Hooker, Kara Donnellan

I/C (from): Hayley Miller, Katie-Jayne Grieve, Laura Pugh, Leah Mascall, Brianna Moyes, Courtney Stubbs, Mel Caulfield

BRISBANE v GWS

Sunday, February 3 at Moreton Bay, 5.05pm (EDT)

LIONS

B: Sam Virgo, Leah Kaslar

HB: Shannon Campbell, Sharni Webb, Kate Lutkins

C: Lauren Arnell, Emily Bates, Nat Exon

HF: Jordan Zanchetta, Sabrina Frederick-Traub

F: Jess Wuetschner, McKenzie Dowrick, Kate McCarthy

Foll: Wardlaw, Alex Anderson, Emma Zielke

I/C (from): Lauren Bella, Arianna Clarke, Gabby Collingwood, Paige Parker, Emma Pittman, Natalie Grider, Tori Groves-Little

GIANTS

B: Cora Staunton, Maddy Collier, Tanya Hetherington

HB: Elle Bennetts, Pepa Randall, Amanda Farrugia

C: Jess Dal Pos

HF: Ccoutney Gum, Alica Eva, Christina Bernardi

F: Yvonne Bonner, Haneen Zreika, Phoebe Monahan

Foll: Erin McKinnon, Emma Swanson, Alyce Parker

I/C (from): Louise Stephenson, Aimee Schmidt, Nicola Barr, Rebecca Beeson, Tait Mackrill, Jodie Hicks, Brittany Perry

Originally published as Geelong and North Melbourne have named their historic first AFLW teams ahead of Round 1