AFLW Round 1 review: Threat to ‘Big Three’, new No. 1 player and stadium debate ignites

The AFLW season is underway and a challenger to the ‘Big Three’ teams has emerged, while a stadium debate is bubbling away.

The seventh AFLW season kicked off on the weekend, ushering in a new era with all 18 AFL clubs now in the competition.

Essendon, Hawthorn, Sydney and Port Adelaide have joined the AFLW this year to complete the league’s expansion and the Bombers could be the best of the new crop of teams.

Here’s everything you need to know after Round 1.

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Challenger to the ‘Big Three’ emerges

Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne have been far and away the strongest teams in recent seasons and it seems this year will be no different.

The Demons exacted some form of revenge on the Crows, winning the Grand Final rematch by 18 points.

Melbourne look the team to beat, while the Lions put the competition on notice with a 49-point victory over Fremantle.

But North Melbourne could be a dark horse for the premiership after getting their campaign underway with a solid win over Gold Coast.

The Kangaroos finished on top of the ladder in 2020 but were robbed of a shot at premiership glory when the finals were abandoned because of Covid.

Fox Footy’s Leigh Montagna believe North’s Jasmine Garner can become the AFLW’s best player and lead the Roos to challenge the ‘Big Three’.

“The team that really stood out to me was the Kangaroos,” he told news.com.au.

“For me, they’ve been a team that’s slightly underperformed with the amount of talent that they have. But they were super impressive on the weekend.

“Jasmine Garner was best on ground by a mile. I think she’s ready to claim her mantle as the No. 1 player in the competition and she might be able to lead the Kangaroos into a Grand Final that’s eluded them so far.

Jasmine Garner (right) could be the best player in the AFLW. (Photo by Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

“The Covid year in 2020 when they were on track to play in the Grand Final but it got cancelled. That was their big chance, but this might be the year they might be able to challenge the big three.”

Bombers impress as stadium debate ignites

Essendon was the only expansion team to get a win on the board in Round 1 and a strong crowd turned out to watch their victory over Hawthorn at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night.

Maddy Prespakis, who won the AFLW best and fairest in 2020 playing for Carlton, has moved to Essendon and starred in her first game for the Bombers.

“Essendon were the most impressive of the new expansion sides,” Montagna said.

“We know they recruited pretty well in the off season. Maddy Prespakis was excellent, the captain Bonnie Toogood had a great game as well and the youngster Paige Scott was a star on debut.

“So Essendon are probably the ones that look the most promising of the expansion teams after the first weekend.”

The strong turnout at Marvel Stadium has sparked debate over whether more games should be held there under the roof or at boutique community grounds in front of a packed crowd.

“I think we need to continue to find the balance between the boutique stadiums and playing in the bigger stadiums, particularly Marvel under the roof,” Montagna said.

“In the past for the women it’s been harder for them to showcase their best skills because of the conditions, particularly when it’s been played over summer with some wind and really trying conditions.

There’s a push for more AFLW games to be played at Marvel Stadium. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

“But under the roof we got to see a really high quality game between two expansion teams and which was no doubt partly because it was being played under the roof where the conditions weren’t a factor.

“I think we need to continue to find a balance, particularly for the bigger games to play at Marvel and a lot of these other games continue to play them at the boutique stadiums — fill them out and create a good atmosphere.

‘Relief’ for No. 1 pick after injury scare

The Sydney Swans can breathe a sigh of relief after No. 1 draft pick Montana Ham was cleared of an ACL injury.

Ham played superbly in Sydney’s loss to St Kilda but limped off in the fourth quarter after her leg was caught in a smother.

The midfielder has suffered a knee sprain and is set to be sidelined for three to four weeks.

“Great relief for her and the competition that she hasn’t done an ACL,” Montagna said.

“Unfortunately as a by-product of the competition we’ve seen a lot of knee injuries early in the season. I think we got through pretty well unscathed, which is a good result.

“She’s going to be a star. She’s such a good size for a midfielder, she’s going to be a beauty.”

Montana Ham escaped serious injury. Photo: Phil Hillyard

Originally published as AFLW Round 1 review: Threat to ‘Big Three’, new No. 1 player and stadium debate ignites