New-look AFLW presents opportunity in season seven but jury is out on changes

Amid broader growth of the women’s game, a full compliment of teams will kick off the new season for the first time

Since the AFLW’s first game at Ikon Park in February 2017 – when the AFL memorably had to impose a lockout due to massively underestimated crowd numbers – women’s football has been on a rapidly upward trajectory. Participation rates have soared across the country and, ahead of the seventh instalment of the competition, which starts on Thursday, ticket sales have hit an unprecedented high. These are very promising times for the league.

The inaugural clash between expansion sides Essendon and Hawthorn – one of the highlights of the opening round of fixtures this week – is testament to the increased interest in the women’s game and after the initial allocation of tickets sold out in 24 hours, the “move it to Marvel” campaign proved successful.