With season seven of the AFLW on the horizon and practice matches getting underway, all eighteen AFLW clubs are finalising their leadership groups for the upcoming ten round season.
With four clubs playing their inaugural seasons, inaugural captains are stepping up, with Erin Phillips the first to run out as Port Adelaide skipper.
Check out the full list below, to be updated as leadership groups are announced.
ADELAIDE
Chelsea Randall will captain the Crows once again, heading into her seventh consecutive season in the role.
The three-time premiership Crow will be supported by four others in the leadership team, with Sarah Allan, Stevie-Lee Thompson, Ebony Marinoff and Eloise Jones joining the group.
Allan will serve as vice-captain under Randall.
BRISBANE
Breanna Koenen will continue her Lions captaincy into a second season, given the gig once again for season seven.
Koenen will be supported by Nat Grider in the vice-captain role, with Emily Bates and Ally Anderson joining the pair in the four-woman leadership group.
CARLTON
TBC
COLLINGWOOD
Collingwood will see Steph Chiocci and Bri Davey continue their positions as co-captains of the Magpies, with Chiocci entering her seventh season as the club's skipper.
Davey, who is listed as inactive for the upcoming AFLW campaign, will hold her role despite a season-ending ACL injury.
Brittany Bonnici and Ruby Schleicher have been named vice-captains, while Chloe Molloy and Lauren Butler round out the six-woman leadership group.
ESSENDON
TBC
FREMANTLE
TBC
GEELONG
Meghan McDonald is set to lead Geelong for the third consecutive season, with five other Cats in supporting roles.
Nina Morrison will serve as vice-captain, while Julia Crockett-Grills, Georgie Rankin, Chantel Emonson and Becky Webster round out the rest of the leadership group.
GOLD COAST
Following a breakout season, Suns star Tara Bohanna has been named as the club's new captain.
She succeeds recently departed skipper Hannah Dunn at the Queensland club, and will be joined by vice-captains Bess Keaney and Jamie Stanton, and Ellie Hampson.
“It’s a massive privilege to be able to lead this football team. Especially to have been voted in by my peers and the coaches and seen in the way to captain such a great group, it really is an honour,” Bohanna said.
“It’s an exciting group we have here at the SUNS and we’re building really nicely with just a few weeks to go until Round 1. We just can’t wait to get started and I’m really proud of this opportunity.”
GWS GIANTS
TBC
HAWTHORN
The Hawks have named former Saint Tilly Lucas-Rodd as their skipper ahead of their inaugural AFLW season.
The former St Kilda vice-captain brings stellar leadership qualities with her, and will be accompanied by Jess Duffin (vice-captain), Louise Stephenson and tamara Luke in the club's leadership group.
“I’m honoured to be named as Hawthorn’s inaugural AFLW captain,” Lucas-Rodd said.
“It’s a privilege to not only be part of something special at the Hawks, but to be trusted to lead this amazing playing group throughout our first season.”
MELBOURNE
Daisy Pearce will lead the Demons once again, taking the captaincy role on for the sixth time. Forward Kate Hore has been elevated to the vice-captain role for the first time after spending season six in the leadership group.
Rounding out the four woman team is Libby Birch and Tyla Hanks, with season six's vice-captain Karen Paxman stepping away from the leadership group for the upcoming season.
NORTH MELBOURNE
TBC
PORT ADELAIDE
Erin Phillips is set to take on the captaincy role at Port Adelaide in their first season in the competition, with two other former Crows Ange Foley and Justine Mules joining her in the five-woman leadership group.
Former Docker Gemma Houghton and former Suns skipper Hannah Dunn round out the experienced leadership group.
RICHMOND
Key forward Katie Brennan has retained the captaincy at Punt Road, with season seven set to see the former Bulldogs lead the Tigers for the fourth straight year.
Brennan will lead a five-player leadership group, including Sarah Hosking (vice-captain), Bec Miller, Gabby Seymour and Monique Conti.
"These five leaders are fierce competitors, (they are) actions based and value driven," senior coach Ryan Ferguson said.
"They drive standards, and they absolutely care for everyone in the room, our whole program, and our Club.
"These girls embody what we aspire to have in a leader."
ST KILDA
Hannah Priest will captain the Saints for a second consecutive season, a member of the club's leadership group since its inauguration.
Kate Shierlaw and Bianca Jakobsson will support Priest as co vice-captains, with new recruit Nicola Stevens rounding out the four-woman team.
Rosie Dillon, Nicola Xenos, Tarni White, Molly McDonald, Alice Burke and Hannah Stuart will all form the Emerging Leaders Group for season seven.
SYDNEY
The Sydney Swans AFLW team have announced their inaugural leadership group, with six players named ahead of the Swans' first season in the AFLW.
The Swans have elected to go with experience, with former Richmond and St Kilda player Alana Woodward, ex-GWS and Carlton player Bec Privitelli, former Western Bulldogs vice-captain Brooke Lochland, ex-GWS player Lisa Steane, and former GWS and West Coast Eagles player Maddy Collier named to lead the group, alongside debutant Lauren Szigeti.
“The whole team has the opportunity to establish the foundations of our Swans AFLW culture for years to come and the players have shown they trust Alana, Brooke, Maddy, Lisa, Lauren and Bec to lead the team in our first season,” Sydney's AFLW executive GM Kate Mahony said. in a club statement.
“This is a direct reflection of the example each of these players set in our program and we are confident they will do a great job both supporting and challenging the playing group in the season ahead.”
The Sydney Swans AFLW side kick off their campaign, against St Kilda at North Sydney Oval on Saturday, August 27.
WEST COAST
Season six skipper Emma Swanson will lead the Eagles once again, now in her fourth season in the role. The experienced captain will be joined by Dana Hooker in the vice-captaincy role, with Aisling McCarthy rounding out the group.
As they have in previous seasons, the Eagles have named a supporting leadership group, consisting of Bella Lewis, Aimee Schmidt, Evie Gooch and Jess Sedunary.
WESTERN BULLDOGS
Ellie Blackburn will once again lead the Bulldogs as they run out in season seven, her fourth campaign as skipper.
Blackburn will be supported by a three-woman leadership team, with Katie Lynch joining season six leaders Kirsty Lamb and Bailey Hunt alongside Blackburn.
“It’s a real privilege not only to continue as captain of this Club, but to be chosen by my teammates – I don’t take that for granted,” Blackburn said.
“I love being at the Dogs, and I love the group that we’ve got here. I’m really passionate about what we’re building and want to help drive future success.
