The AFL commission announced on Tuesday expansion to the AFL Women's competition would commence from 2019, with the 2018 season to stay as an eight-team league.
AFL Chief Executive Gillon McLachlan said the Commission accepted a recommendation to consolidate the competition for one more season, before expanded the number of teams for the season following.
McLachlan said the 10 clubs that currently don't have a side in the AFLW competition will all be invited to put forward an application to have a side included for 2019, but Geelong, North Melbourne, Richmond, St Kilda and West Coast will all receive "priority weighting" given those clubs were granted provisional licenses.
Successful applicants will be notified mid-year.
Read the full statement below.
