All 14 AFLW teams took part in practice matches across Saturday and Sunday as they gear up for the season.
After last week where some teams played serious games against one another while others worked with each other for some match simulation training, this week saw four quarters of footy played in hot weather conditions across the country in a series of proper hit-outs.
Here’s 10 things we learned from those seven games:
1. Daisy Pearce hasn’t missed a beat
After a year off to have twins, Pearce made her official return for the Demons on Saturday against Collingwood at the Holden Centre, showing no signs of rust.
She was involved early through the middle and showed her class and smarts up against a tough Pies midfield.
Expect to see Pearce spend some time across half back in 2020 as well as she reintegrates herself back into AFLW level and her ability to read the play and mark above her head will likely make her a weapon in that role.
2. The Pies will be the most improved team in 2020
Collingwood only had the one win last year so saying they’ll improve isn’t saying much, but expect them to be among the teams fighting for a finals spot in Conference B.
In their practice match against the Dees, they unveiled former Carlton skipper Brianna Davey and welcomed back superstar Rising Star winner Chloe Molloy, unleashing both in the midfield alongside Jaimee Lambert, Steph Chiocci and Brittany Bonnici.
They have a strong midfield and a reliable backline. The question mark will be on their forwards and where the goals come from.
They had opportunities to break away from Melbourne in the first half, but wayward goal kicking held them back.
3. Sharni Layton will be the most improved player in 2020
It’s only fitting that the most improved player comes from the most improved team.
Layton was new to the game last year and looked a fish out of water playing in the ruck - fair enough given she was still learning and developing in a brand new sport.
The Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist made great strides with her ruck craft across the VFLW season, where the Pies won the flag, and showed just how far she has come on Saturday morning, bullying Melbourne’s ruck division and not only winning hit-outs but either clearing the congestion by thumping the ball away or hitting the ball nicely to advantage.
Already boasting a gun midfield, Layton’s size, strength and ruck craft will give the Pies a serious edge if she does breakout this season.
4. The young Bulldogs will play fast
Boasting four of the top seven Victorian draft selections from 2019 and plenty of pace the Bulldogs will look to hurt teams who press too high up the ground this season.
Facing the Cats on Saturday, the Dogs were able to get out the back and put scoreboard pressure on thanks to the likes of Nell Morris-Dalton, Bonnie Toogood and Kirsten McLeon.
Gabby Newton and Isabel Huntington are versatile future stars who can play key forward or through the midfield as well and how they mix and match them will be worth keeping a close eye on.
Captain Ellie Blackburn suffered a hand injury in the game requiring scans and losing her would make things incredibly hard for the Dogs in 2020 however.
5. North Melbourne remains a powerhouse
The Roos got off to a blistering start at Ikon Park against Carlton, booting five quick goals and showcasing what they can look like when everything clicks together.
They have elite players all over the ground and saw good signs from youngsters like Ellie Gavalas and Ash Riddell, who give this team even more depth through the midfield.
Star ruck Emma King looked incredibly dangerous inside 50 and if they continue to throw her down there, she could kick plenty of goals in 2020.
North Melbourne was incredibly unlucky to miss out on finals last season and all signs point to them getting there this time around after an impressive win over the Blues.
6. Carlton will run teams off their feet
As mentioned above, the Blues were five goals down in the blink of an eye against the Roos, but were the stronger team from that moment forward, reigning the Roos in across the rest of the game.
They finished well and looked to have more left in the tank as the match went on. Top draft pick Lucy McEvoy showed signs of the star she will likely become with a huge contested mark in the goal square, while their young midfield held their own against a strong Roos line-up.
Their forward line looked potent, with Tayla Harris marking everything, Chloe Dalton and Brooke Walker getting in good positions and Nicola Stevens providing another excellent lead-up target after a few years in defence.
Carlton may have lost their best player in the trade period, but they remain one of the rightful favourites in Conference B. They’ll be hoping midfielder Lauren Brazzale is okay following an ugly head-knock saw her taken to hospital for scans.
7. Adelaide’s injuries are starting to mount up
Adelaide midfielder Deni Varnhagen went down clutching her knee late in the second quarter against Fremantle and did not return to the game. Sophie Li was also sidelined with a concussion.
If Varnhagen’s injury is serious, she would join Hannah Martin and captain Chelsea Randall as players out for the season with knee injuries, while Ruth Wallace has stepped away for personal reasons.
Erin Phillips, Chloe Scheer and Rhiannon Metcalfe all tore their ACLs last year and will either have delayed starts to 2020 or will be limited early and given they are already missing three - potentially four - players for the season, Adelaide is running out of magnets on the board.
The reigning champs might have the best list in the competition, but injuries might make successive flags difficult.
8. Freo's skipper is back
The Dockers made finals and finished with the second best record in the AFLW last year, but it’s worth mentioning that they did that with their best player injured.
Kara Antonio (nee Donnellan) was not at her best in 2019, dealing with consistent injury niggles, but after sitting out the WAFLW season she is fit and healthy once again.
She looked her explosive best against the Crows on Saturday afternoon and putting her next to Kiara Bowers in that Fremantle midfield gives them an incredible one-two punch.
Antonio was one of the most complete midfielders across the first two seasons, with her size and contested ball-winning ability coupled with her burst from stoppages making her a difficult match-up.
9. The Tigers will use Katie Brennan as a midfielder
With Sabrina Frederick, Christina Bernardi and impressive newcomers Courtney Wakefield and Tayla Stahl all inside 50 and all looking good in their practice match win over West Coast, the Tigers can afford to utilise Brennan in the midfield.
That’s exactly what they did against the Eagles, playing her almost exclusively as an on-baller from start to finish.
Brennan was very effective in the role, dominating the clearances early and winning plenty of the ball around the ground.
Monique Conti did not play on Sunday due to basketball commitments, but putting the two together with first-round pick Sophie Molan and ruck Alice Edmonds should allow the Tigers to compete with the best midfield units.
10. It may be a long year for the Lions
Brisbane was held goalless on Sunday morning by GWS across four quarters of footy.
A team that boasted the strongest forward line in the competition during the inaugural season thanks to Tayla Harris, Sabrina Frederick, Kate McCarthy, Jess Wuetschner and Kaitlyn Ashmore has lost, well everyone.
All have left for other teams with the exception of Wuetschner who was - literally - struck by lightning last weekend. You couldn’t make this stuff up.
The Lions have been stripped bare by the expansion teams and while they still have stars in the midfield and down back, their forward line may struggle to put the score on the board in 2020.
__Practice game results
Melbourne 38 defeated Collingwood 24
North Melbourne 51 defeated Carlton 43
Western Bulldogs 59 defeated Geelong 47
St Kilda 46 defeated Gold Coast 24
Adelaide 52 defeated Fremantle 35
GWS 37 defeated Brisbane 3
Richmond 51 defeated West Coast 23