The AFLW season has been locked in for February 1st and the road to game one begins on Monday with the sign and trade period opening.
A lot of player movement has been speculated, with one-year contracts giving players every right to seek greater security if they can find it.
From a team standpoint, the 2020 season will be speculated about for the rest of time, with Carlton, Melbourne, North Melbourne and Fremantle still alive when the plug was pulled.
Going into 2021, the four contenders - and Collingwood who are on the same level - must make moves in order to stay ahead in the AFLW Arms Race.
Here’s what each 2020 contender needs to accomplish in the sign and trade period.
Melbourne
We start with Melbourne because they appear to be taking a step back after the 2020 season. A number of key players have been linked with trades and the talk coming out of the club is that they want to reload in the draft.
They have been an incredibly consistent team across the span of AFLW, but haven’t quite gotten over the final hurdle. The likes of Elise O’Dea, Bianca Jakobsson, Maddy Guerin, Harriet Cordner and Aliesha Newman are players that could be on the move. Either of their own volition or because the team wishes to add draft capital.
If this eventuates, the Demons will likely drop from contender to refurbisher in 2021, though the teams that proactively go after their available talent will receive a boost.
What they need to do: Back their plans in.
North Melbourne
It’s hard to know where North Melbourne stands. After a Round 1 loss to Melbourne, they were the dominant team of the competition and the favourites to go all the way when the season was cancelled.
Now, however, COVID-19 has seen them part with senior coach Scott Gowans and other key personnel. The playing group was, rightly, unhappy with this and how it impacts them in the trade period and the 2021 season we will soon find out.
For the Roos, they simply need to hold onto what they’ve got. Their four-pronged midfield unit of Jasmine Garner, Emma Kearney, Jenna Bruton and Ash Riddell was close to unstoppable, while their backline has no obvious weak points. Keep the group together and make another tilt at the title.
If they want to get aggressive, they could use a key position forward, which would allow Emma King to play more time in the ruck and give them a more defined forward 50 target. They relied heavily on midfield goals in 2020.
What they need to do: Keep the group together, splurge on a key forward.
Fremantle
The Dockers went through the 2020 season undefeated and will unquestionably go into 2021 motivated to finish what they started.
However, they cannot get complacent as their 7-0 season was greatly aided by their fixture, with games against Carlton and Melbourne in the final fortnight of the season cancelled.
Fremantle will get back some key players from injury next season in Alex Williams and Steph Cain who will add depth in defence and through the midfield. Their forward line combo of Sabreena Duffy and Gemma Houghton is electric and capable of swinging games quickly.
The Dockers have great depth at both ends of the ground and have less reliance on their stars than some of the other top teams, but they could benefit from another weapon in the midfield.
What they need to do: Add young midfield talent to improve their depth and keep their key players away from West Coast.
Carlton
Carlton finished the season with an incredible wave of momentum. Everything clicked thanks to an outstanding midfield, a dangerous forward line and a backline that wants for nothing.
Crafty drafting has helped elevate the Blues into premiership contention, with the likes of Maddy Prespakis, Lucy McEvoy, Grace Egan, Vaomua Laloifi, Jade van Dyk and Charlotte Wilson all picked up in the last two years.
Tayla Harris, Georgia Gee, Nicola Stevens and Darcy Vescio all had excellent years inside 50 and gave Carlton the best offensive quartet in the competition.
They have been strongly linked to Melbourne midfielder Elise O’Dea, which would be the perfect addition to their on-ball unit. In 2020, the Blues were quite reliant on Maddy Prespakis at stoppages and while she delivered in spades, a veteran star in there next to her, Egan, Dalton and McEvoy would be absolutely ideal.
Carlton must get the O’Dea trade done without giving up any of the young talent mentioned above. The precedent for this was set when the Blues themselves lost skipper Brianna Davey to Collingwood and received a number of draft picks, but no players.
What they need to do: Get the O’Dea trade done without giving up players and back their young list to take the next step.
Collingwood
Collingwood was not among the final four teams, but they pushed a white-hot North Melbourne team to the siren in the first final having risen from the bottom of the ladder 12 months prior.
The Magpies have an outstanding midfield with Brianna Davey and Jamiee Lambert among the game’s best and the much-improved Brittany Bonnici and Sharni Layton taking the unit to a whole new level. This allows captain Steph Chiocci to play on the outside and utilise her kicking skills between the arcs.
They have a few more holes than the four above them however, but a lot depends on how they utilise Chloe Molloy. Molloy is an All-Australian calibre intercept defender, but also a player capable of taking over games inside 50.
The Magpies looked their best with Molloy in attack next to emerging key forward Jordan Membrey, Sarah D’Arcy, Sarah Rowe and Sophie Alexander. That unit is good enough given Collingwood’s inevitable midfield dominance.
Losing Ash Brazill to a torn ACL is the key up the other end. If she misses the 2021 season, the Magpies have a serious hole to fill. They may throw Molloy back to fill that, but that robs Peter to pay Paul.
What they need: Experienced defensive depth, preferably key position size.
A quick word on the rest
Gold Coast: The Suns played an exciting brand of footy, but looked like a 2017 AFLW team in that they lacked some composure and skill by foot when under pressure. Players across half back, half forward and the wing who can provide both of those things should be first on their list.
Brisbane: Defensively very solid again in 2020, the Lions were tough to beat. Having lost almost their entire forward line from the first few seasons, Brisbane should be looking to add as much forward-half firepower as they can get their hands on to match the top teams.
GWS: The Giants need some classy ball use between the arcs to go to the next level. They’re well stocked on inside midfielders and have a forward line that could blossom with better delivery inside 50.
Richmond: Go and sign sacked North Melbourne coach Scott Gowans first and foremost before worrying about the playing list. The Tigers are in desperate need of ready-made AFLW standard midfielders and defenders. They gave up nearly two goals per game more than the next worst side in 2020. Some injury luck would also help. They should be poaching as many players as they can get their hands on.
West Coast: West Coast averaged 14 points per game and 44 points against in their inaugural season and were a mile off the rest of Conference B. They already have quite an experienced list so they need to get their hands on any and all top-end talent to become competitive while hitting the draft hard.
St Kilda: The Saints need more options inside 50. Caitlin Greiser is a great start, but St Kilda only averaged 26 points per game in 2020 which isn’t enough to keep pace with the contenders. That may come from internal improvement, but a look to the trade period couldn’t hurt. They’re a star away from being in the mix.
Geelong: Like a lot of teams, the Cats need experience in the midfield to pair with breakout star Olivia Purcell and, fingers crossed, a fully fit Nina Morrison. They need a greater focal point inside 50 as well given their leading goal kicker in 2020 was Richelle Cranston with five.
Western Bulldogs: They need experience around their elite young talent, especially through the midfield where they rely too heavily on Ellie Blackburn. Decide now whether Isabel Huntington will play key forward or back in 2021 and look to fill the opposite position with someone in the trade period.
Adelaide: Get Erin Phillips and Chelsea Randall healthy, find some young midfield depth to replace the retired Courtney Gum and Sophie Li and regroup with unopposed access to South Australian draft talent. The Crows will be back in the mix in 2021.