Season 11 of AFLW begins this Sunday, so it's time to catch up on where your favourite team is at for 2026. Sarah Burt takes a look at each team's biggest storyline for another huge year of women's footy, which kicks off 4:35pm Sunday (AEST) at Marvel Stadium with the clash between St Kilda and Carlton.
Adelaide
Captain: Ebony Marinoff
Vice-captain: Eloise Jones
Coach: Ryan Davis
2025 season: 6th
Adelaide enters 2026 at a crossroads following a huge shake up for the usually untouched side. New coach Ryan Davis takes charge after Matthew Clarke's departure, while club champions Chelsea Randall and Stevie-Lee Thompson have retired and Anne Hatchard has joined Gold Coast. The Crows have added Grace Egan from Richmond, but replacing the experience of three premiership greats will be no easy task. With Ebony Marinoff now the standalone captain, Adelaide's biggest challenge is remaining one of the AFLW's powerhouse clubs while adjusting to a new era.
Brisbane
Captain: Bre Koenen
Vice-captain: Nat Grider, Belle Dawes
Coach: Craig Starcevich
2025 season: Runner-up (3rd on home and away ladder)
The Lions have been licking their wounds over the off-season after losing the 2025 Grand Final by 40 points, but captain Bre Koenen said she is confident they can win it this year. After facing North Melbourne in the Grand Final three years in a row, and losing the most recent two, they are adamant to prove they can take the top spot. Craig Starcevich's side remains one of the AFLW's benchmark teams despite farewelling Poppy Boltz (GWS), Ellie Hampson (Port Adelaide) and Taylor Smith (Sydney). The Lions responded by recruiting Lily-Rose Williamson from Collingwood and are also looking to unlock greater versatility, trialling All-Australian defender Nat Grider through the midfield during the pre-season.
Carlton
Captain: Abbie McKay
Vice-captain: Mimi Hill
Coach: Mathew Buck
2025 season: 5th
After reaching a preliminary final in 2025, its first finals series in five years, Carlton enters the new season with genuine premiership aspirations. Despite a disappointing end to an otherwise outstanding campaign, the Blues continue to build year on year and look well placed to challenge again. They were among the biggest winners of the trade period, landing Lauren Bella and Claudia Whitfort from Gold Coast, while also adding emerging midfielder Brooke Boileau from Adelaide. Carlton farewelled Keeley Skepper (West Coast), Mia Austin (Melbourne), Maddison Torpey (North Melbourne) and retiring defender Tarni Brown. With captain Abbie McKay leading an experienced and settled core, the biggest question is whether the club's new recruits can provide the final piece of the premiership puzzle.
Collingwood
Captain: Ruby Schleicher
Vice-captain: Jordy Allen
Coach: Sam Wright
2025 season: 15th
Collingwood have had an enormous amount of player movement in the off-season, and they will be hoping this increases their finals prospects. With a refreshed list, the Magpies have taken a chance on multiple players who just might be the secret sauce they need. Maisie Nankivell has changed codes from Super Netball but has the experience of top tier sport and preparation. They've also strengthened their ruck stocks by recruiting Ariana Hetherington from North Melbourne and added Jemma Rigoni from Melbourne, while cleaning up in the draft, with a host of young players. The Pies' biggest concern will be whether their list reset can finally translate into sustained on-field improvement.
Essendon
Captain: Bonnie Toogood
Vice-captain: Maddi Gay
Coach: Natalie Wood
2025 season: 14th
After an injury riddled season last year and an inability to really find their footing, Essendon enters 2026 under pressure. The Bombers addressed a key need by recruiting versatile tall Zoe Prowse from Adelaide to strengthen their spine, while welcoming exciting draftees Maggie Johnstone and Nalu Brothwell. Captain Bonnie Toogood told ESPN to "watch this space" on their two new draftees as the excited captain feels bolstered by their fresh recruits.
Fremantle
Captain: Ange Stannett
Vice-captain: Gab Newton
Coach: Lisa Webb
2025 season: 11th
The Dockers have an air about them that they are on the precipice of something great, they just couldn't get there last year. With strong leadership under AFLW stalwart Ange Stannett and Coach Lisa Webb, Stannett is already talking about her excitement for a match up against Bella Lewis in the Derby. Freo made a huge statement in recruiting Premiership Demon Eden Zanker in the off-season and will be hoping her aerial skills and footy IQ will help them out in the loss of some of their long-term players including Ebony Antonio.
Geelong
Captains: Nina Morrison, Becky Webster
Coach: Mick Stinear
2025 season: 13th
The Cats are a new-look club and it's exciting to think about what that could look like this year. With new captains after Meg McDonald's retirement, and a brand-new head coach (former Demons premiership coach, Mick Stinear, no less), it feels like the Cats have a fresh start. The crew in Geelong have also said goodbye to a few of their old faithfuls, losing the experience of Kate Darby, Shelley Scott and Erica Fowler. They have nabbed Nicola Stevens from the Saints which will help top up that loss of depth, but their emerging leaders and new coach will have to work hard to make this new-look team sing in season 2026.
Gold Coast
Captains: Niamh McLaughlin, Lucy Single
Coach: Rhyce Shaw
2025 season: 18th
By far the biggest story for the Suns is the addition of Anne "Hatchy" Hatchard to their list. The three-time premiership winner, four-time all-Australian and all-round star of the competition will bring incredible experience to a young side. The Gold Coast Suns academy has also delivered talent in spades, seeing Sunny Lappin join them in pick 4 of the national draft. The youngster is highly touted as one of the most promising young stars and that injection of skill alongside Hatchard is likely to be a lesson in developing players from the ground up. Theirs is one of the youngest lists in the competition and they need to emerge from the bottom of the ladder to get some confidence and composure, and this might just be their year.
GWS
Captain: Rebecca Beeson
Vice-captains: Alyce Parker, Tarni Evans
Coach: Cameron Bernasconi
2025 season: 17th
Finishing second from the bottom last year, GWS need to find their rhythm as a squad. Re-signing coach Cam Bernasconi proved that they have faith in their program, they just need to work on the execution when facing the top sides. The headlines for the Giants in the off-season were the recruitment of two players with a wealth of AFLW experience under their belts- Tilly Lucas-Rodd and Poppy Boltz, which they will be hoping will boost morale, bring an injection of premiership experience in Boltz and All-Australian star power from Lucas-Rodd.
Hawthorn
Captain: Emily Bates
Vice-captain: Eliza West
Coach: Daniel Webster
2025 season: 4th
The Hawks should be incredibly proud of their efforts last season, after a breakthrough campaign that saw them in a semifinal against Carlton. Coach Daniel Webster enters his third year at the helm and appears to have brought some stability and consistency to a side that was struggling to find pace. They've got a bunch of new players in their squad from both the trade and draft period, and this will enable them to have some flexibility around positional changes and finding fresh legs when it's needed. Aside from that they've kept a relatively stable list and will be hoping the recruitment of Jacqueline Dupuy from Gold Coast will bolster them in the forward line.
Melbourne
Captain: Kate Hore
Vice-captain: Tyla Hanks
Coach: Tom Wilson
2025 season: 2nd (home and away ladder)
After losing their inaugural premiership coach Mick Stinear and powerful forward Eden Zanker, there was a little to adjust to for the Demons, but the depth in their list means we are likely to still see a dynamic side take the park. After losing to the eventual premiers in a preliminary final last year, they will be feeling the pressure to go one better this year, and as a team with a host of finals experience, they should be able to achieve it if they can keep their core structure much the same. The challenge for the Demons will be whether they can integrate new faces and a new coach into an already highly successful program without losing momentum.
North Melbourne
Captain: Jasmine Garner
Vice-captain: Ash Riddell
Coach: Darren Crocker
2025 season: Premiers
Just keep doing what you're doing Kangas, it's working. The reigning back-to-back premiers enter 2026 chasing an historic third consecutive AFLW premiership. North Melbourne has largely kept its premiership list together, and rightly so. They are opting for continuity over significant list changes after another dominant season, undefeated for the longest period in AFL/VFL history and firmly at the top of their game under the keen eye of coach Darren Crocker. Speaking to each AFLW captain at the captain's media day, North Melbourne are still firmly the team to beat this year. I can't name all the stars, they all are, and they don't look to be slowing down. The question is then; will it be a three-peat (and will Jas Garner finally win a League Best and Fairest)?
Port Adelaide
Captain: Justine Mules-Robinson
Vice-captains: Amelie Borg, Sachi Syme
Coach: Glenn Strachan
2025 season: 10th
Another club entering 2026 under new leadership, Port Adelaide has appointed Glenn Strachan as senior coach following Lauren Arnell's departure. The Power also strengthened their list by recruiting premiership Lion Ellie Hampson from Brisbane, adding speed and experience to an emerging side. After narrowly missing finals in 2025, the biggest question is whether a new coach and fresh voice can help Port return to September.
Richmond
Captain: Ellie McKenzie, Gab Seymour
Vice-captain: Monique Conti
Coach: Jarrad Donders
2025 season: 16th
There's a lot happening at Punt Road as a new head coach and new co-captains Ellie McKenzie and Gab Seymour take over the reign of Katie Brennan and new head coach Jarrad Donders steps in. The Tigers had a hard year in 2025 and underwent a review of their AFLW program to decide how to move ahead better this season. One positive is that the number one draft pick Olivia Wolmarans, is theirs. They are building consistency after showing signs of improvement in 2025 but will need to make the most of the fresh start they've made with leadership. Despite this, the Tigers have backed their emerging core rather than making sweeping list changes, with the focus now on translating promising performances into sustained success.
St Kilda
Captain: Serene Watson
Vice-captains: Tyanna Smith
Coach: Nick Dal Santo
2025 season: 7th
The Saints showed real promise in 2025 and will be looking to go again. Finishing 7th on the ladder was a positive for them after really struggling to convert on the scoreboard at times. Unlike many of the other sides, they've retained the bulk of their list and have made clear that they are committed to improving their current list rather than looking to recruit externally. With new captain Serene Watson, the Saints will be looking to improve on their solid progress from 2025.
Sydney
Captain: Lucy McEvoy
Vice-captains: Cynthia Hamilton and Sofia Hurley
Coach: Colin O'Riordan
2025 season: 9th
The Swans have a new head coach as Scott Gowans handed the baton to former Swan Colin O'Riordan, and again, a new captain in Lucy McEvoy, following Chloe Molloy's decision to step down. Finishing ninth on the ladder was a tough ride for the Swans, who really showed strength and increased consistency throughout last season, they've recruited Taylor Smith from Brisbane to strengthen the forward line. Last year's Rising Star Zippy Fish played in the international over the weekend, booting the first goal, and they'll be looking to be that star power again in season 2026. For the Swannies, the biggest storyline is whether O'Riordan can build on the foundations already in place and guide Sydney into genuine premiership contention.
West Coast
Captains: Bella Lewis and Charlie Thomas
Vice-captain: Mikayla Western
Coach: Daisy Pearce
2025 season: 8th
After their maiden finals campaign, West Coast should be excited about what's to come. Stars like Ella Roberts and Charlie Thomas put this team on the map and after looking for solid improvement, they've found it with Daisy. Another young side, they recruited Keeley Skepper from The Blues which will no doubt help in their defensive efforts. With an exciting young core continuing to develop, the real question is whether West Coast will continue to rise.
Western Bulldogs
Captains: Deanna Berry and Isabelle Pritchard
Coach: Tamara Hyett
2025 season: 12th
The Doggies are another young side who have shown gradual improvement in a developing side. They back their players and try new things, and last year it appeared that it helped them gain some more self-belief. Tamara Hyett rings in her third season as head coach and it seems that her recruitment tactics were to get some further stability inside the walls at Whitten Oval. Mikala Cann was the major trade for the Bulldogs as they plucked her from Collingwood, and this will likely be a good injection of experience and composure. Unveiling a new co-captaincy structure with Isabelle Pritchard and Deanna Berry sharing the helm will also likely provide some extra support for players keen to get more game time under their belt.