Women’s Derby to showcase female footy talent

WOMEN’S teams representing the Fremantle Dockers and West Coast Eagles will play a curtain-raiser to the Western Derby at Domain Stadium next Saturday, April 9.

A West Australian representative side will also play The Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne on June 5.

The games will be played as part of this year’s 10-game Women’s AFL Exhibition Series consisting of three rounds. Games will also be played in Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane.

State Academy players will feature in Round One teams, while Round Two will feature the best players from around the country in State representative matches.

The final round will be a stand-alone match between the Western Bulldogs and Melbourne for the Hampson-Hardeman Cup.

The Exhibition Series is part of the build-up to a national women’s competition in 2017, which will kick off with a two-month season in February and March next year.

AFL clubs have been invited to apply for a licence in the inaugural eight-team competition, with April 29 set as the deadline for submissions.

Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs, already competing in this year’s 10-game exhibition series, are the front-runners for two of the four Victorian licences. Teams in WA, SA, NSW and Queensland will make up the rest of the competition.

There will be audio coverage for all 2016 Women’s Exhibition matches, which will be streamed live via www.afl.com.au

2016 FIXTURES

All times are local.

Round 1

Melbourne v Western Bulldogs

5.10pm Sunday March 6 – Highgate Recreational Reserve, Craigieburn

SANFL All Stars

10.40am Saturday April 2 – Adelaide Oval

Sydney Swans v GWS Giants

1.40pm Saturday April 9 – SCG

West Coast Eagles v Fremantle

3.10pm Saturday April 9 – Domain Stadium

Northern Territory v Tasmania

12.10pm Sunday April 10 – Peanut Reserve, St Kilda

Brisbane Lions v Gold Coast Suns

7.40pm Saturday April 16 – Gabba

Round 2

Melbourne v Queensland

10.40am Sunday May 22 – MCG

Western Bulldogs v Western Australia

12.40pm Sunday June 5 – Etihad Stadium

South Australia v New South Wales

1.10pm Sunday June 5 – Adelaide Oval

Round 3 – Hampson-Hardeman Cup

Western Bulldogs v Melbourne

7.20pm Saturday September 2 – Venue TBC