The AFL has handed out assistance packages to three floundering AFLW teams.
GWS, Gold Coast and Collingwood have all been granted help, after combining for seven wins in 2025.
The Giants have been given the most significant package, receiving pick three in the upcoming draft, and pick 19 in the 2026 draft.
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Aliesha Newman of the Giants is embraced by Katherine Smith and Jessica Doyle. via Getty Images
Gold Coast and Collingwood have simply been granted two additional list spots each for the next two seasons.
AFL GM of Football Laura Kane said the aim was to help push these teams back towards competitiveness.
“We want these three clubs to return to being competitive after several years of consistent underperformance, and after extensive consultation with them, we believe this package is structured to support that goal,” she said in an AFL statement.
GWS has struggled massively, winning just five games across the last three seasons.
The expansion of the league to 18 teams has made it hard for New South Wales’ talent pool to support both the Swans and Giants, with the former boasting the stronger list.
The same goes for Gold Coast, which has struggled to establish itself in a league dominated by crosstown rivals Brisbane.
Collingwood meanwhile only improved marginally in 2025, coming off their wooden spoon finish last year.
Ava Usher of the AFL National Academy is presented her jumper by Tarkyn Lockyer. via Getty Images
The Suns will welcome the additional list spots given they are set to dominate the upcoming draft.
Through their academy, they have four of the top six ranked prospects in the draft, and potentially as many as 10 total across the draft.
This includes likely No.1 pick Ava Usher, who is seen as the unanimous top prospect.
Right behind here is Sunny Lappin, the daughter of Carlton great Matthew Lappin. She chose the Suns’ academy over potential father-daughter availability for the Blues or St Kilda.
This highly compromised talent pool will make it even harder for the likes of GWS and Collingwood to rebuild, particularly with the Tassie Devils looming in 2028 as well.
The AFL has struggled to find parity in the AFLW competition, after rapidly expanding from eight teams in 2018 to eighteen by 2022.