Bruce McAvaney will host the opening game of AFLW’s 10th season with Erin Phillips returning to Seven commentary.
The 10th season of the AFLW competition kicks off between Carlton and Collingwood, on Thursday, 14 August, live on Seven, 7mate.
The competition will feature 18 teams and 12 home and away rounds across 12 weeks, plus an additional four weeks of Finals culminating in the AFLW Grand Final on Saturday, 29 November.
Legendary sports commentator Bruce McAvaney will host the opening game at IKON Park, while Seven offers more in-depth coverage with increased slow-motion cameras, drone usage, player interviews on the boundary and the use of ball chip technology for the first time in an AFLW broadcast.
Following her historic induction into the Australian Football Hall of Fame earlier this year, Erin Phillips returns to Seven’s AFLW coverage. Rising star Jack Heverin will join the AFLW commentary team in 2025 following his successful contribution to the recent 7AFL Kids Call.
Seven also welcomes back callers and experts including Jason Bennett, Nigel Carmody, Natalie Edwards, Melissa Hickey, Abbey Holmes, Akec Makur Chuot, Kate McCarthy, Alister Nicholson, Sarah Olle, Jo Wotton and current North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos AFLW star Libby Birch.
Rounding out the team are 7News Melbourne sport reporters Theo Doropoulos and Kate Massey.
In celebration of her Hall of Fame honour, Phillips joins Seven’s Unfiltered this week for an unmissable sit-down with Hamish McLachlan. Reflecting on her extraordinary dual-sport career, Erin opens up about the highs, the heartbreaks and the moments that shaped her on and off the field.
The powerful episode of Unfiltered airs tomorrow night at 9.30pm on Seven and 7plus Sport, straight after The Front Bar.
Throughout Round One, some of the game’s most well-respected voices – Nick Riewoldt, Matthew Richardson and Cameron Ling – will also form part of Seven’s commentary.
On Friday night, straight after Carlton take on Collingwood, Seven will head to Western Australia when the Eagles host the Gold Coast SUNS at Mineral Resources Park from 9.10pm AEST on Seven, 7mate and 7plus Sport.
AFLW Commentator and Talking W panellist, Kate McCarthy, said: “We’re at an important moment in AFLW’s history and I suspect this season is going to be even bigger than the past nine. I cannot wait.”
“Looking at the Clubs and how they’ve handled the gruelling pre-season, it’s hard to go past the big three, Kangaroos, Brisbane and Adelaide. However, outside of those, I expect Melbourne to step up again and have a real impact on the competition.
“Hawthorn will be burning after the finals heartbreak last year and Fremantle also have some guns back and I think will be a real challenge,” she said.
“Ash Centra was pick number one for a reason and I cannot wait to see her burst out of the gates and have an unbelievable first season. Havana Harris has been ready for a long time and viewers should be excited about her potential impact this year.”
Footy fans in NSW, South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland will also be able to tune into matches featuring teams from their home states, live and free on Seven and 7plus Sport.
AFL Women’s Season 10
Opening night: Carlton v Collingwood and West Coast Eagles v Gold Coast Suns
Live from 7.00pm AEST on Seven, 7mate and 7plus Sport
Round One coverage:
Sydney Swans v Richmond, Friday 5.00pm AEST on 7mate and 7plus (NSW only)
GWS Giants v Essendon, Saturday 5.30pm AEST on 7mate and 7plus (NSW only)
Western Bulldogs v Melbourne, Saturday 7.30pm AEST on 7mate and 7plus
Brisbane Lions v Hawthorn, Sunday 12.30pm AEST on Seven, 7mate and 7plus
St Kilda v Adelaide Crows, Sunday 1.30pm AEST on Seven and 7plus (SA only)
Port Adelaide v Fremantle, Sunday 3.30pm AEST (SA) and 2.00pm (WA) on Seven, 7mate and 7plus