Strong AFLW sides throughout the competition's history have each possessed unique traits that have made them great.
What has remained consistent across those sides, however, is the ability to gain ground and, importantly, prevent opponents from doing the same. While each side shares a similar aim, the method for achieving territory dominance varies from club to club.
Last season's premiers, the Adelaide Crows, set the standard, using an intercepting game to trap the ball in attack and win back any attempts their opponents would make to rebound out of trouble. Vitally, they didn't overwhelm on the scoreboard, it was more about restricting their opponent's ability to score against them.
Preliminary finalist Brisbane was similarly adept at controlling territory, although through strength at the contest, a surge mentality and a wide spread of goal kickers.
Now, this season, several teams are looking to emulate that forward-half game, each with their own spin, and two sides have stood out from the pack.
Collingwood Magpies
In its opening two games, Collingwood showed off its version. Similar to the dominant Crows from earlier in the year, they effectively break even at the clearances and then use pressure around the ground to win the ball and engage a really disciplined structure.
Their combination of Stacey Livingstone, Jordyn Allen, Lauren Butler and Ruby Schleicher in the back half works so efficiently because each player knows their specific role.
Livingstone is Collingwood's anchor, always sitting at least a kick behind the play, ready to mark any errant kicks out and use her big boot to regain any ground lost. Playing in this manner has seen her average 220.3 metres gained from her 10.3 disposals across her career to date. From there, Allen, Butler, and Schleicher each defend with strength in the one-on-one but are then always looking to drive the ball forward with their run and carry.
This strategy is only effective if these defenders are willing to maintain their distance behind the ball and refuse to flood their forward 50. Like the wing role, which requires a player to sit outside the contest and wait for a teammate to feed them the ball, playing in this intercepting defensive role requires players to go against their instincts and stay a step away from the play.
Across the opening three rounds of the season, the defensive quartet is responsible for 28 per cent of Collingwood's inside-50s, the crucial first step in the side's game plan.
Once the ball is inside 50, the Pies simply turn up the heat, pressuring opponents into poor ball use when looking to exit, thereby playing into their defensive structure's hands. Maintaining this territory control creates repeat opportunities at goal and relies less on lead-up, marking forwards. It instead engages agile smalls like Eliza James and Chloe Molloy at ground level.
Collingwood's forward-half game
Brisbane Lions
The other side that has really homed in on this forward-half dominance this season is Brisbane.
Earlier in the year, the Lions settled into that game style almost out of necessity. With defensive stalwart Kate Lutkins ruled out with an ACL injury, they looked to support their back line by limiting opponents' forward forays. In doing so, they found one of the most prolific scoring game styles the AFLW has seen. This season, they have doubled down on that territory game.
Brisbane's 225 points over the first three rounds is the first time in competition history that a team has broken past the 200-point mark so early in the season, and that comes off the back of every player's attacking attitude.
Team-first acts have been the club's priority for several seasons, one-percenters that help put the ball to the advantage of a teammate and because of this, they have developed a surge mentality: get the ball forward any way possible.
That surge mentality has gradually been combined with improving skills and the recruitment of outside runners, which has seen them capitalise on those acts better than ever before.
Taking territory: the Lions in season seven
Last season Brisbane broke the AFLW record for average inside-50s – previously set by the dominant 2019 Adelaide team – and have only increased on that to start season seven.
At the other end of the ground, they are also conceding 3.7 fewer inside-50s so far this season.
Essentially, the Lions have tightened up their forward game, affording their opposition fewer opportunities to attack and generating even more for themselves.
Brisbane's forward-half game
What the Lions have that most others don't, however, is an incredibly efficient forward line and several midfielders who consistently hit the scoreboard. Not only is Brisbane averaging a record number of inside-50s this season, but they are also goaling from more than a quarter of those entries.
While Collingwood and Brisbane have really emerged this season thanks to their ability to control territory, some other sides have made clear changes to follow a similar path of development.
St Kilda has adopted the intercepting, well-structured game of Collingwood and Adelaide this season. Defensive duo Bianca Jakobsson and Clara Fitzpatrick work with one another to intercept and drive the ball forward, then the likes of Nicola Xenos and Rosie Dillon apply immense pressure in the forward half.
Meanwhile, Richmond leans more towards Brisbane's blueprint. Strength through the middle thanks to players like Monique Conti, Sarah Hosking and Ellie McKenzie and repeatedly sending the ball forward to targets like Courtney Wakefield and Stephanie Williams. What has let the Tigers down, however, is their forward efficiency, goaling from just 12.4 per cent of their entries.
What is clear this year, however, is that the best teams want to compress play into their forward half, and those who are on the improve are looking to put their own spin on the successful strategies of those consistently reaching the finals.
