Inaugural Essendon AFLW co-captain Bonnie Toogood wants the side to display a physical, ruthless brand of football in their first season in the competition.
Alongside Hawthorn, Sydney and Port Adelaide, the Bombers enter the AFLW for the first time in 2022, as the competition expands to a full contingent of 18 clubs.
Possessing a high-powered forward line and a midfield highlighted by star recruit Maddy Prespakis, who crossed from Carlton, the Bombers' extensive recruiting efforts mean they have the most experienced squad of any of the four expansion sides.
This will be supplemented by players from the club's VFLW list, who were crowned premiers of the Victorian league earlier this year.
"We want to be really competitive, physical and ruthless," Toogood told AAP.
"Making sure that we're hitting the contest hard and being really strong there. That will open up our gameplay and what we want to do with our ball movement.
"It starts at the contest and then we'll work out from there."
Recruited to The Hanger after four years at the Western Bulldogs, Toogood is one of the most experienced players the Bombers will field in their first AFLW campaign.
A lifelong Essendon supporter, the 24-year-old joined former Docker Steph Cain in being named as co-captain last week and will lead the team out in their opening AFLW fixture against Hawthorn on Saturday evening at Marvel Stadium.
That game was initially to be staged at Port Melbourne's North Port Oval but, after "unprecedented" demand for tickets, it was moved to the larger venue.
"They've embraced us so much," Toogood said of the Essendon supporters.
"For me, the biggest one was at our VFLW Grand Final, how there were so many Essendon faithful there. Once I saw that - that game was played at North Port Oval as well - I had no doubt that for our first game that we'd have unprecedented ticket sales.
"It's amazing to have that support, such a huge fanbase that has engaged at a VFLW level and is engaged at an AFLW level is really exciting.
"Essendon has a huge, proud history so we don't need to come in and reinvent the wheel. We are walking into a football club that has really strong values."
