NINE of the 10 Victorian AFL clubs will field VFL Women's sides in 2018, with the announcement of six new licences on Wednesday.
Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Richmond and St Kilda will have VFLW teams in their own right for the first time next year.
North Melbourne will not have a standalone women's team but has an existing connection with VFLW side Melbourne Uni.
The Western Bulldogs have strengthened its existing connection with VU Western Spurs, and the VFLW side will be known as the Western Bulldogs, while the Spurs' other four sides will continue under their own name.
It was announced in August that Melbourne will field a side through its existing affiliation with Casey Demons, taking over Cranbourne's VFLW licence.
St Kilda will be known as the Southern Saints, after the Seaford Tigerettes transferred its licence to the club.
Hawthorn (through Box Hill) and Geelong played their debut seasons in the VFLW this year, and will once again field sides in 2018.
Williamstown is the sixth side to be granted a 2018 licence.
Collingwood has already announced former Magpie Penny Cula-Reid, who was not offered an AFLW contract for 2018, will coach the club's VFLW side.
Cula-Reid had a 13-year career at VFLW-level, playing for and captaining St Kilda Sharks (no affiliation with St Kilda Saints).
The changes come as the VFLW competition, which has long been the domain of community clubs with no AFL affiliations, seeks to bridge the gap between it and the AFLW.
Other VFLW sides, such as Darebin, Diamond Creek and Eastern Devils, will have the opportunity to decide whether to continue in the top tier of Victorian women's footy, with a final team structure for 2018 due to be announced at the end of October.
Confirmed 2018 VFLW sides:
- Box Hill
- Carlton
- Casey Demons
- Essendon
- Geelong
- Richmond
- Southern Saints
- Western Bulldogs
- Williamstown
