AFLW Round Four:
Friday, February 23
Western Bulldogs v Carlton at Victoria University Whitten Oval, 7.05pm

Saturday February 24
Brisbane Lions v Fremantle at South Pine Sports Complex, 3.35pm; Curtain Raiser – Women’s Academy match, 12.30pm
Melbourne v Collingwood at TIO Traeger Park, 5.40pm

Sunday February 25
GWS Giants v Adelaide Crows at Blacktown International Sportspark, 4.35pm

JLT Community Series
Saturday February 24
North Melbourne v Melbourne at Hobart, 2.05pm
Essendon v Richmond at Wangaratta, 4.35pm

Sunday February 25
Adelaide Crows v Fremantle at Strathalbyn, 1.35pm
West Coast v Port Adelaide at Leederville Oval, 3.35pm

2 MEDIA ACCREDITATION FOR AFLW and JLT COMMUNITY SERIES MATCHES

All working media will require 2018 AFL media accreditation to attend AFLW and JLT Community Series matches. All 2018 passes applied for before the January 12 deadline have been mailed as per the emails from Patrick Keane to sports editors, for those staff who had accepted the TCs request. Requests for day passes can be directed to Lilly Skacej Lilly.Skacej@afl.com.au. Please note that for any match for an upcoming weekend must be lodged prior to 12pm, Tuesday.


3 TRIBUNAL MATCH REVIEW PROCESS

The expected process for the 2018 AFLW Season under the AFL Match Review system is that the AFL will issue a media release late on the Monday after each round detailing the penalties to be offered to players for incidents from that round of matches, or the reasons why no further action was to be taken. Match Review Officer Michael Christian will also be made available at a general media call at a time to be determined.

The clubs and players then have until 11am on the Tuesday morning to decide whether to accept the penalty on offer, or whether they wish to contest the charge at a Tribunal hearing, to usually be held on the Tuesday night. The AFL will formally detail all instances on the Tuesday of whether cases will proceed to the Tribunal or not.

The following players reported from the weekend’s matches:

Dayna Cox, Adelaide Crows, reported by umpire Matthew Young for striking Ellie Blackburn, Western Bulldogs, during the first quarter of the Round Three AFLW match between the Adelaide Crows and the Western Bulldogs, played at Norwood Oval on Saturday February 17, 2018.

Brittany Bonnici, Collingwood, reported by umpire Pat Burns for kneeing Rebecca Beeson, GWS Giants, during the third quarter of the Round Three AFLW match between Collingwood and the GWS Giants, played at Olympic Park on Sunday February 18, 2018.


4 TRIBUNAL HEARING LOCATION

The AFL Tribunal is held in the AFL media room on Level LB2 at Etihad Stadium. The AFL wishes to advise that all media covering the Tribunal hearings at Etihad Stadium need to park in the B2 car park (entry off the Bourke St extension) and report to the Etihad Stadium security office to gain admittance via the internal ring road. There will be no access via AFL House to any AFL Tribunal hearing through the season, as our offices will have closed by 6pm each day.


5 AFL UMPIRING DEPARTMENT BRIEFING

The AFL umpiring department will hold a briefing for all interested media on the pre-season presentation it has been giving to all AFL clubs. Details are as follows:
Hayden Kennedy, umpiring briefing
11am, Wednesday February 21, AFL House


6 LONG TERM INJURY LIST

Carlton has placed Sam Docherty on the long-term injury list with no replacement named at this time.


7 CURRENTLY SUSPENDED PLAYERS

The AFL wishes to advise the players that have completed and currently serving MRP suspensions across the competition are as follows:

Currently Suspended:
Nil

Completed:
Sarah D’Arcy, Collingwood. Two matches from Round One.
Angela Foley, Adelaide Crows. One match from Round Two.
Stacey Barr, Fremantle. One match from Round Two.


8 AFL CAPTAINS PRE-SEASON MEDIA DAY

The annual media day where all 18 AFL club captains come together will be held in Melbourne on Thursday March 15. Further details will be provided closer to the time but media should plan for an approximate media availability around late morning / lunch time on that day at Etihad Stadium.


9 MEDIA FACILITIES AT AFLW MATCHES

Media are advised limited media facilities will be available at AFLW venues. Power will be available, however wifi will not.


10 AFLW UPGRADED ROOKIES

As a reminder to all media, the following players have been upgraded to senior AFLW lists:

Brisbane Lions: Gabby Collingwood
Collingwood: Eliza Hynes, Holly Whitford
Fremantle: Lisa Webb
GWS Giants: Elle Bennetts
Melbourne: Erin Hoare
Western Bulldogs: Bonnie Toogood, Naomi Ferres, Kimberley Rennie


11 LAST TIME THEY MET

Please find below a summary of the last time these teams played in 2017.

Western Bulldogs v Carlton
Round 5, 2017, Carlton 8.6 (54) d Western Bulldogs 7.6 (48) at Ikon Park

Brisbane Lions v Fremantle
Round 2, 2017, Brisbane Lions 5.6 (36) d Fremantle 3.5 (23) at Fremantle Oval

Melbourne v Collingwood
Round 2, 2017, Melbourne 7.2 (44) d Collingwood 4.1 (25) at Ikon Park

GWS Giants v Adelaide Crows
Round 1, 2017, Adelaide 7.6 (48) d GWS Giants 1.6 (12) at Thebarton Oval

12 MATCH TIME CHANGES, 2018 JLT COMMUNITY SERIES

The start times for four matches in the JLT Community Series across the period March 10-11 have been altered to enable all games on those days to be played and broadcast as full-length matches as per the premiership season, and not as shorter-timed matches in weeks one and two of the JLT Community Series. For clarity, the four games involving Collingwood v Western Bulldogs (March 10 at Moe), Port Adelaide v Adelaide Crows (March 10 at Alberton Oval), Geelong Cats v Essendon (March 11 at Colac) and Gold Coast Suns v Brisbane Lions (March 11 at Southport) will have earlier start times.


13 MATCH TIME CHANGE, 2018 TOYOTA AFL PREMIERSHIP SEASON

The AFL wishes to advise the following match start time change for Round Two of the 2018 Toyota AFL Premiership Season.
Saturday, March 31, Fremantle vs. Essendon at Optus Stadium.
This match will now start at 5.10pm local time / 8.10pm AEDT (formerly 4.40pm local time / 7.40pm AEDT).


14 AFLW PLAYERS TO HAVE EXCELLED IN OTHER SPORTS

The AFL Media Guide lists VFL/AFL players who have excelled at other sports. A number of AFLW players have also played and continue to play other sports at an elite level:

Adelaide Crows: Georgia Bevan (softball); Anne Hatchard (basketball); Rachael Killian (junior tennis); Jenna McCormick (soccer); Becchara Palmer (beach volleyball); Erin Phillips (basketball); Marijana Rajcic (soccer); Jessica Sedunary (crossfit); Ruth Wallace (soccer).

Brisbane Lions: Kaitlyn Ashmore (javelin); Shannon Campbell (soccer); Nat Exon (athletics); Kate McCarthy (touch football); Tahlia Randall (volleyball); Jamie Stanton (soccer).

Carlton: Brianna Davey (soccer); Alison Downie (soccer); Maddison Gay (netball); Kerryn Harrington (basketball); Jessica Hosking (netball); Sarah Hosking (netball); Sarah Last (netball and basketball); Natalie Plane (cricket); Kate Shierlaw (basketball); Courtney Webb (cricket).

Collingwood: Ashleigh Brazill (netball); Jess Duffin (cricket); Eliza Hynes (volleyball); Cecilia McIntosh (javelin and bobsled); Georgie Parker (hockey); Ruby Schleicher (basketball); Lauren Tesoriero (netball).

Fremantle: Ebony Antonio (basketball); Stacey Barr (basketball); Kirby Bentley (netball); Stephanie Cain (soccer); Lara Filocamo (soccer); Gemma Houghton (basketball); Gabby O'Sullivan (basketball); Lisa Webb (athletics).

GWS Giants: Jacinda Barclay (baseball and gridiron); Elle Bennetts (netball); Ellie Brush (soccer); Renee Tomkins (soccer).

Melbourne: Richelle Cranston (gridiron); Tegan Cunningham (basketball); Erin Hoare (netball); Kate Hore (basketball); Aliesha Newman (soccer and athletics); Lauren Pearce (basketball); Cat Phillips (frisbee); Shelley Scott (netball); Maddie Shevlin (oz-tag); Anna Teague (basketball).

Western Bulldogs: Libby Birch (netball); Nicole Callinan (indoor cricket); Monique Conti (basketball), Emma Kearney (cricket); Kirsty Lamb (cricket); Brooke Lochland (ice-skating); Kim Rennie (basketball); Lauren Spark (beach volleyball); Bonnie Toogood (netball); Aisling Utri (hockey).