THE RISK-REWARD of fielding AFLW players through the VFLW has been laid bare over the past few weeks, with young Essendon key Emily Gough and developing St Kilda ruck Emmelie Fiedler both suffering torn ACLs in the opening two rounds of the state league season.

The Western Bulldogs, Essendon and St Kilda have been loading up their VFLW teams with AFLW players in the past two weeks, but other teams have been more cautious, weighing up the benefits of development against the potential cost of injury.

Bomber Gough, 19, tore her ACL on Saturday in a marking contest against Collingwood.

She had only played five AFLW games in her first season last year, missing some footy with a calf issue, with the VFLW seen as a good opportunity to upskill young players who have missed out through selection or injury.

Fiedler isn't the only Saint to have suffered an injury in the twos, with bullocking midfielder Charlotte Simpson managing an on-going back issue, which flared up after round one and will see the 21-year-old miss at least the next week. 

Carlton's Irish midfielder, Erone Fitzpatrick, played her return game from a torn ACL last week but didn't last the full match, suffering a hamstring injury.

It's understood to be more on the minor side, with hope she'll be fine to start pre-season with teammates.

Prized Geelong recruit Caitie Tipping lasted less than a quarter of her first game in the hoops after suffering a suplex kneecap injury, but the club is confident she will be ready for the start of preseason in a fortnight, and potentially even to front up in the VFLW again this weekend.

Bulldog Keeley Hardingham was drafted from the club's VFLW side late last year as a developing ruck, and played her first game in the twos as an AFLW-listed player on Saturday, but finished the match with a low-grade medial elbow injury, affecting the inside (pinky finger side) of the joint.

Melbourne fielded draftee Maggie Mahony in Casey Demons' side last week, but the tenacious inside midfielder copped a hit to her larynx, sitting out round two. She will return to training this week.

Essendon's ruck stocks are already skinny, with Steph Wales in the process of returning from October's torn ACL, but they have appeared to have taken another hit, with recruit Courtney Murphy missing Saturday's match with an unspecified injury. 

The Bombers are yet to confirm any further details, with potential AFLW ruck option Matilda Dyke playing on the wing against the Pies, and VFLW player Layla Prince stepping into the role as an undersized 174cm ruck.

Essendon and St Kilda have until the start of the season to sign replacement players for Gough and Fieldler, but rucks are in short supply in the second tier.

Pre-season starts on May 12, with a week of induction, meetings and physical testing, before full-blown training starts on May 19.