WANT to tell football fans that the AFLW season starts in less than two months?

Clubs have found the perfect way.

Now more than ever, AFLW players are being used as game day hosts at men's matches.

Ange Stannett, Bonnie Toogood, Jas Smith, Matilda Scholz, Grace Egan, Libby Birch and Sarah Hosking are just a few who are currently in the role for their respective clubs.

Here's why it works.

It's an organic way to cross-promote the AFLW, placing W players front and centre of a huge audience already engaged with the game and their club.

It reinforces a "one club" mentality that AFL teams are chasing, showcasing that both their AFLW and AFL programs are intertwined, collaborative and equal.

And importantly for players, it provides them with professional development allowing them to upskill in public speaking, hosting and interviewing.

One of the first to recognise the potential in the space is four-time AFLW premiership star Birch, who took on the role as game day host during her time at Melbourne.

"I just felt like having the presence of a female athlete could authentically weave W into the men's space," Birch said.

"We weren't trying to force it, but I think just the presence of us being there reminds people that this game is for both men and women."

Birch is the ‘OG' of player game day hosting after floating the idea with the club's administration back in 2020.

"It was just a conversation that I had with the events team that I wanted to develop personally in the hosting side of things and it was the perfect opportunity to cross promote W," Birch said.

"The club was looking for a reason to talk about W during the men's season and thought it was the perfect opportunity to authentically bring a familiar face to the fans."

Birch has continued in the role at her current club North Melbourne and likens the role to playing.

"It's the same adrenaline rush as playing. That adrenaline rush of being in front of thousands of people," Birch said.

"There's also a responsibility to entertain people which is very similar to how AFL women's and AFL men's players feel, you know there's a responsibility to play good footy but also entertain the crowd, so there's those similarities as well.

"And obviously to represent your club with passion and joy as well and to bring the fans along the journey I think is a big responsibility as well."

Western Bulldogs midfielder Smith has recently followed in the footsteps of Birch, taking up the position at her club.

Smith has a background in presenting having worked previously in television.

"Back in Queensland, I started on Nickelodeon as the Queensland-based presenter and then moved to Channel 10 when the producer moved there. I ended up hosting my own show for four years," Smith said.

"I think we all saw Libby doing it and I may have mentioned it to our PDM (Player Development Manager). The club said it was something they had been thinking about anyway."

Anthea Hargreaves, the Head of Marketing and Brand at the Western Bulldogs, said using Smith as the club's game day host was a no-brainer.

"As a club, we're always looking for ways to support our players' development off-field," Hargreaves said.

"Jas had shown genuine interest in building her MC skills, and we saw a real opportunity to give her a platform to showcase her talent, while also growing the profile of our AFLW program and players.

"Beyond the individual opportunity for Jas, there are real benefits for the club as a whole. It opens the door for other players to explore development within admin and build their skills and confidence.

"Ahead of AFLW starting in August, it puts AFLW front of mind for large AFL crowds, which helps grow awareness and connection to the program. And importantly, it makes our match day feel like a whole-of-club moment.

"We are one club. Our programs interact and train at the same facility, proudly wear the same jumper, and represent the same community. Having Jas on the mic at an AFL game is a natural extension of that. It says to our fans that our players are interchangeable ambassadors for this club, not siloed into separate programs. It's a small thing that carries a bigger message."

Birch agrees that the role strengthens the connection between both AFL men's and women's programs.

"I feel like the role has helped me get along with and create relationships with the men's team at both clubs, and also with the staff. Both those relationships within clubs are really important," she said.

Smith said that she's not surprised that more players are putting their hands up to take on the position.

"I put my hand up to take on this role because I saw Libby do it," Smith said.

"And now we're seeing more and more girls doing it, which is so great because to promote AFLW, we're all putting ourselves out there.

"We're getting on socials, we're promoting AFLW in a different way. That's the thing, we want people to come and enjoy our games and also get to know us as people to give them another reason to come watch AFLW."

For Hargreaves, the feedback she has received from staff and fans has been nothing but positive.

"There's something authentic about hearing from someone who genuinely lives and breathes this club," Hargreaves said.

"Internally, the men's players themselves have noticed, and that kind of visibility matters for culture and connection across the two programs."

As more AFLW players take to the microphone on game day, their presence is doing more than entertaining crowds, it's benefiting the players, the clubs and the competition as a whole.