THEY were the breakout stars of last year, but can fan favourite Carlton back it up in the 2026 NAB AFLW season?

After winning four games under Mathew Buck in 2024, the Blues rose up the ladder all the way to a preliminary final. While beaten by Brisbane, it wasn't a thumping by any stretch, and Carlton did enough to bring significant hope into this year.

They hit the trade period hard, acquiring established ruck Lauren Bella, midfielders Claudia Whitfort and Brooke Boileau, defender Kiara Bischa and draftees Tayla McMillan and Lily Baxter.

The outs: star ruck Breann Harrington (pregnancy), talls Mia Austin (Melbourne) and Maddy Torpey (North Melbourne), and half-forward Keeley Skepper (West Coast). Former skipper Kerryn Peterson was also not offered a contract, but didn't take to the field in 2025 due to pregnancy.

Each week at Carlton, a different department from the club is invited to assist in a training session through the AFLW football immersion program – whether that's running water, or for the more footy-adept, kicking or rolling balls out to players.

It's a one-club approach that a handful across the league employ, with the aim of increasing cross-over with the players and various day-to-day departments that make up a wider football club, like finance, merchandise, HR or membership.

AFL.com.au had already planned on watching a Carlton AFLW training session, and it happened to coincide with the media department's rostered slot, so on went the footy boots and leggings. Water and Gatorade was run out to players through the pouring rain, with even a few (slightly awry) kick outs during set shots at the end of training.

So, what was observed at training from such a close vantage point?

It should be expected from a professional side, but Carlton is in no way resting on the success of last year.

The intensity at training – a session conducted just before match simulations started, meaning loads were at their highest – was noticeably ferocious, particularly in a high-contest, five v five drill moving the ball from one side of a zone to another.

At one point, Poppy Scholz nailed Sophie McKay in a vicious tackle, the smaller forward coming off second best and needing a few Panadol to keep going.

Players alternated between contested drills and conditioning laps of the oval, while two umpires were brought in to assist with match simulation.

Halfway through the near 2.5-hour session, players stopped for a fuel break, taking full advantage of a fold-out table of fruit, sultanas, gels, fruit chew sticks and (somewhat soggy) lollies.

"I think that's one thing that a lot of us have been focusing on. We have a great dietitian (Emma Fielding), and she works across both the men's and women's programs. She's very knowledgeable, she'll sit down and work out our own individual needs, which is really good," midfielder Keeley Sherar said.

"But that's been a massive focus this pre-season, the way we fuel during sessions. A lot of the time, we're running more than we would during a game, but not fuelling the same, that's been a massive shift.

"I'm definitely feeling a lot better during sessions. I feel like I used to just go through training and have some Gatorade, but you'd get to a game and you're having gels and everything, so how can you replicate your game-day behaviours at training? You also get the most out of yourself, when you're feeling energised and fuelled."

One thing that was mentioned in passing by players, time and time again over the session, was the competition for spots that is heating up ahead of the season, as well as the tougher fixture compared to last year.

Carlton is relatively healthy – recruit Whitfort is managing a minor quad (the injury-prone player having had a clean pre-season till that point), while Maddy Guerin has had a knee clean-out but is on track – and the draftees are expected to push to play.

"We've got so much midfield depth, which is exciting. At training it's been great, we're all pushing each other and we're all so competitive. That's going to be really rewarding for us when it comes to the season. We've already been playing against such good opposition at training," Sherar said.

"The standards have been crazy. I feel like every session is so competitive. We've obviously got so much depth within our list, everyone is training at such a high standard, which is good, and we're pushing each other to be better. It's been really challenging, but hopefully we'll get the rewards for that during the season.

"As a team, making a prelim, you obviously have confidence out of that. But it resets, we have to earn the respect of the competition again, we have to earn those wins. We know that. While we can take confidence out of it, it's a new year, it's a reset."

Carlton's coaching group has undergone one major change, with senior assistant Glenn Strachan taking on the Port Adelaide senior role, and head of development Lloyd Perris taking on a line role in his stead.

Earlier this year, the group – which also includes former AFLW players Aasta O'Connor and Jess Dal Pos – travelled to New Zealand for some personal development, spending time with both the Black Ferns (women's rugby union team) and White Ferns (women's cricket team).

"I think the whole football program is very different, and that's probably the evolution of AFLW itself. I think the switch to day training was a big thing, but I think now we've built a strong and talented list, we're pushing each other off the field but on the field as well," Sherar said.

"The way people carry themselves and the talent they have, you'll get left behind if you're not doing the right thing. Those top players – Ronnie (Erone Fitzpatrick), Harriet (Cordner), Dayna (Finn) – the way they go about their footy, everyone's looking at them saying, 'what can I do to get better?'

"I think we also have that great connection off the field. Probably from the outside you don't see it as much, but we do have lots of fun and connect with each other as well. Having that connection, we probably have a bit more respect and willingness to work for each other which is really special about this group. It's a good balance on and off the field.

"Everyone's just so authentic and we respect that about each other, and that's great that you can just come here and be yourself. Whether you're quiet or loud, that's okay."