Ash Riddell attempts to tackle Cleo Buttifant during round three, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Images

AFLW teams could be mandated to provide a secondary colourway for their 'away' shorts, as the League looks for ways to mitigate kit clashes after the debacle between North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs on Saturday.

It's understood only a handful of AFLW teams currently have a secondary shorts colour, after changes were made ahead of the 2023 campaign that meant women's players would no longer have to wear white shorts as the 'away' side.

Players were visibly confused during the North Melbourne and Western Bulldogs clash in Launceston, with both sides wearing predominantly white versions of their Indigenous jumpers with traditional blue 'home' shorts.

Western Bulldogs and North Melbourne players attempt a pack mark during round three, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Images

Kangaroos veteran Kate Shierlaw described the situation as "really challenging" after the game, while Bulldogs speedster Jasmyn Smith later criticised the kit clash as "ridiculous".

Players had privately raised similar complaints after the AFLW season's opener between St Kilda and Carlton, with the Saints wearing black shorts and the Blues wearing an alternate white jumper with navy shorts.

Secondary colourways could hypothetically see the Western Bulldogs have to wear red 'away' shorts in the future, or could see Richmond don yellow 'away' shorts, but presents problems for sides like Carlton and Collingwood that have white as one of their two traditional club colours.

Mimi Hill gets a handball away during round one, 2026. Picture: AFL Photo/Getty Images

Fremantle, Geelong, North Melbourne and Sydney are among the other clubs with white as one of their two club colours, though the Swans have worn black 'away' shorts in previous years.

Any plans to mandate secondary shorts colours would only be applied from next season, and would not be introduced in 2026, and is among a variety of considerations as the League works through ways to avoid kit clashes in the future.

The decision to no longer make AFLW clubs wear white 'away' shorts was made in consultation with clubs and players ahead of the 2023 season to reduce anxiety around menstruation in sport, with the majority of AFLW sides subsequently only wearing traditional 'home' shorts colours.