WE'VE made it to the fifth season of the NAB AFLW competition, and it's been a long, long 10 months without top-flight women's footy.

Given the cancellation to the end of the 2020 season left us without a premier, 13 teams are absolutely raring to finally knock the crown off Adelaide's head.

The beginning of any season brings the annual predictions. Here are Sarah Black's big calls.

Premier: Carlton
Runner-up: Fremantle
Wooden spoon: West Coast
Moving up: Adelaide
Set to fall: GWS
AFLW best and fairest: Jasmine Garner (North Melbourne)
Leading goalkicker: Erin Phillips (Adelaide)
Recruit of the year: Elise O'Dea (Melbourne to Carlton)
Headline you'll see: Sweet, sweet victory as Tigers finally notch their first win
Headline you won't see: Fremantle lose first game at home since round five, 2018
Big call: The athletic Brisbane draftees – Courtney Hodder, Zimmie Farquharson, Indy Tahau and Ruby Svarc – to catch a top-four team on the hop in 2021
Game-changer: Hubs. Teams forced on the move due to COVID restrictions will go one of two ways – form a close bond which will translate to on-field success, or struggle badly after being on the road for so long.