Paige Scott (left) fends off Kaitlyn Ashmore during Richmond's practice match on August 3, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Images

AFLW teams will have the option of playing up to five match simulation games, as well as the one official practice match, in a shake-up of pre-season preparation in 2026.

In previous years, clubs have played one match simulation and one official practice match, with the latter being played under normal game conditions, and the former more of a casual arrangement between clubs, with varying number of playing terms and game length.

It's understood the AFL footy operations team pitched the concept to clubs as an opportunity to assist young and inexperienced players who would otherwise not have chance to play during the AFLW season, and will also allow all teams to hit the ground running in top form come round one.

The AFL will support in "match-making" willing teams together, and it is not expected that all clubs will take up the option of playing all five match simulations, with pre-season training loads a contributing factor.

Eloise Jones and Eliza McNamara in action during a practice match between Adelaide and Melbourne at Thomas Farms Oval on August 3, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

If a team finds an opponent for all five match sims, its schedule will be as follows:

  • Match simulation No.1 weekend of June 26
  • Match simulation No.2 weekend of July 3
  • Match simulation No.3 weekend of July 10
  • Match simulation No.4 weekend of July 17
  • Match simulation No.5 weekend of July 24
  • Practice game weekend of July 31
  • Weekend off August 7
  • Round one weekend of August 14

AFLW pre-season begins the week of May 11.

The details and format of the extra match simulations will be up to the clubs involved: they could contain specific scenario training (e.g. one team is up by less than a goal with x-amount of time remaining), working on stoppage structure or play from a particular area of the field; or two 20-minute halves or four 15-minute quarters.

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Non-Victorian clubs have tried varying arrangements over the years to supplement their AFLW matches, including organising match simulations against each other and even forming combined sides.

This is generally seen by non-Victorian clubs as preferable to running players through the WAFLW, SANFLW, QAFLW and AFL Sydney competitions, where players line up for non-aligned teams, and AFLW clubs have less control over game time and playing positions.

The VFLW season was shifted this year in part to accommodate non-selected AFLW players, and will now run from mid-May to the end of August, with finals in September.

Contrary to popular belief, only a handful of Victorian sides opt to utilise their VFLW teams during the AFLW off-season and pre-season, with generally only a few inexperienced players featuring.

Hawthorn leaned heavily into Box Hill in 2024 but barely used it last year, while North Melbourne hasn't fielded an AFLW player in its similarly powerful VFLW outfit for a few years, believing its own training is of better use and a higher standard. 

Richmond does not have an aligned VFLW side, while Carlton and the Western Bulldogs dabble more than others.