Chloe Molloy and Abbi Molloy at Collingwood training, 2021. Picture: AFL Photos

With five rounds to go in the VFLW season clubs have submitted their final list changes for phase two of the competition.

Some big names from the AFLW will be making appearances in the coming weeks as teams battle it out for finals spots.

Also making their way onto lists is the next generation, players from the NAB League and Under 19 National Championships who will be playing senior footy and showing their wares to recruiters ahead of 2021 National Draft.

CARLTON 
The Blues have had a strong contingent of AFLW players throughout the VFLW season with Maddy Guerin, Winnie Lang, Courtney Jones, Daisy Walker, Charlotte Hammans, Paige Trudgeon and Serena Gibbs playing multiple games already.

Abbie McKay and Grace Egan played their first games of the season in round nine and had an instant impact for the Blues.

Carlton has now named midfield stars Lucy McEvoy, Jess Hosking and Lauren Brazzale in the updated list.

Dual sport athlete Brooke Walker battled a foot injury during the 2021 AFLW season but will return to the VFLW, no doubt showing her skills and pace on the wing.

Utility Natalie Plane will also come back down to the state league, and Northern Knights and Vic Metro representative Maeve Chaplin will continue with the Blues in the VFLW.

Jess Hosking lining up for Carlton's AFLW side in round seven, 2021. Picture: AFL Photos

CASEY DEMONS
A few of Melbourne’s younger players have been playing throughout the VFLW season to continue their development before playing an AFLW game with the Demons.

Megan Fitzsimon, Mietta Kendall, Maggie Caris and Isabella Simmons have played a handful of games already for Casey, gaining plenty of experience along the way.

Bolstering the lineup in defence will be All-Australian Libby Birch, alongside Meg Downie, Gabby Colvin and Irish import Lauren McGee.

Experienced Dees Shelley Heath, Chantel Emonson, Jacqueline Parry, Sarah Lampard and Casey Sherrif will also come down for the rest of the season.

Young guns Eliza McNamara, Eden Zanker, Brenna Tarrant and Alyssa Bannan will play out the VFLW season with Casey as well.

Vic Country representative Grace Matser will also play for the Demons and will hopefully get the opportunity to show off her talent in the ruck.

Libby Birch in action during the 2021 AFLW preliminary final. Picture: AFL Photos

COLLINGWOOD
The AFLW experience added to Collingwood’s VFLW side is headlined by highlight-machine Chloe Molloy and prospective number one pick Charlie Rowbottom.

The talent being added to the ladder leaders doesn’t end there, with 2021 All-Australian defender Ruby Schliecher coming down to play in the state league side as well.

The Pies’ midfield will be bolstered by the inclusions of tough nuts Sophie Casey, Mikala Cann and Ebony O’Dea.

Lauren Butler was having a breakout season for Collingwood in the AFLW before being sidelined with a hamstring, so will be looking to return to form in the VFLW.

Forwards Sophie Alexander, Abbi Moloney, Joanna Lin and Aliesha Newman have been hitting the scoreboard in the Magpies side for weeks now.

And Imogen Purcell, Maddie Shevlin and Amelia Velardo have been showing plenty of pace and run and carry off the half-back line for a few rounds as well.

Imogen Purcell in action for Collingwood's VFLW side, round five, 2021. Picture: AFL Photos

DAREBIN 
Darebin has had Jess Dal Pos and Annalyse Lister, both premiership players with the Falcons, return in the last few weeks to add some experience to the line-up.

ESSENDON
Lauren Ahrens and Ruby Svarc were drafted to Gold Coast and Brisbane respectively from Essendon and will return for the remainder of the VFLW season.

Svarc joined sister Catherine Svarc up at the Lions but did not breakthrough for a debut with the eventual 2021 AFLW premiers.

Ahrens, however, had a breakout season with the Suns, winning the Club Champion award. Her experience will be valuable for a Bombers side on the verge of their first ever VFLW finals campaign.

Essendon also has plenty of young talent coming through, with Vic Country representatives Elizabeth Snell and Jemma Finning joining the Bombers for phase two.

Also joining are Vic Metro representatives Kasey Lennox, Zali Friswell, Emelia Yassir and Neve Crowley who will all be looking to show off for recruiters in an in-form Bombers side.

Ruby Svarc in action for Essendon's VFLW team in 2019. Picture: AFL Photos

GEELONG
Nina Morrison, the 2018 number one draft pick, has been named to make her football return for Geelong in the VFLW after suffering her second ACL injury in 2020.

She will join a young Cats side that is arguably the in-form team of the competition - only ladder leaders Collingwood has a winning streak as long.

The current run of success has been off the back of Geelong’s young AFLW stars performing week in and week out in the VFLW. Darcy Moloney, Laura Gardiner, Georgia Clarke, Steph Williams and Olivia Barber have been the difference so far in the state league season.

Experienced players Amy McDonald, Bec Goring, Renee Garing, Richelle Cranston and Madeline Keryk will also return to the fold to continue after a tough AFLW campaign.

Sophie van de Heuval, Carly Remmos and Madisen Maguire have also been plying their trade this year in the VFLW, looking to improve.

Potential AFLW draftees joining the Cats lower level lineup include lively Vic Country forward Poppy Schaap, strong midfielders Tess Craven and Chloe Leonard, and interceptor Elizabeth Dowling, also from Vic Country.

Chloe Leonard enjoys Vic Country training, 2021. Picture: AFL Photos

HAWTHORN
2018 VFLW Premiership Stars Phoebe McWilliams and Chantella Perera will return for the Hawks in the hopes of helping their side finish the season strongly.

Mikayla Morrison will also join after her first season with Fremantle in the AFLW. The young forward has turned out for Swan Districts in the WAFLW this season, kicking 10 goals from just four games.

Gold Coast’s Alison Drennan returned home to Victoria and lined up with Hawthorn for the first time in round nine, having an instant impact.

Ashanti Bush and Grace McRae are two young guns who will also appear for the Hawks after playing in the Under 19 National Championships for the Allies and Vic Country respectively.

NORTH MELBOURNE
North Melbourne has had a mixed season so far and having some AFLW talent come down will be welcome for a team just outside finals contention.

Brooke Brown, Alice O’Laughlin, Beth Lynch and Amy Smith have all made multiple VFLW appearances so far this season for the Roos.

Coming down to bolster the side with be Jasmine Grierson, Tahni Nestor, Vivien Saad, Daria Bannister and Elisha King.

Adding some grunt to the midfield will be Ellie Gavalas and Mia King who had great seasons with North in the AFLW.

Brooke Brown locks in a chest mark in round one of VFLW action, 2021. Picture: AFL Photos

PORT MELBOURNE 
Port Melbourne’s alignment with the Richmond Football Club has seen some AFLW Tigers already playing with some big names still to play.

Headlining the changes at the Borough are 2020 number one pick Ellie McKenzie and Richmond’s leading goal kicker Katie Brennan.

Young stars Maddy Brancatisano and Kodi Jacques will also join Port, as will experienced defender Harriet Corder.

Sophie Molan, Sabrina Frederick, Cleo Saxon-Jones, Laure McClelland, Hannah McLaren, Sarah Sasonetti and Alice Edmonds have all appeared already this season for the Borough, with each playing their role.

Tigers Hannah Burchell, Kate Dempsey, Gabby Seymour and Rebecca Miller will also join their teammates, while GWS Giant Katherine Smith will turn out for the Borough.

Top 2021 draft prospect Jaide Anthony will run out for Port - a player capable of playing either end will be a handy inclusion at the business end of the VFLW season.

Jaide Anthony in action for Vic Country at the 2021 AFLW Under 19 Championships. Picture: AFL Photos

SOUTHERN SAINTS 
The Saints will be looking to hold off those just below them on the VFLW ladder and the inclusions of AFLW players will certainly help their cause.

Hot off a second St Kilda AFLW Best and Fairest, Georgia Patrikios will join her teammates in the VFLW to hopefully continue her stellar form.

Best first-year player at the Saints Tyanna Smith will also play and be joined by Molly McDonald, Jayde Van Dyke, Hannah Priest and Tarni White.

The Southern Saints’ strong contingent of AFLW players that will remain for phase two includes Alice Burke, Jess Matin, Tahlia Meyer, Renne Saulitis and Claudia Whitfort.

WESTERN BULLDOGS
The Bulldogs will continue to develop their young and talented AFLW list in the VFLW with many players already appearing multiple times this season.

Isabella Grant, Nell Morris-Dalton, Danielle Marshall and Britney Gutknecht have had an impact in the forward line and on the scoreboard.

Angelica Gogos, Isabella Pritchard, Annabel Strahan and Elisabeth Georgostathis have been good through the midfield.

Bolstering the Dogs’ ruck stocks will be Celine Moody and Ellyse Gamble, with Naomi Ferres, Kim Rennie and Kirsten McLeod also coming into the VFLW side.

Eleanor Brown and Sarah Hartwig will show off their dash from half-back and one of the most exciting young players in Jess Fitzgerald will also come in.

The Lions Beth Pinchin has joined the Bulldogs for the second half of the VFLW season after not playing a game for Brisbane in 2021.

Vic Country prospects Ella Friend and Tahlia Meier have also joined the Dogs and add even more young talent to the list.

Isabella Grant gets a handball away in the VFLW, round six, 2021. Picture: AFL Photos

WILLIAMSTOWN  
Williamstown this week announced a partnership with Greater Western Sydney that will see players from NSW come down to show their wares in the VFLW.

The biggest inclusion from the Giants is captain Alicia Eva, who will reunite with former teammate Penny Cula-Reid from Collingwood’s inaugural AFLW List.

Tarni Evans, Lisa Steane, Erin Todd, Libby Graham and dual-sport athlete Taylah Davies will filter through the Seagulls’ line-up for the remainder of the season.

Also joining Williamstown is Gold Coast’s Bess Keaney who enjoyed a brilliant debut season down back with the Suns.