THE 2022 AFL Women’s season is almost upon us, so it’s time to take a look at each of the competing teams and see where they sit as we head into another season.

Today we will take a look at Collingwood, who’s season finished in the Preliminary Final at the hands of Brisbane and will be looking to go one better in 2022. Coming into this season, Collingwood are coming off another great year in 2021. They recorded six straight wins and made the Preliminary Final, but narrowly lost to Brisbane. They will certainly be looking to go that one step further in 2022, and the new recruits they’ve brought in will certainly help them achieve that goal.

They’ve brought in Sabrina Frederick from Richmond, while Alison Downie was an absolute steal in the trade period and essentially able to walk over from Carlton. Collingwood also drafted Imogen Barnett, Eloise Chaston and Eliza James.

Barnett comes into the team from the Collingwood VFLW program, is an exciting prospect for Pies fans and a bit of a hidden gem. She has proven her abilities as a tall forward at VFLW level, and will be looking to show the AFLW world what she can do. Frederick is also a dangerous tall forward target, and while she has not always been able to prove it at her previous clubs, she was able to show in the practice match last weekend how much of a dangerous forward she can truly be.

Speaking of the practice match, Collingwood also proved that they were not going to have any issues filling the whole that the retirement of Sharni Norder created. Erica Fowler and Downie were able to fill that role without any issues, and Imogen Purcell even chipped in to help with the ruck duties at times. Frederick also took some of the forward line ruck duties.

Collingwood and its fans will be licking their lips at the site of the early parts of the 2022 season. Three very winnable games to start 2022, before hosting Fremantle could see the Pies in a great position heading into the middle part of the season. A trip to Brisbane will be a huge test to see where the Pies are at, then four out of the last five games are very winnable. The exception to this is Adelaide, who at its home deck is always a daunting prospect.

Regardless, Collingwood will definitely be one of the premiership contenders again in 2022. That forward line is a daunting prospect to for any opposition, and with talent and experience across the ground, 2022 may be Collingwood’s year.

2022 squad:

• Sophie Alexander
• Jordyn Allen
• Imogen Barnett
• Brittany Bonnici
• Ash Brazill
• Tarni Brown
• Lauren Butler
• Mikala Cann
• Sophie Casey
• Eloise Chaston
• Steph Chiocci
• Brianna Davey
• Alison Downie
• Erica Fowler
• Sabrina Frederick
• Eliza James
• Jaimee Lambert
• Joanna Lin
• Stacey Livingstone
• Chloe Molloy
• Abbi Moloney
• Aliesha Newman
• Ebony O’Dea
• Alana Porter
• Imogen Purcell
• Sarah Rowe
• Ruby Schleicher
• Aishling Sheridan
• Bella Smith
• Amelia Velardo