ANTICIPATION is building for the first bounce of the 2023 West Australian Football League (WAFL) Women’s season, with the official season fixture released yesterday. For the first time in history, eight of the official nine standalone clubs will feature in the league, with East Perth joining the WAFL Women’s senior ranks for the first time.

Fittingly on opening day, March 11, a 2022 WAFL Women’s Grand Final rematch will take place from 2pm at the very venue where Claremont lifted the trophy – Revo Fitness Stadium – when the Tigers lock horns with East Fremantle. The Sharks went undefeated for the season up until the decider, falling at the last hurdle, so will be keen to seek immediate revenge as their opponent unveil their premiership flag.

At the same time across town, newcomers East Perth will tackle West Perth in a guaranteed history-making match. The Falcons only entered the league last season, but went winless throughout the 2022 campaign. They will be favourites against the side that took over their mantle as the newest club, with the Royals an unknown quantity. West Perth has been able to add some much needed experience to its lineup and will be hoping to enjoy its first win in club League history.

Later that day, rivals Peel Thunder and Swan Districts will go head-to-head down in Mandurah, another venue that shaped the finals series. Despite finishing on top in their head-to-head and third overall, the Thunder went down in a heartbreaking finish against the Swans at Lane Group Stadium, bowing out of the finals in the first week and unable to achieve a potential three-peat.

On Sunday, the two sides that missed finals but avoided the wooden spoon meet, with Subiaco hosting South Fremantle. It will be the second game of the weekend at Leederville Oval, with the standalone Sunday afternoon clash taking place from 2pm local time.

The March 11-12 opening round is the first of 16, with the league running until June 24-25. In 13 of the 16 weeks, all eight teams will take to the field, eliminating the bye from last season. The exceptions are a full league bye in the fifth round, and then a split round across Round 12-13.

Ultimately, each team will face every other team twice in a 14-game fixture, leading up to the WAFL Women’s finals series. The finals series will commence on July 1, with the three-week finals series set to run until the grand final on July 15/16 with a venue yet to be determined.