TWO-TIME All Australian Eilish Sheerin was one of 22 AFLW Richmond players to visit Wangaratta on Monday and the champion, now midfielder, shared her thoughts about the season that's set to start just before the AFL finals series.
The 11 round season is expected to commence in the last weekend of August and Sheerin is pumped for her Tigers' chances.
Sheerin said the club has recruited well with the likes of young West Australian Charli Wicksteed, who accompanied Sherrin on their visit to Wangaratta's St Patrick's Primary School on Monday.
Wicksteed re-signed with the Tigers after an impressive debut season that saw her recognised as the team's best first-year player.
Shelby Knoll also joined her teammates and the forward from Castlemaine is looking forward to her AFLW debut.
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"We've got some great new talent coming in through the draft and through the trade period and it's really exciting how that's going to bolster us, and we've been training really hard in the pre-season so it's looking really good and I'm excited," Sheerin said.
"The first year the Tigers had a finals win (2022), we ended up in the top four so it was a great season for us and last year we were a little bit disappointed we weren't able to repeat that success.
"We had a fair share of injuries unfortunately and that's part of football."
Sheerin said this season they're looking at building on from the success of the 2022 season and going back into that top four or top eight contention to make finals again.
The Tigers are looking to play Sheerin to her strengths more this season with a role in the midfield beckoning the dynamic ball-winner.
"I've loved playing off the half back, it was a great introduction to AFLW and it gave me the freedom to explore my talents and understand the systems in the team," she said.
"Now that I've had that development and support at Richmond, I'm looking forward to move into the midfield.
"We've got Mon Conti (2023 league best and fairest), the best in the business in there, so I'll see how I can support her - Grace Egan, Ellie McKenzie too, some big names, so I'm really looking forward to being a part of that group.
"We've got Montana McKinnon coming from Adelaide who is a great young talent, and with Poppy Kelly, will be our key rucks.
"There is a lot to like about that and playing my role in there and hopefully driving the team to bigger successes."
Women's football has bounced from strength to strength since its beginning and Sheerin said there's plenty more growth in the future.
"There's a huge ground swell for women's sport and AFLW is a big part of that, especially in country Victoria - you can't be what you can't see," Sheerin said.
"That's an important thing about coming out here and doing things like visiting schools and really supporting that development that the AFL has invested so much, in the women's competition.
"They've helped support that growth and development because it really is as wonderful game and we want to see as many girls as possible playing AFL across Australia, and in particular country Victoria."
Sheerin said the goal that everyone is striving for is full-time professionalism so and they'd love to be playing 18 matches a season.
"We train a lot and we train to play and that's a real step in the iteration of the game, playing more and being able to play every other team in the competition," she said.
"Whatever that looks like for the AFL and being able to deliver that - if that means playing before the men, then absolutely."
Sheerin said the season is expected to start the last weekend of August just before the AFL finals commence.
"I believe the draw will be coming out this week so I'm looking forward to see who we'll be matching up against.
She did let the cat out of the bag and confirmed that Richmond will be playing a game in Darwin this season.
"We'll be playing in Darwin so if anyone is looking for an active holiday, come and support us," she said.
Some 22 AFLW Richmond players visited Wangaratta schools and fielded a mountain of questions from the children, with the day ending at a footy clinic at the WJ Findlay Oval.
