AFLW star and Adelaide midfielder Ebony Marinoff has put forward an ideal start date for the women's competition, saying that a kick-off in June or July would benefit the sport greatly.
The women's competition has been played all over the calendar, including in the midst of summer and following the men's competition.
Usually placed within the pre-finals bye for the men's competition, the AFLW, in anticipation of its growth, has been brought into August to begin the 2025 campaign, two weeks earlier than the year before.
Marinoff believes the long and enduring men's season "takes its toll" on fans and supporters, who are fatigued by football overload.
"I don't know if there's a perfect window, we probably haven't quite nailed that," Marinoff said at the Fox Footy and Kayo Sports 2025 AFL Season Launch.
"I certainly think moving it a little bit earlier away from November and December is a good one.
"I think after the men's season it kind of takes its toll on all footy fans.
"I think potentially have a (men's) mid-season bye where we have an opening round and then we finish up maybe when the boys have their bye round before finals.
"I'd like to see it played in June or July but I have to wait until August until I will get the boots on.
"Hopefully in the next couple of years when we start adding some rounds and playing everyone once, hopefully, one day soon, we can really start setting the AFLW season in stone."
The Crows lost their third straight preliminary final in 2024, going down to Brisbane by 18 points, as well as North Melbourne (one point) and the Lions again (23 points) in the years proceeding.
However, the 2024 AFLW Best and Fairest winner is buoyed by what the club can achieve in the upcoming season, as well as what their trio (Kayleigh Cronin, Hannah Ewings and Grace Kelly) of recruits can add.
"We've made a few list changes in the off-season," she said.
"(We've added) a bit of speed, which we lacked against Brisbane Lions and have been over the last couple of years.
"Hopefully injecting that holds us in good stead."
Fox Footy and Kayo Sports are set to reign supreme over the AFL landscape, hosting all nine matches with their own commentary team for the first time after securing the rights to the prime time slots.
