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Zero Hanger’s AFLW 2022 crystal ball: Premiers, best player, rising star and more

The seventh AFLW season is here! Here’s how we’re predicting the campaign to play out πŸ‘‡

Published by
Zero Hanger

The 2022 AFLW season is here, with Carlton and Collingwood to square off in a rivalry match to get the season underway this evening.

For the first time, all 18 teams are involved in the competition, with nine games per week to be played over a ten-round season leading all the way to the back-end of October, before the finals commence in November.

The season commences just over four months after the completion of the final season without 18 teams - a campaign that was won by the Adelaide Crows for the third time in the competition's six-season history.

The Crows will be out to defend their title, but can they?

We posed that question to our Zero Hanger team, as well as plenty of others surrounding the top players, leading goal kickers and what will and won't happen, and here are their answers.

Jake Benoiton (Video Producer and Digital Reporter)

Premiers: Brisbane
Runners-up: Adelaide
Best and fairest: Maddy Presparkis/ Emily Bates
Rising star: Amber Clarke
Leading goal kicker: Katie Brennan
Definitely will happen: Don's become first expansion team to make finals in maiden year
Definitely won't happen: Blues turn tide and start to rise

Ed Carmine (Digital Reporter)

Premiers: Melbourne
Runners-up: Brisbane
Best and fairest: Monique Conti (Richmond)
Rising star: Paige Scott (Essendon)
Leading goal kicker: Dakota Davidson (Brisbane)
Definitely will happen: Bombers earn finals berth in debut season
Definitely won't happen: Crows adding further silverware

Michael Georgiou (Digital Reporter)

Premiers: Melbourne
Runners-up: Essendon
Best and fairest: Ash Riddell
Rising Star: Montana Ham
Leading goal kicker: Tayla Harris
Definitely will happen: Hawks wooden spoon
Definitely won’t happen: Nick Dal Santo keeps his job at season end

Cameron Grimes (Digital and Social Producer)

Premiers: Brisbane
Runners-up: Essendon
Best and fairest: Madison Prespakis (Essendon)
Rising star: Paige Scott (Essendon)
Leading goal kicker: Tayla Harris and Paige Scott (Melbourne/Essendon)
Definitely will happen: Monique Conti wins fifth consecutive club best and fairest award
Definitely won't happen: St Kilda and Hawthorn winning more than two games each

Mitch Keating (Zero Hanger Editor)

Premiers: Melbourne
Runners-up: Brisbane
Best and Fairest: Jas Garner
Rising Star: Jasmine Fleming
Leading goal kicker: Kate Hore
Definitely will happen: Dees, Daisy land elusive flag
Definitely won’t happen: Bombers bust in inaugural campaign

Danielle Sorati (Digital Reporter)

Premiers: Melbourne
Runners-up: Brisbane
Best and fairest: Emily Bates (Brisbane)
Rising star: Montana Ham (Sydney)
Leading goal kicker: Kate Hore (Melbourne)
Definitely will happen: Erin Phillips BOG in Showdown
Definitely won't happen: St Kilda improve on season six form

Published by
Zero Hanger