Footy will make its long-awaited return for Fremantle’s AFLW players this Saturday with a blockbuster RAC Derby to open the season at Fremantle Oval.

Officially Fremantle are the only winners after three clashes in the NAB AFL Women’s Competition, but West Coast showed they aren’t far off their local rivals with a nine-point win in a scratch match on 21 December.

Saturday night’s game will be Hayley Miller’s first chance to lead the team and the star midfielder said it would be extra special in a derby.

“It’s even more exciting for it to be the RAC Derby, that’s my first run out as captain. I’m super excited and it’s just an awesome opportunity to just get playing again and that’s what the group wants to do. We just want to get out there and play,” Miller said.

“We didn’t quite finish 2021 how we wanted to. We had a really solid off-season block and our high performance manager Kate Starre did a great job of keeping everyone fit and motivated through that time.

“Coming into the season, most of the group was in a really good space and probably steps ahead of where we were this time last year. The group’s really fit and firing and ready to go.”

The last meeting between the two sides was a 67-point win to Fremantle, with Gemma Houghton’s five goals helping Freo kick their highest AFLW score in Club history.

West Coast were without some of the best players in the game, including former Freo player Dana Hooker.

Miller said West Coast were her pick to be most improved in 2022 and it was Fremantle’s job to ensure they didn’t get their season off to a flyer.

“They’re a much-improved side, certainly form last year,” Miller said.

“You could see it last year in their game style, they have these new girls coming in, they’ve got some great young players and unfortunately, a few injuries last year probably dampened their season a little bit.

“There’s always that rivalry there and we certainly don’t want to lose to them.”

Full Freo contingent set to travel
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