Reigning premiers Melbourne are predicted to have another strong year in the 2023 NAB AFLW Season, according to the 18 AFLW captains who gathered on Monday for the annual Captains Day.

As all 18 club representatives made their way to Melbourne to officially launch the 2023 NAB AFLW Season, they were anonymously polled on five key questions on how they believe the season will unfold, with Melbourne (fourteen votes), Adelaide Crows (two votes), Geelong Cats (one vote) and North Melbourne (one vote) drawing nominations for which other club apart from their own is most likely to push into this year’s Grand Final.

North Melbourne's newest recruit, Kate Shierlaw, is set to make impact where it counts as she is tipped to kick the most goals in the competition with five votes, followed by last year's leading goalkicker and St Kilda recruit Jess Wardlaw (St Kilda), Caitlin Greiser (Richmond), Chloe Scheer (Geelong Cats) and Aine Tighe (Fremantle) all taking two votes each.

Three captains predicted North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos star onballer Jas Garner to win the competition's Best and Fairest award, while one has tipped fellow midfielder Ash Riddell to achieve the feat.

Garner was also selected by four skippers as the player they would most like to bring into their own club, while key forward Tahlia Randall was also chosen.

The 2023 NAB AFLW Rising Star is predicted to be wide open with Matilda Scholz (Port Adelaide), Jas Fleming (Hawthorn) and Alana Gee (Gold Coast SUNS) level on two votes each. North Melbourne's Tess Craven also received a vote.

Which team aside from your own is most likely to reach the NAB AFLW Grand Final?
(Eight captains correctly picked Melbourne in Season Seven)
14 – Melbourne
2 – Adelaide Crows
1 – Geelong Cats
1 – North Melbourne

Who will win the competition Best and Fairest?
(No captains predicted Ally Anderson, Brisbane Lions, to win the 2022 Season Seven AFLW Best and Fairest)
7 - Monique Conti (Richmond)
3 - Jasmine Garner (North Melbourne)
2 - Anne Hatchard (Adelaide Crows)
1 - Ash Riddell (North Melbourne)
1 - Kiara Bowers (Fremantle)
1 - Georgie Prespakis (Geelong Cats)
1 - Maddy Prespakis (Essendon)
1 - Alyce Parker (GWS GIANTS)
1 - Bri Davey (Collingwood)

Who will kick the most goals in the competition?
(One captain predicted Jesse Wardlaw, formerly Brisbane Lions, to kick the most goals in Season Seven)
5 - Kate Shierlaw (North Melbourne)
2 - Jesse Wardlaw (St Kilda)
2 - Caitlin Greiser (Richmond)
2 - Chloe Scheer (Geelong Cats)
2 - Aine Tighe (Fremantle)
1 – Tayla Harris (Melbourne)
1 - Kate Hore (Melbourne)
1 - Ash Woodland (Port Adelaide)
1 - Dakota Davidson (Brisbane Lions)
1 - Ella Roberts (West Coast Eagles)

Who will win the NAB AFLW Rising Star?
(One captain predicted Hannah Ewings, Port Adelaide, to win the 2022 NAB AFL Season Seven Women's Rising Star Award)
2 - Alana Gee (Gold Coast SUNS)
2 - Jasmine Fleming (Hawthorn)
2 - Matilda Scholz (Port Adelaide)
1 - Sarah Goodwin (Adelaide Crows)
1 - Charlie Mullins (Brisbane Lions)
1 - Mia Austin (Carlton)
1 - Amber Clarke (Essendon) 
1 - Charlotte Baskaran (Hawthorn)
1 - Zarlie Goldsworthy (GWS GIANTS)
1 - Bridie Hipwell (Hawthorn)
1 - Tess Craven (North Melbourne)
1 - Stella Reid (Richmond)
1 - Abby Bushby (West Coast Eagles)
1 - Sofia Hurley (Sydney)
1 - Charlotte Blair (Collingwood)

If you could recruit another player from any AFLW club who would it be?
4 - Jasmine Garner (North Melbourne)
3 - Kate Hore (Melbourne)
2 - Montana Ham (Sydney Swans)
1 - Bri Davey (Collingwood)
1 - Tahlia Randall (North Melbourne)
1 - Ruby Schleicher (Collingwood)
1 - Tyla Hanks (Melbourne)
1 - Mimi Hill (Carlton)
1 - Monique Conti (Richmond)
1 - Courtney Hodder (Brisbane Lions)
1 - Danielle Ponter (Adelaide Crows)
1 - Alyce Parker (GWS GIANTS)

The full survey results were polled by:
Adelaide Crows – Sarah Allan
Brisbane Lions – Bre Koenen
Carlton – Kerryn Peterson
Collingwood – Bri Davey
Essendon – Stephanie Cain
Fremantle – Hayley Miller
Geelong Cats – Meghan McDonald
Gold Coast SUNS – Tara Bohanna 
GWS GIANTS – Alicia Eva
Hawthorn – Tilly Lucas-Rodd 
Melbourne – Kate Hore 
North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos – Emma Kearney 
Port Adelaide – Erin Phillips 
Richmond – Katie Brennan 
St Kilda – Hannah Priest 
Sydney Swans – Chloe Molloy 
West Coast Eagles – Emma Swanson 
Western Bulldogs – Ellie Blackburn