If you're a footy head like us, one look at social media this week and you would have seen "The Centra Effect" taking over. If you missed it, Ash Centra was the No. 1 draft pick in the 2024 AFLW draft, now firmly embedded in Collingwood's four walls already, she innocuously bounced the footy between her legs during warm up on the weekend, and the result was huge.
A rare cultural crossover between the AFL men's world saw the Collingwood male team trying to replicate the trick (often unsuccessfully) and tapped into the social media stronghold AFLW players have established on keen onlookers for years.
It is clear that social media has become one of the biggest ways that the AFLW promotes itself, with players open to embracing trends and finding their unique voice online to establish a personal brand which translates to more fans of the game.
Players like Carlton's Abby and Sophie McKay (@themckaysisters), Matilda Scholz of Port Adelaide (@matildascholz), Swan Ally Morphett (@allymorphett), and former Adelaide Crow Jess Waterhouse (@jwaterhouse21) have all successfully built followings on TikTok, promoting the game, their lifestyle as athletes and showing off their personalities in doing so.
Scholz told AFL.com last week that "it's a bit of an incentive to keep posting; the more you post, the more you get yourselves out there, which gets Port Adelaide and the AFLW out there too."
It seems like a simple recipe, but it's not something many athletes are comfortable doing, however the niche the AFLW cohort have carved out for themselves is deep, engaged and excited.
Centra wasn't the only debutant that drew eyeballs to the game this week, with some of the on-field performances of the league's debutants in Round 1 causing a groundswell in positivity heading into Season 2025.
Ash Centra's pre-game moment bouncing the ball through her legs really took off on the socials, with the men's teams 'trying the Centra' as the weekend's social trend. It's a rare cultural crossover moment for the dub but was awesome to see.
Touted as a "Super Draft," the youngsters who ran out for the first time over the weekend absolutely stole the show and proved that the AFLW is entering a new era bookended by growing talent pathways and expanded interest in women's footy across the nation.
Ash Centra is here to change AFLW as we know it pic.twitter.com/LuBsbviqev
— bear 🧸 (@beartorius) August 14, 2025
18-year-old Sydney Swans draftee Zippy Fish clocked the most disposals ever on debut, equalled only by former league best and fairest winner Brianna Davey. Finishing the day with 26 disposals, 2 tackles and 5 marks as well as two score involvements.
Telling Fox Footy broadcast post-game that she doesn't "get nervous for anything," it was a nod to the new crop of players that are coming through with confidence, sheer talent and the appropriate development to perform at the top level with immediacy.
West Coast Eagle Lucia Painter was nominated as the round's Rising Star after she booted three goals in their match against the Gold Coast Suns, Essendon's Holly Ridewood finished with two at Manuka Oval in their demolition of the GWS Giants, while Ash Centra, Grace Belloni, Zoe Besanko, India Rasheed, Havana Harris and Poppy Scholz all got themselves on the scoreboard for their sides in their debut games.
AFLW General Manager, Emma Moore said the growth of the game has been exponential thanks to the strengthened talent pathways.
"It's incredible to see the level of talent coming through the system now and we saw a number of terrific debut performances from last year's draftees across Round One," Moore said.
"Of the 60 draftees to be selected at our first national draft last year, we had 29 run out for the first time including 14 of the top 18 selected in 2024. To see Sydney's Zippy Fish equal Bri Davey's record of 26 disposals on debut in an AFLW game, Collingwood's Ash Centra join the 'first kick first goal' club and West Coast Eagles' Lucia Painter kick three goals and be named the first 2025 Telstra AFLW Rising Star, highlights the terrific talent and stories that shaped the opening round.
"From NAB AFL Auskick, to community footy and through to the talent pathways programs, our girls who are now being drafted have had the same continuous opportunities to play as the boys. This uninterrupted development is something we've continued to strengthen as the competition has evolved.
"It's also important that we keep building the foundation from grassroots and ensure participation remains strong for women and girls, which is a key part of our new AFLW Growth Strategy to progress the game for generations to come."
One thing is for sure, the future of AFLW is bright. Bring on Round 2.