Each week of the 2026 AFLW season, ESPN's Sarah Burt takes a look at what's making news, raising questions, and catching the eye across the competition.
This week's W Files features a follow up to the controversial North Melbourne dominance statement, Ella Roberts' claim at being footy's most important player to their side, and a look at how AFLW attendances are tracking in 2026.
Keep up to date with all the latest on Instagram @espnfooty!
Is a team finally edging closer?!
Hello to everyone who gave me negative feedback on last week's piece, it was noted and read, but I still have to double down and say that North Melbourne remain undefeated. ANYWAY, after Round 5, it would appear that the gap is lessening between the Kangas and one team, which, as a Blues supporter makes me incredibly happy to share.
Carlton genuinely managed to push North harder than anyone has for a long time, taking the lead in the second quarter and staying in the contest right until the final term. The Blues ultimately went down by 10 points, but this felt less like a North Melbourne escape and more like a Carlton statement. These sides played last year in Round 6 with a final margin of 53, so the progression from the Blues is notable.
In the end, North showed us why they're the best in the competition, and I still stand by my claim that they are the team to beat, but it's exciting to see the gap closing in, even if I still think they're going to be lifting the cup.
The end of the first era of W Domination
The Brisbane Lions and the Adelaide Crows both lost to teams they've never lost to before, and that's significant in many ways. Two-time premiership winners the Lions, and three-time premiers the Crows both lost on the weekend to teams they haven't fallen to in the history of AFLW.
The Crows bowed to the Cats by 11 points, while the Lions lost to West Coast by just five points, and it marks something really significant. Both Geelong and the Eagles have been emerging sides, looking for their breakout time, and for each to do so against historically dominant sides is important. Brisbane and Adelaide were always the teams to be on the lookout for, and now they both sit outside of the top eight.
Ella Roberts
Speaking of West Coast, Ella Roberts is a name we all know, but she is fast becoming one of the most important players in the AFLW. The 21-year-old was outstanding in the Eagles' five-point win over Brisbane, finishing with 33 disposals, 11 clearances, eight tackles, six marks, and 696 metres gained before producing a clinching late tackle on Jade Ellenger as the Lions pushed for a comeback.
Perhaps the most interesting part of Roberts' performance was what it says about West Coast's reliance on her. The Eagles had spoken during the week about needing to provide their star midfielder with greater support, and against Brisbane they did exactly that, with Bella Lewis and Charlotte Riggs among those stepping up around her. Roberts' performance was enormous, but the next challenge for West Coast is making sure she doesn't have to be extraordinary every week for the Eagles to compete.
My favourite stat of the round
After five rounds, 166,013 fans have attended AFLW matches, with attendance tracking 43% ahead of the same point last season. More than 97,000 people came through the gates across the opening two rounds alone, almost double the figure recorded across Rounds 1 and 2 in 2025.
Additionally, all five rounds this season currently sit inside the top 12 highest-scoring rounds in AFLW history, while the season average for scoring is the highest on record. We're also seeing record levels of scoring shots, effective metres gained and metres gained by handball, while more players have kicked three or more goals through the opening five rounds than at the same point in any previous AFLW season.
Round 5 added another little reminder that this growth isn't just happening at the big stadiums, either. The Sydney derby drew 7,340 fans to Henson Park, while 4,048 packed into Arden Street Oval for North Melbourne vs. Carlton, both new attendance benchmarks for AFLW matches at those venues.