Chyloe Kurdas is former All Australian and Victorian representative, and VWFL Premiership captain with Melbourne University. She spent a decade with AFL Victoria building their community and high performance programs in anticipation of the AFLW competition. Chyloe credits being one the first women to play football on the MCG as one best days of her life.
In what was 159 years in the making, Round 1 of the inaugural AFLW could barely have been more memorable. Friday night's reincarnation of the oldest rivalry in the game was apparent as diehard Collingwood and Carlton fans chanted and cheered in the most tribal of ways, only leaving their seats momentarily upon the final siren to provide their women with an enduring standing ovation.
Those in neutral colours were ecstatic to simply witness history. And history happened - again and again - across the weekend.
Over 24000 made it into the first game before the lockout that will be etched in AFLW folklore. Kudos to both AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan for apologising in person to disappointed fans who couldn't squeeze into the ground with such sincerity and empathy, and to the broadcast team for placing a television outside of their production truck to help ease the pain for some of the 2000 fans who missed out.
The fact that Carlton won with ease has been dwarfed by the occasion itself and the emergence of stars such as Darcy Vescio, whose name was chanted by hordes of the Carlton faithful for much of the game.
On Saturday, Adelaide defeated an injury-riddled Greater Western Sydney in front of nearly 10,000 in wet conditions, and later that night at Whitten Oval, another 10,000 saw what was touted as a grand final preview when the Western Bulldogs easily accounted for Fremantle. An epic summer storm at Casey Fields provided a dramatic Round 1 finale that saw lightning almost strike the ground, causing umpires to hastily call the players off the field mid-way in the second term in Melbourne's eventual loss to Brisbane.
By the weekend's close, spectator numbers hit 50,000 and television audiences neared two million - something unprecedented in Australian women's sport.
The power of the women's game was clearly demonstrated, a claim that the women charged with building female football across the country have always spruiked. For the uninitiated however, it was like bursting a well-contained bubble that unleashed something that most had no idea they would love so much with such immediacy.
In four games, AFLW gifted us an atmosphere that made us all feel special, that this competition belonged to all of us, and with that came an outpouring of unrivaled happiness.
It also gave us clear insight into what we might expect in the coming weeks.
Most fans have happily heeded the AFL's request for patience in relation to the skill level of the players and have reveled in the physicality of the games instead. The suburban nature of the competition will continue to be a winner, with many fans commenting on the nostalgic reminders the trek by foot, tram or train to the grounds stimulated.
On field, the Bulldogs' electrifying pace, defensive pressure, versatility at stoppages and long kicking efficiency has seen them rocket to flag favourites after one showing. Carlton's well-rounded performance across all areas of the ground looks to be threatening enough for them to be considered premiership contenders at this point, but we will have to wait to gauge how closely the two teams might be when they square off in Round 5.
The unpredictable nature of the new competition will result in upsets, as was the case in Brisbane's easy demolition of a young Demons outfit, and the teams that didn't quite get the results they hoped for will restructure as they learn more about themselves and their opposition.
Longer kicking will become a greater offensive feature as teams look to manufacture much-needed space, as the AFL's promise that 16-a-side football will minimise congestion remains unfulfilled thus far. Conversely, with the shortened game time making it difficult to overcome deficits of a few goals, teams will look to create more congestion when they don't have the ball to restrict free-flowing scoring by their opposition so as to keep them within reach.
Round 2 will see the Whitten Oval again host the Western Bulldogs as they meet Adelaide on Friday night, which will leave only one of the two undefeated. GWS will seek to challenge ladder-leader Carlton on Saturday, whilst a proud Collingwood side will hope to lift themselves off the bottom of the ladder when they take on the winless Demons. Brisbane will endure their second long road trip in as many weeks, and will be tested when facing a hurting Fremantle unit spurred on by coach Michelle Cowan's comments highlighting their lack of contributors in their Round 1 loss.
If Round 1 changed history, Round 2 will begin to shape the future.