The best commentary team in footy is ready and raring for an elite 10th season of the AFLW competition live and free on Seven, 7mate and 7plus Sport.

A blockbuster double-header kicks it all off on Thursday night as the league’s 18 teams prepare for 12 weeks of battle ahead of the finals and the AFLW grand final in November.

In a major coup for Seven viewers, legendary broadcaster Bruce McAvaney will host coverage of the Carlton-Collingwood opener while Australian Football Hall of Fame inductee Erin Phillips also returns for the full season.

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Seven will also welcome rising star Jack Heverin to the commentary team following his successful contribution to the recent 7AFL Kids Call campaign.

In addition to Phillips and Heverin, Seven also welcomes back a stellar line-up of the game’s best callers and experts, including Jason Bennett, Nigel Carmody, Natalie Edwards, Melissa Hickey, Abbey Holmes, Akec Makur Chuot, Kate McCarthy, Alister Nicholson, Sarah Olle, Jo Wotton and current North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos AFLW star Libby Birch.

Rounding out the team are 7NEWS Melbourne sport reporters Theo Doropoulos and Kate Massey.

AFL greats Nick Riewoldt, Matthew Richardson and Cameron Ling will join Seven’s commentary team for Round 1.

Fans will also enjoy more in-depth coverage on the screens of Seven with increased slow-motion cameras, drone usage and player interviews on the boundary.

The use of ball chip technology also arrives for the first time in an AFLW broadcast.

In celebration of her Hall of Fame honour, Erin Phillips joins Seven’s Unfiltered this week for an unmissable sit-down with Hamish McLachlan.

Reflecting on her extraordinary dual-sport career, Erin opens up about the highs, the heartbreaks and the moments that shaped her on and off the field.

The powerful episode of Unfiltered airs Wednesday night at 9.30pm on Seven and 7plus Sport, straight after The Front Bar.

Match action gets underway on Thursday with Carlton v Collingwood, and straight after the full-time siren Seven will head to Western Australia for the Eagles’ clash with the Suns.

Coverage begins from 7pm AEST live and free on Seven, 7mate and 7plus Sport.

The following matches will round out Seven’s Round 1 coverage:

• Sydney Swans v Richmond, Friday 5.00pm AEST on 7mate and 7plus (NSW only)
• GWS GIANTS v Essendon, Saturday 5.30pm AEST on 7mate and 7plus (NSW only)
• Western Bulldogs v Melbourne, Saturday 7.30pm AEST on 7mate and 7plus
• Brisbane Lions v Hawthorn, Sunday 12.30pm AEST on Seven, 7mate and 7plus
• St Kilda v Adelaide Crows, Sunday 1.30pm AEST on Seven and 7plus (SA only)
• Port Adelaide v Fremantle, Sunday 3.30pm AEST (SA) and 2.00pm (WA) on Seven, 7mate and 7plus

Footy fans will be treated to more women’s footy content when Seven brings back its weekly AFLW talk show Talking W starring Kate McCarthy and AFL Media’s Riley Beveridge.

Kate and Riley will discuss all the biggest women’s footy headlines while providing expert match analysis and takeaways from the previous round, live and free on 7plus Sport every Tuesday night.

“We’re at an important moment in AFLW’s history and I suspect this season is going to be even bigger than the past nine. I cannot wait,” McCarthy said.

“Looking at the clubs and how they’ve handled the gruelling pre-season, it’s hard to go past the big three — Kangaroos, Brisbane and Adelaide. However, outside of those, I expect Melbourne to step up again and have a real impact on the competition.

“Hawthorn will be burning after the finals heartbreak last year and Fremantle also have some guns back and I think will be a real challenge.

“Ash Centra was pick No.1 for a reason and I cannot wait to see her burst out of the gates and have an unbelievable first season. Havana Harris has been ready for a long time and viewers should be excited about her potential impact this year.”

Footy fans in NSW, South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland will also be able to tune into matches featuring teams from their home states, live and free on Seven and 7plus Sport.

Watch AFLW on Seven and 7plus Sport

THURSDAY, AUGUST 14

Carlton v Collingwood

Sydney and Brisbane 7.00pm live on 7mate and 7plus Sport

Melbourne 7.00pm live on Seven and 7plus Sport

Adelaide 6.30pm live on 7mate and 7plus Sport

Perth 5.00pm live on 7mate and 7plus Sport

West Coast v Gold Coast

Sydney and Brisbane 9.10pm live on 7mate and 7plus Sport

Melbourne 9.10pm live on Seven and 7plus Sport

Adelaide 8.40pm live on 7mate and 7plus Sport

Perth 7.10pm live on 7mate and 7plus Sport

Head here to watch the season openers live and free on 7plus Sport

FRIDAY, AUGUST 15

Sydney v Richmond

Sydney 5.00pm live on 7two and 7plus Sport

SATURDAY, AUGUST 16

GWS Giants v Essendon

Sydney 5.30pm live on 7mate and 7plus Sport

Western Bulldogs v Melbourne

Melbourne 7.30pm live on 7mate and 7plus Sport

Brisbane 7.30pm live on 7mate and 7plus Sport

Perth 5.30pm live on 7mate and 7plus Sport

SUNDAY, AUGUST 17

Brisbane v Hawthorn

Melbourne 12.30pm live on Seven and 7plus Sport

Brisbane 12.30pm live on 7mate and 7plus Sport

St Kilda v Adelaide Crows

Adelaide 1.30pm live Seven on 7plus Sport

Port Adelaide v Fremantle

Adelaide 3.30pm live on Seven and 7plus Sport

Perth 2.00pm live on 7mate and 7plus Sport

TUESDAY, AUGUST 19

Talking W

National 7.00pm on 7plus Sport

Head here to watch AFLW and Talking W live and free on 7plus Sport