AFLW 2021

Round: AFLW Pre-Season | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

2021 Summary

Most significant among the list changes in the women's team for the 2021 season was the loss of foundation player Sarah Hosking to Richmond, and the acquisition of former Melbourne captain Elise O'Dea – both in trades. The club's highest draft pick, No. 12, went to the recruitment of Mimi Hill. Despite starting the season as one of the premiership favourites, Carlton underperformed across the 2021 AFLW season to finish seventh with a 5–4 record to miss the top six. Although the team was still in contention for sixth place entering the final round, this relied on a heavy victory and other results falling Carlton's way, which did not occur. Across the entire season, Carlton was 0–4 against top eight clubs – including three losses by a goal or less, two of which occurred in the opening two rounds – and 5–0 against the bottom six.

Notable Events: In Round 8 against Gold Coast, Carlton set a new record for the highest score by any team in an AFLW match, 13.9 (87); the score broke the Western Bulldogs' 2018 record of 12.14 (86), and stood until broken in Round 8, 2022. The 60-point winning margin and Darcy Vescio's five goals in the match both set records as the highest in Carlton's AFLW history.

League Awards: Darcy Vescio was the winner of the league's leading goalkicker award, having kicked 16 goals during the home and away season. It was Vescio's second leading goalkicker medal, and their tally of 16 goals broke their own 2017 record of 14 goals in a season.
Two Carlton players were selected in the 21-player team for the All-Australian team: Darcy Vescio at full forward and Breann Moody in the ruck. Kerryn Harrington and Madison Prespakis were also part of the original 40-woman squad.

Club Awards: Darcy Vescio won the club's best and fairest award, polling 66 votes to finish ahead of Nicola Stevens (53 votes) and Kerryn Harrington (49 votes).[95]
Jess Hosking won the coaches' award for demonstrating club values across the season.
Mimi Hill won the Best First Year Player award.

Honours

AFLW Leading Goalkicker: Darcy Vescio
Initial 40-person AFLW All-Australian squad: Kerryn Peterson, Breann Harrington, Madison Prespakis and Darcy Vescio.
Initial 40-person AFLW Players Association Under 22 squad: Midfielders; Grace Egan, Georgia Gee, Madison Prespakis, Lucy McEvoy and Abbie McKay.

Highlights

AFLW Round 8, 2021 - Carlton's AFLW team kicked both a Carlton AFLW and AFLW Competition Record Score: 13.9 (87).

2021 AFL Women's All Australian team:
Ruck: Breann Harrington
Interchange: Darcy Vescio

Ladder

Pos	Team	Wins	Draws	Losses	Points	For	Against	%
1	Adelaide Crows	7	0	2	28	446	214	208.5
2	Brisbane Lions	7	0	2	28	390	200	195.0
3	Collingwood	7	0	2	28	362	190	190.5
4	Melbourne	7	0	2	28	382	293	130.4
5	Fremantle	6	0	3	24	374	202	185.1
6	Kangaroos	6	0	3	24	379	266	142.5
7	Carlton	5	0	4	20	415	330	125.8
8	Western Bulldogs	5	0	4	20	300	340	88.2
9	GWS Giants	4	0	5	16	240	324	74.1
10	Richmond	3	0	6	14	312	369	84.6
11	St Kilda	3	0	6	12	272	391	69.6
12	West Coast Eagles	2	0	7	8	229	432	53.0
13	Geelong Cats	1	0	8	4	164	408	40.2
14	Gold Coast Suns	0	0	0	0	176	482	36.5