Juliet Haslam has explained once the CBA is finalised, the club can officially sign new players and extend contracts of the current list. Image: Matt Sampson.

PLANNING is underway for Port Adelaide’s second AFLW campaign despite a lack of clarity from the league on when it will start.

Negotiations on the next Collective Bargaining Agreement are ongoing, limiting the AFL’s ability to set timeframes for the eighth season of AFLW.

At Port Adelaide’s Annual General Meeting, the club’s Head of AFLW, Juliet Haslam conceded the side “needed more wins” in its inaugural campaign and was already working on bolstering its depth.

She explained that once the CBA was finalised, the club would be able to officially sign new players and extend the contracts of “the bulk” of the current list.

After being given just three months to build a squad and prepare it for its inaugural AFLW campaign, Port Adelaide won one and drew one game but surprised many in the competition with its competitiveness.

Haslam used a speech at Friday’s AGM to point out some of the highlights of the debut AFLW season including the first training session in front of supporters and the men’s team at Alberton Oval, 16 players making their AFLW debuts, the sold out first home game and Hannah Ewings being named the competition’s Rising Star and the club best and fairest in her debut year.

But she said the women’s group had embraced the expectations of success at Port Adelaide and preparations were being made to improve the side in 2023.

“Both (Senior Coach) Lauren Arnell and (Captain) Erin Phillips are currently working in our AFL men’s program to refine and develop their coaching craft. Their learnings will no doubt be hugely beneficial to our AFLW group,” she said.

“We know our fitness needs to improve, and our players are currently working hard on this throughout their off-season.

“Most of our players will play in the upcoming SANFLW season to maximise game time and match fitness.

“We are committed to maintaining continuity in our young list and will re-sign the bulk of our group.

“We do know however, we need to add height to our side and recruit some key players, including a ruck, a tall defender and a key forward. Our list manager Naomi Maidment is working hard on this behind the scenes.”

Haslam said all bar three of last year’s players would play in the SANFLW competition with those drafted from that competition to return to their original clubs and players recruited from interstate split between the sides in a mini draft of sorts.

Ruck Liz McGrath is the only confirmed player departure so far.

“A key objective is to grow and develop our W program to be best in class - a program that players, coaches, and staff from all over the country want to be a part of, to add significant value to Port Adelaide as a major destination club,” Haslam said.

“We are committed to building towards our first AFLW premiership side and are so excited to see what we can achieve in 2023 and beyond.”