Up to eight clubs "could submit bids" for an Australian Football League Women's license "later this month," according to Daniel Cherny of THE AGE. Of the 10 clubs that did not field a women's team in the first season of the national league, it is understood "only Sydney and Port Adelaide have ruled themselves out of the race for a team in the expanded competition" in '19. The five clubs that "tried unsuccessfully" for a team in the inaugural competition -- West Coast, Geelong, St. Kilda, North Melbourne and Richmond -- have all been granted provisional licenses for the expanded competition, meaning they will get "priority weighting" when the AFL Commission chooses the new teams. Hawthorn did not vie for a team in the inaugural season, but indicated it will submit a bid for '19. Meanwhile, Gold Coast is reportedly "discussing whether to lodge a bid" at board and exec levels. Similarly, the AFL is reportedly "expecting an Essendon bid" (THE AGE, 6/4).
ADELAIDE CROWS: The ABC reported Olympian Becchara Palmer signed with AFLW side Adelaide Crows to play in the '18 competition. Palmer, 28, "recently gave up professional volleyball after more than a decade" of int'l competition. The Crows have been "able to sign her as a rookie because she has not played football competitively in the past three years." Palmer is a six-time Australian beach volleyball champion and represented Australia at the 2012 Olympics (ABC, 6/2).
