For Crows two-time Premiership mentor Matthew Clarke, connection is at the heart of his coaching philosophy.

And a big part of building connection comes from a yearly tradition which has the players and their families gather for a dinner, hosted by Clarke and his wife Ali.

An event held during the first week of pre-season training, it gives players and their families a chance to connect with one another and set the scene for the season ahead.

New recruit Hannah Ewings took on the role of head chef, with Ebony Marinoff her sous chef, as the group enjoyed a night of great food, banter and connection.

Speaking to AFC Media, Clarke said the night was a critical event on the pre-season calendar. 

“Generally at the start of the pre-season we try to get all the families together and have a chance to connect,” Clarke said.

“Especially for the families of our new players, it's a great chance to get them fully embraced within our community, and allow those mother’s and father’s a chance to chat to people in the same position. 

“For everyone, it’s a good chance to set the scene and make sure everyone is aware that we understand the sacrifices that the families make by their partner or daughter is sending the majority of their life with us for the next few months.

“Creating an environment that is very family orientated is critical for us, and this event is a big part of that.”

On the track, pre-season started with a high intensity, as the work the girls did through the off season allowed for a strong football focus in week one. 

Clarke said he was impressed by how hard the players had worked during the off-season and it would hold them in good stead for the campaign ahead.

“First week down, and we knew due to all the work they did in the off-season that they would be ready to go at a pretty high level straight away,” Clarke said.

“As a result, we’ve been able to jump into some pretty high-intensity footy stuff in week one which is good, because the pre-season will pass quickly and we need to make sure we are ready to go for that first game.

“The mindset of the girls has been fantastic as well, you can tell they are really hungry and committed to each other as they try and get better each and every session.”

The 2025 AFLW season will kick off the week starting Thursday, August 14.