The Western Bulldogs AFLW playing list for next season will start to come together over the coming weeks, with the 2019 AFLW Sign and Trade Period commencing today.

With four expansion sides entering the league in 2020 (Richmond, St Kilda, West Coast Eagles and Gold Coast Suns), up to twelve players can be added to each expansion club’s list before the trade deadline on Thursday 18 April.

Victorian teams, as well as GWS and Adelaide cannot lose any more than four players to expansion teams during the trade period, while Fremantle and Brisbane can lose up to eight.

After discussions with expansion clubs last week, the AFL have also announced a second Sign and Trade Period to take place between April 23-26.

All AFLW clubs can sign up to three rookie players during the 2019 AFLW Sign and Trade Period, ensuring that the selected rookie players have not been listed with any Australian football team for the past three years.

This year, a draft lottery involving the expansion teams was randomly drawn to determine the current 2019 NAB AFLW Draft order. As it stands, the Western Bulldogs will head to the draft with selections 4, 18, 32, 46 and 60.

The final draft order will be confirmed on April 23, prior to the second Sign and Trade Period.

The 2019 NAB AFLW Draft will take place later in the year, with the AFL to confirm the date following the Sign and Trade Period.