Carlton Supporters Club

“We’re incredibly pleased to have been granted a VFLW licence for the 2018 season, which will further strengthen our pathways to develop young talent coming through the ranks in women’s football,” Keeping said.

“The VFLW program will work alongside our senior women’s side, meaning there will be a strong continuity and alignment for our players in the program.

“Being awarded a licence is a further show of faith that Carlton is genuine in its approach to women’s football and we’re delighted to only strengthen that commitment with a VFLW side in 2018 and beyond.”

Having refused to move men's games to bigger venues to deal with capacity demands, the AFL has done just with that with its women's league, at the first opportunity.

The league announced on Monday that the historic AFLW opener between Collingwood and Carlton on Friday week would be moved from the Magpies' training ground - Olympic Park Oval - to be held under lights at the Blues' traditional home of Ikon Park - formerly Princes Park.

Fairfax Media revealed on Sunday that the league was considering a move due to concerns that too many fans would be turned away from the Olympic Boulevard venue, which has almost no seats and a standing capacity of around 5000.

Ikon Park's capacity since its latest redevelopment is around 22,000.

AFL general manager of game and market development, Simon Lethlean - who has overseen much of the planning for the women's league - explained that the decision was made to prevent fans being turned away at the gates.

"All footy fans who want to see the opening AFLW match will now have the opportunity to do so at Ikon Park," Lethlean said.

"The move ensures no one will miss out as Ikon Park offers greater capacity.

"It is fantastic the new AFLW competition has so much momentum and interest. The AFLW opening round is an historic occasion and I'm looking forward to seeing the players in action from February 3."

The match,which will be broadcast live on Channel Seven and Fox Footy, will now start at 7:45pm - and remains free of charge, as do all AFLW matches other than those that serve as curtain raisers to men's pre-season matches.

Carlton become the first named club on the fixture list given it is now a Blues' home game.

"There will still be a process and there will be every year," football boss Andrew McKay told Fairfax Media.

"But in staying that, the only way he [Marc Murphy] wouldn't be [captain] is if the players didn't vote for him and that wouldn't happen."

McKay has praised Murphy's growth as a leader since he was struck down with syndesmosis in his ankle midway through 2016.

While he was sorely missed on the field by his teammates, McKay says his performance as a leader off the field was first-class.

"One of the benefits of him not playing much last year is it gave Murph the ability to lead off the field and he stepped up to the plate, which was fantastic."

"He really got stuck into the leadership aspect last year which was great.

"Absolutely he has [become a better captain]. It's given him enormous opportunity to lead."