Pride has always been at the centre of the AFLW and the values the league aims to promote in communities across the country.  

As the AFLW enters the second week of its Pride Round celebration for 2026, Sydney Swans forward Chloe Molloy and former Swan Aliesha Newman discussed the growing impact and legacy Pride Round is having both on and off the field.   

“I think AFLW's always been quite the front runner in terms of like a league that fully showcases, supports and really advocates for the queerness within the sport and the athletes that identify in that way within it,” Molloy said on the More than Footy podcast, presented by Bing Lee.  

 Newman has continued to make her impact in the annual Pride Round, with the former midfielder being selected to design the 2026 Pride Round ball. The opportunity presented the proud Ningy Ningy artist with the opportunity to contribute to a competition that had played a significant part in her own journey of self-discovery. 

“It's really exciting, and I'm very fortunate to have been in the position to be able to use my creativity in different ways. I have always just kind of done the same style of art, which is Indigenous art,” Newman said. 

In the design of the ball, Newman has added key words and details that not only speak to her but hopefully many others both in and outside the Pride community. 

“I've put the words love is love, authentic and unapologetic [on the ball],” Newman said. 

“I wanted to add those words on there [as] I guess not only does it resonate with me, but also, I'm sure that a lot of people kind of on their own journey have kind of drawn to those words. I kind of wanted to add them in just purely because for me, they're probably not just words. I kind of try and live by that.” 

Molloy, who made her AFLW debut back in 2018, has not only seen the celebration of Pride continue to grow into the two-round event that it is now but also the inclusion, conversations and support around Pride grow for every AFLW athlete and club. 

“I think especially during Pride Week, I don't think we realise the magnitude of influence that we have just in having a round and every football club within AFLW being in it as well and celebrating it and we not only have one round, we have two rounds this year,” Molloy said.  

“Each team gets to have a home game and celebrate it, and I just think we sometimes forget that those two weeks of sport, because sport is, I think, the best way to change the world and has the biggest platforms. 

“Even if it changes one person's life, I think we would all be pretty happy to be like, I'd play and advocate for Pride Round every year if it helped one person be more true to themselves or more authentic.”