Hawthorn VFLW premiership player and now assistant coach Lou Wotton says she is filled with pride following the announcement that all 18 clubs will have a AFLW team by the end of 2023.

Hawthorn has declared that, while it is exciting news for the continued growth of the women's game, the club will kick down the door to ensure it receives a licence ahead of Season Seven of the competition. 

Having spent the past four seasons in the brown and gold, Wotton says the club is incredibly deserving of the opportunity to join the country's premier women's league. 

Hawthorn will kick down the door for an AFLW licence in Season Seven

"Being at Hawthorn since 2018, the club has been fully committed to female football in my time at the club," Wotton said. 

"To have the President come down to nearly all our matches this season, to have numerous Board members regularly there, the CEO regularly there - Hawthorn means serious business.

"I'm not sure any other VFLW club would have that calibre of people from their respective club come down to games that often.

"So I've always felt very supported by everyone at the club - it's very exciting news."

A stalwart of the women's game, Wotton has played at state league level for 17 years before joining Collingwood's AFLW side for a year in 2017. 

She is better placed than most to pass judgement on how far the sport has progressed over her time playing and now coaching. 

"The first thing that comes to mind is that I'm so proud that women's football has come so far in recent years.

"I know some of the pioneers of women's football who were before my time but I just can't believe all the hard work they did to get it to where it is now. 

"For the AFL to commit to all clubs being represented in the next couple of years is a really big step forward which just gives females more opportunities in sport, especially with the amount of young talent we have coming through."