Women's AFL competition hits record numbers in Darwin

Record numbers of women are crossing the white line to make their mark on AFL in the Northern Territory.

The number of women strapping on their boots has jumped dramatically from 112 players last year to 673 this year.

There are eight women's teams competing this season, compared with three five years ago.

The Tracy Village Razorbacks women's team has blossomed from 17 players in the first game three years ago to around 50 players.

Razorbacks player Alicia Hill is one of the team's new recruits.

"I'd never touched a football ever, but I said I'd come and try it and train and I just loved it," she said.

"It's so good, so much fun."

Hill said the club atmosphere was what kept her coming back.

"The girls are great, they're so supportive.

"I remember the first training sessions I didn't even know how to kick."

Hill said the positive culture extended to opponents too.

"The culture's just so good, everyone's so friendly and it's just so fun," she said.

"Everyone gives each other a pat on the back and says well done, it's really good out there."

Player Joss Oxspring said the women have a good relationship with male players.

"They obviously respect us as players, not just women," she said.

"We train with the boys regularly as well so that gives us a good chance to increase our skill level and also gain a bit more respect from the boys because they can see how much we've improved and how skilful the girls are too."

The chief executive officer of AFLNT, Tony Frawley, said he was not surprised by the surge in female players.

"It will keep increasing. We need females at every level of the game: umpiring, administrating, playing, coaching, and they're doing that successfully," he said.

"They're a very important part of our game."