AFL women's draft: Elite midfielder Nicola Barr becomes a Giant with the No.1 pick

The 20-year-old plays for Sydney University Bombers, where she is known for her energy and speed around the ground.

Carlton had first choice from the Victorian players and chose Bianca Jakobsson, a dominant half-forward who plays for Cranbourne.

The Western Bulldogs passed over their exhibition match captain Stephanie Chiocci, opting instead to take courageous small midfielder Jamie Lambert as their first pick of the day, fifth overall.

Collingwood snapped up Chiocci with their second pick, 11th overall.

The eight AFL women's teams had each already recruited a handful of players under a system that allowed them a small number of "marquee" and "priority" players, who will be heavily involved in promoting the game and will be paid more than the draftees.

That meant some of the country's best performers, including the two most high-profile women footballers, Daisy Pearce and Moana Hope, had already secured spots with Melbourne and Collingwood, but they were at the Docklands event to meet their new teammates.

Barr said she switched from soccer to AFL after she joined a school team.

"I kicked my first goal and I haven't looked back," she said.

"You can use everything – running, tackling, kicking, marking. It's the best sport."

Carlton's Jakobsson moved to Victoria as a nine-year-old and immediately became a Blues fan.

She said the women's competition would inevitably be compared to the men's, but the popularity of the women's all-star match earlier in the year showed people wanted to watch them play.

"I think our style of footy will be exciting and fast," she said.

There was a sense of excitement as the draft got underway on Wednesday afternoon.

One man held up his phone throughout the proceedings so that some of those unable to be there could watch.

Western Bulldogs' pick Lambert's mother Heather Withers was in tears after learning her daughter would play for the Doggies.

She said Lambert started playing football five years ago but had always shown talent for sport.

"She had great hand-eye coordination from the moment she could walk," Withers said.

"When she was two she had a footy in her hand the whole time and her dad played footy, so we were always kicking the footy.

"She kicked better than any of the boys."

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan said sportswomen had seen the development of the AFL women's competition as an elite opportunity.

"We've attracted athletes from a variety of sports and backgrounds," he said.

McLachlan thanked the many people who had championed the women's game long before the AFL announced it would form a national competition.

AFL Women's draft first picks

GWS Giants: Nicola Barr

Brisbane Lions: Emily Bates

Carlton: Bianca Jakobsson

Fremantle: Hayley Miller

Western Bulldogs: Jamie Lambert

Collingwood: Nicola Stevens

Adelaide: Ebony Marinoff

Melbourne: Elise O'Dea