CHANGES to AFL Riverina Southern NSW women’s competition designed to ensure fairer representation come finals time have come into effect in 2025.

The season will start on February 7.

Last year teams were split into four pools based on geography with four separate ladders. This season teams will be divided into two pools.

However, only one ladder will determine who qualifies for the three-week finals series.

The AFLW will move its grand final to an evening slot from this season for the first time in its history.

The pools will again be split geographically. One pool will be around Wagga, while the other will feature eight clubs north of the city.

Trying to limit the impact travel has on the competition is the main factor behind how the pools were determined.

AFL Riverina competition coordinator Dionne Anderson said she believed the new approach will simplify the finals equation.

As there are only the eight rounds, there will be eight teams in each pool, but only one overall ladder.

Last year there were a couple of ladders and at the end it was the top in each pool, but this time it's just one overall ladder.

Teams will play everyone in their pool once and there will be one round of crossover games to complete the home and away season.

AFL Riverina believes this will be a better approach.

"We found with the four pools a couple of the teams meant one pool was stronger than the other three so the bottom of one pool didn't make finals and they probably should have," a spokeswoman said.

AFL Riverina considered feedback from clubs looking to extend the season. However they elected to keep the season at eight weeks.

The women's grand final will be played on April 17, the Thursday before Easter.

Before the season reaches its pinnacle, three rounds of the Farrer League and two rounds of the Riverina League are expected to be played. This was part of the reason against expanding the women's competition this season.

Southern NSW Women's Pool A: Collingullie-Wagga, Charles Sturt University, East Wagga-Kooringal, Brookdale, Mangoplan-Cookardinia United-Eastlakes, North Wagga, Turvey Park, Wagga Tigers.

Pool B: Griffith, Leeton-Whitton, Narrandera, Northern Jets, Temora, Ganmain-Grong-Grong Matong, Coolamon, Marrar.