THE AFLPA has announced its inaugural 22under22 squad for the NAB AFLW competition, and Adelaide has received the most nominations.

Five of the 31-player squad have donned the tricolours in recent years: Ebony Marinoff, Anne Hatchard, Sarah Allan, Danielle Ponter and Eloise Jones.

Gabby Newton, Georgia Patrikios, Grace Egan, Kalinda Howarth, Caitlin Greiser and Roxy Roux – who all debuted in 2020 – have also made the cut.

To be eligible for the squad, players must be 22 or under on what was scheduled to be Grand Final day (April 18), with selections based on form this season.

Fans are able to decide on the team itself by voting on the AFLPA website.

The 22 will be announced on April 21, and will be the first for the women's competition, with the AFL having had a side named since 2013.

The AFLPA has also announced a retrospective 22under22 side covering first three seasons of the AFLW (2017-2019).

Eligibility criteria saw players having to be under the age of 22 for at least one AFLW season (with a handful of selected players born in 1994) and they must have had at least one starring season.

Ten players in this year's 22Under22 squad also feature in the retrospective team.