WHILE many can’t wait to see plenty of Navy Blue in the stands of IKON Park for the first home game of the AFLW season, there will be plenty of orange in the crowd with the eighth annual Carlton Respects game to take place on Saturday.

In the lead-up to this weekend’s Carlton Respects game with Geelong, close friends and locker buddies Darcy Vescio and Keeley Skepper sat down with Yiayia Next Door founders and Carlton Respects ambassadors Daniel and Luke Mancuso.

Yiayia Next Door, a social enterprise committed to providing a voice in family violence education and prevention, was founded by the two brothers following the loss of their mother to domestic violence.

“Whether it’s in the AFLW or the AFL, the Carlton Respects game for us has always meant a lot,” Daniel said.

For Darcy Vescio, Carlton Respects is an important initiative as it raises awareness for gender equality, an important topic in the AFLW community.

“Carlton Respects has been embedded in our club for a long time now thanks to the community team and the work that Yiayia Next Door have done for ages in sharing their experiences,” Vescio said.

“I think as AFLW players, we’re constantly fighting for gender equality and understanding the impact it has on us, as well as the ripples it has into the community.

“It’s always really special being able to have a game that highlights the work that needs to be done as well as the impact that it has within the community.”

With an average of one woman a week being murdered by her current or former partner in Australia, the promotion of equal and respectful relationships along with the removal of unhealthy stereotypes will help create a safer future for women.

The Carlton Respects Games are key to the promotion of respect and equality in the broader communities, with revenue from ticket sales going towards supporting Carlton Respects.

For Vescio and Skepper, the respect they have for one another is at the core of their close friendship.

“Darcy was very helpful with me when I got drafted,” Skepper said.

“Obviously coming from Wodonga and being a little kid, I didn’t know how to cook or anything, so they used to invite me around to dinner, and help me out with little things.

“Before I came to the club, obviously I knew who Darcy was, but I didn’t think I’d ever be friends with Darcy because they’re just so amazing and the greatest of AFLW.”

Skepper’s youthful energy is what excites her locker buddy in Vescio the most.

“I feel like when I first met ‘Skep’, I had never met anyone with so much zest for life. Her energy is unmatched,” they said.

“I don’t think I’ve ever met who has 80 per cent of 'Skep’s' energy.

“She’s very witty, very sharp – you’ll think she’s completely distracted and off-task but she’s all over it, she’s taking in everything that’s going on.”

While Carlton will be looking to secure the win in front of their fans at the first home game of the season on Saturday, Luke Mancuso says that no matter the result Carlton Respects will be the winner of the day.

“The whole Respects game and everything Carlton Football Club does all year round for us is a massive win, so we really do appreciate all the work that’s been put forward,” he said.

“Obviously for us, it does hit a little bit harder, but it does inspire a lot of people who have been through something similar or even just to make a difference in the space.”

Get your tickets to the game today.