Essendon VFLW stars Georgia Nanscawen and Mia Rae-Clifford will share captaincy duties after being elected to lead their side in 2022.

Nanscawen proved an obvious choice for the playing group to re-elect into the top leadership role for this season after a stellar 2021, which saw the incumbent leader claim the club’s first Lambert-Pearce Medal as the league's best and fairest.

Rae-Clifford has been elevated from the leadership group to earn her first captaincy honour after also enjoying a career-best year, placing fourth in the Dons’ best and fairest count.

Senior coach Brendan Major announced the news to the playing group as the Bombers set their sights on a round one clash with the Western Bulldogs next week.

Nanscawen said she was delighted to be chosen by the playing to co-lead for a second year in a row.

“It’s a huge honour to captain this club and to do it with Mia is fantastic,” Nanscawen said.

“It’s going to be a huge year which will provide a number of challenges we haven’t experienced yet, and I’m looking forward to getting out there and facing them.”

Rae-Clifford was also ecstatic to share leadership duties with Nanscawen, saying she’s excited for what the VFLW Dons can achieve in 2022.

“It’s a massive honour, I’ve never held this position before so I’m so (thankful) for all of the girls for having that belief in me,” Rae-Clifford said.

“I can’t wait to give everything I have out on the field and off it.

“I think team success is massive and I think we can push each other (to achieve something).”

Rounding out the leadership group is the return of Simone Nalder to the vice-captain position, which she held in the Dons’ inaugural VFLW season.

After a preliminary final exit in 2021, the VFLW Bombers are striving to build on their impressive season as they chase their first premiership.

Their round one clash against the Western Bulldogs is at the NEC Hangar on Saturday, February 12, with the bounce at 1:30pm AEDT.