Adelaide Footy League to scrap Sunday fixtures and schedule women’s games on Saturdays
There will be a bold change to the scheduling of amateur women’s games in 2020 as the Adelaide Footy League looks to standardise competition with the men’s. Do you agree with the plan?
Local Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Christies Beach to move women’s team to SFL in 2020
- How to make the most out of your Advertiser digital subscription
The Adelaide Footy League is considering a bold plan to scrap Friday night and Sunday fixtures for women’s games and instead holding all matches on Saturday afternoons next season.
As the growth in women’s football continues to boom, the league is concerned it is running out of oval space and is keen to streamline the competitions to be “more efficient”.
Clubs and some Adelaide Footy League executives met last week to discuss the plan to move women’s matches – including division one to five and under-18 games – to Saturdays in 2020.
Stream over 50 sports live and on demand with KAYO SPORTS. Just $25/month, no lock-in contract. Get your 14-day free trial and start streaming instantly >
This year, women’s games were staggered across Friday nights, Saturday and Sundays at varying timeslots.
Changes are also likely to be made with the eligibility of SANFLW players, specifically around if they can return to their Adelaide Footy League club once the state league ends.
SMOSH West Lakes female football director Emma Sampson said the Lions were in favour of the plan.
“It will standardise the competition,” Sampson said.
“When we are trying to recruit players we can say ‘games will be on Saturday afternoons – A grade at this time and B grade at that time’.
“Even Saturday night games for us have proved hard because players have events on.
“The second reason we really like it from a whole club point of view is that the club itself will get used twice as much.
“Everyone can come back to the club on a Saturday night and presentations can be done together.”
Payneham Norwood Union featured in division two this year but will be promoted to the top tier in 2020 after winning the flag.
Coach Ben Hunt said the Falcons were against the potential fixturing change, believing it would likely put pressure on club and league resources.
“I actually think it’s going to hurt our club from a cultural, camaraderie point of view,” Hunt said.
“We’ve tried to get our girls to play on Saturday nights after our men and generally everyone stays around after our men to watch the girls play.
“The girls also get there early to watch the boys play.
“I think a compromise could be to have women’s games all day Saturday not just in the afternoon so if clubs wanted to schedule games at 10am or at night, they could.
“We have our club set up so trainers help the men’s and women’s as well and I think they’ll struggle to find umpires, too.”
Adelaide Footy League chief executive John Kernahan said Sunday fixtures were no longer viable for the women’s competitions.
Kernahan said an increase in junior boys and girls playing football also put pressure on ovals on Sundays.
“We make no apology that our long-term vision and priority is to replicate the men’s competition structure which promotes standardised playing times and what is almost a set and forget type approach,” Kernahan said.
“With the growing participation rates at SANFL junior level, particularly with girls, we are heading for a bottle neck of needs and something has to give.
“The league is simply not resourced to manage the competition as we have in the past.”
League officials will meet again to discuss all feedback before a final decision on the 2020 fixtures is made.