Sydney coach Scott Gowans says the league must abolish the soft cap for the AFLW to grow

The $1.175 million AFLW soft cap will increase again over the next two years – but Sydney coach Scott Gowans says it’s not enough if the league is serious about being No. 1 in country.

Sydney AFLW coach Scott Gowans says the league needs to have an “open slather” policy on spending on the women’s game to allow it to grow.

The AFLW soft cap limit – the amount of money clubs can spend on non-player football department expenses – increased to $1.175 million and over the next two seasons, that figure will increase by $100,000 each year.

However, Gowans believes that for the AFLW to truly become the leading women’s sporting competition in the country, the cap needs to be scrapped altogether.

And while financially strong clubs like the Swans would benefit from the move, he’s confident other teams would be forced to keep up and invest in the women’s game.

Sydney players ahead of the clash with the Blues earlier this month. Picture: Phil Hillyard

And hard at work at Swans HQ. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Zippy Fish and Alexia Hamilton during a recovery session. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Ally Morphett during a gym session. Picture: Phil Hillyard

“We have seen the development (of the team) and the spend of the soft cap being exhausted with us is very important,” Gowans said.

“The team is developing, but the off-field team, they put as much effort into the program as they do the men’s, and that shows.

“I still feel the soft cap restricts us a lot in the development of what we could do, particularly if the soft cap was abolished, which is my view to just have an open slather with it.

“Allow the game to grow, and the clubs that want to put in go ahead of the other clubs. The other ones that aren’t doing that will then follow.

“More soft cap allows physios, coaches. The product improves, the players’ experience improves. They’re on the journey to full-time employment, which we all want, but there’s no good in the players being full-time if there’s no staff to support them.”

With their season on the line against West Coast on Saturday at Henson Park, the Swans know that finals destiny is in their own hands.

Two wins from their remaining two matches will ensure a second-ever finals appearance for one of the AFLW’s youngest sides.

Originally published as Sydney coach Scott Gowans says the league must abolish the soft cap for the AFLW to grow