One amateur game rescheduled as AFLW grand final timeslot clashes with local footy
Updated: Players and coaches were devastated their amateur game would clash with the AFLW grand final. But their clubs have now reached an agreement. See the new match times.
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Greg Phillips will coach his local amateur women’s side and watch his daughter play in the AFLW grand final after the Adelaide Footy League agreed to shift match times.
The eight-time Port Adelaide SANFL premiership player is the father of Crows AFLW star Erin Phillips and coaches SMOSH West Lakes’ women’s division one side.
He was among hundreds faced with deciding whether to miss the national women’s league flag decider or their own games due to a timing clash.
Adelaide will battle Brisbane in the AFLW grand final at Adelaide Oval on Saturday from 1.30pm.
The first bounces for many amateur women’s football matches were scheduled for Saturday afternoon.
But luckily for Greg and his team, Broadview agreed to reschedule their match to 11.30am.
Greg, who led SMOSH to the Adelaide Footy League women’s division one premiership last year, said he would forgo his coaching duties if an agreement between Broadview to reschedule was not reached.
But he was pleased Broadview agreed to rescheduling.
“I thank the Broadview Football Club because we asked them to move it (the game time) and it was very kind of them to do so as it is their home game,” Greg said.
“I suppose their A-grade girls can probably go there (AFLW grand final) as well if they wanted to.
“If they didn’t change it I would’ve probably got my assistant coach Peter Hofner, who’s an ex-Port Adelaide player, to take over but it’s good to be able to coach.
“My daughter said to me the girls will have to change before coming to the game.
“I said ‘why’ and she said ‘well they’re the Lions’ so she was on top of it more than I was.”
Broadview, meanwhile, declined to comment.
Erin played junior football at SMOSH and has since helped out at various training sessions and earlier this week players called for local games to be rescheduled to give women a chance to see their heroes play.
The SMOSH game is the only top tier match that has been slated for earlier, while the Pembroke Old Scholars v Edwardstown division six clash will be played at 9.30am.
All division six women’s games will kick off at 1.45pm.
Earlier this week, SMOSH vice-captain Nicky Noble said players were keen to support Erin and the Crows AFLW side as they aim to win a third AFLW flag.
“Erin has been such an inspiration to us and has so much dedication towards our club, so we just want to give it back,” Noble said.
“She’s there for us and we want to be there for her.”
The fixturing nightmare, meanwhile, led to calls for the AFL to schedule their women’s competition grand final ahead of each season to avoid future potential clashes with local sport.
Payneham Norwood Union, also a division one side, will take on Angle Vale at home on Saturday at 6.30pm.
Danielle Stewart, who is the partner of Crows AFLW star Chloe Scheer and Chloe’s sister Abbey, both feature with the Falcons.
PNU women’s coach Ben Hunt said his team was lucky it had the later timeslot.
“I am confident we will have players who will go watch the (AFLW) game then come and play for us,” Hunt said.
“(But) why doesn't the AFL be smart and play the women’s grand final after the Crows on Sunday? I think that would be a magnificent spectacle to say the AFL was the curtain raiser to the AFLW.”
Morphettville Park women’s coach Brad Ferrall agreed.
“If the AFL would just commit to a time and date prior to the season like they do with the men’s, this would be completely avoidable,” Ferrall said.
Goodwood Saints’ division four side will play Hectorville away on Saturday at 3.30pm, while its division seven team takes on Golden Grove at home at 4.45pm.
Saints senior women’s mentor Kathryn Harrison took the under-16 girls to watch Adelaide in the 2019 AFLW grand final and was disappointed it could not happen this year.
Division six side Lockleys will take on Kilburn on Saturday at 4.45pm.
Coach David Afford said the timeslot for the AFLW grand final would create problems for anyone playing local footy, as well as those involved in other sports.
Adelaide Footy League chief executive John Kernahan also questioned the AFL’s decision to schedule the women’s grand final on Saturday afternoon.
“I’m tipping there is no greater likelihood of the Adelaide Footy League re-fixturing around the AFL than the AFL re-fixturing around the Adelaide Footy League,” Kernahan said.
“That said, our policy remains whether there is an AFLW grand final or not, that both clubs may collaborate to a mutually agreed time.
“However, from the outside, one might wonder why the AFLW grand final is not played either pre or post the Adelaide Crows v Fremantle match on Sunday, given the common interests for supporters.”
Crows head of women’s football Phil Harper said a Sunday timeslot would make it easier for fans to attend the match but could also appreciate the AFLs’ decision behind the Saturday scheduling.
“We think to generate the best crowd, it would probably be best on a Sunday,’ Harper said.
“But we understand the AFL’s broadcast commitments and we’re supportive of that.”
The AFL waited until earlier this month to schedule the grand final date, saying the time and day were eventually chosen because it gave the game the best possibility for clear air across the country, not just in one particular state.
As such, the AFL moved the men’s game between Western Bulldogs and Gold Coast from 1.45pm to 4.35pm to allow the women’s grand final to be broadcast in a stand-alone timeslot.
Third grand final in five years
The Crows will soak up the excitement of making their third AFLW grand final in five years, before channelling it into hard work on the training track, according to reigning club champion Anne Hatchard.
Hatchard, who was among her side’s best in their 18-point preliminary final win over Melbourne last weekend, said the feeling among the Adelaide squad ahead of Saturday’s AFLW Grand Final against Brisbane was one of pure elation, but everyone understood the work that needed to be put in.
“You’ve got to soak it all up for a bit and then we’ve got to recover properly, train hard and come into the Grand Final nice and strong,” she said.
“Our connection has been amazing, we’ve built on it during the season and it’s really showing now.
“We play a very contested, high pressure game and if we can bring that pressure into (Saturday) I think we can get the job done.”
“We know what we need to do, what we need to bring, and to have been able to bring those young ones with us to another grand final is just awesome to let them experience it too,” Hatchard said.
Adelaide’s midfield was prolific in Saturday’s preliminary final win, with Ebony Marinoff equalling Hatchard’s AFLW record set in 2020 of 35 touches in a single game and between them they had 62 disposals on the stats sheet.
Marinoff had 25 kicks and 10 handballs, to go along with her five marks and 13 tackles.
Hatchard meanwhile had 27 disposals of her own, five marks and four tackles.
Hatchard said Adelaide’s prolific midfield had stepped up its game in the backend of the season.
“We’re all working really well together and hopefully we can bring that into the grand final,” she said.
“Brisbane are quite a fierce, scrappy side and they’ve got some dangerous players, but we know we can do the job, we’ve done it before, we just have to play our game.”
The Crows beat the Lions by 12 points earlier in the season at Queensland’s Hickey Park.
Saturday’s Grand Final will be the first time Brisbane has played at Adelaide Oval.
Tickets for the game go on sale on Tuesday afternoon and Hatchard said the side was thrilled to be back playing at Adelaide Oval.
“Playing here is just an amazing experience, every time you step out, the atmosphere is just awesome and it’s exciting we’ll be able to play another grand final here.”
Crows captain ruled out
Adelaide’s courageous captain Chelsea Randall has been ruled out of Saturday’s AFLW decider against Brisbane under the AFL’s new concussion protocols.
The two-time premiership winner suffered concussion in a head clash in the opening minutes of Adelaide’s preliminary final win against Melbourne last Saturday.
Under new protocols introduced by the AFL in January, any player – male or female – must be rested for a mandatory 12 days after suffering the head injury.
Randall lay motionless after she collided with Demon Eliza McNamara, before club medicos rushed to her aid, helping her to her feet, with a medical assessment on Monday morning ruling her out.
The devastated 29-year-old told teammates at training on Monday night that if they are to win their third AFLW premiership in five seasons, they will have to do it without her on the field.
Adelaide’s head of women’s football, Phil Harper, said Randall had recovered well from the head knock, and while she was now feeling physically well, she was emotionally upset to not be able to play alongside her teammates.
It’s expected the Crows will give Randall a role on the bench on game day, with the team now concentrating on putting the loss of their captain behind them.
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Originally published as One amateur game rescheduled as AFLW grand final timeslot clashes with local footy
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