Susan Alberti says AFLW players should form their own union

Footy’s female stars are being treated ‘as an afterthought’ and should break away from the official player union, according to women’s pioneer Susan Alberti.

Susan Alberti at the 2018 AFLW grand final. Picture: Mark Stewart

Women’s footy pioneer Susan Alberti says female players should cut ties with the AFL Players’ Association and form a union of their own.

Alberti said the ongoing stalemate between AFLW players, the AFL and the AFLPA over an expanded fixture and improved pay conditions was “insulting”.

Players are refusing to sign a new three-year collective bargaining agreement.

“It’s insulting to our women. I mean if they (the AFL and players’ union) were really serious, this would not be happening,” Alberti said.

“The women should have their own players’ association, dealing with women’s issues — not men trying to deal with women’s issues.”

Alberti said she knew of 60 AFLW players involved in a phone hook-up a couple of weeks ago discussing “how unhappy they were about the process and the slowness of the association”.

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Susan Alberti at the 2018 AFLW grand final. Picture: Mark Stewart

“Without giving away names, the players do confide in me and they’re not happy about the way they are being treated. The rank and file feel like they are being taken for granted,” the former Western Bulldogs vice-president said.

“There has got to be change.

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“I don’t believe the women are being taken seriously enough.

“It might be argued that the women are an afterthought. We are either serious about women’s football and we have a league, or we don’t have one.

“We take this matter seriously, we promote it, nurture it and support it — or we don’t have it at all.”

Originally published as Susan Alberti says AFLW players should form their own union