‘Certainly an option’: Momentum mounts for Gather Round AFLW in Queensland

After tropical FNQ launched a bold bid to host the inaugural AFLW Gather Round, AFL football operations boss has backed the audacious pitch.

Laura Kane New Head of Football at the AFL. Thursday, August 31, 2023. Picture: David Crosling

An AFLW Gather Round being played in Cairns is more than just a pipe dream.

Cairns Council, in conjunction with AFL Cairns, launched an ambitious bid last month to host the inaugural AFLW Gather Round.

It would be the first of its kind to be held in Cairns, with all 18 AFLW clubs being housed in the region, playing over the one weekend.

Now, Laura Kane, the AFL’s executive general manager of football, has thrown her support behind the ‘Gather Round’ concept being transferred to the AFLW, and declared that the Far North was “certainly an option” to host the event, should it transpire.

“I love that people are asking the question,” Kane said of AFL Cairns and Cairns Council’s bid to host an AFLW Gather Round.

“Gather Round is an unbelievable initiative, now it feels like we’re part of the community in South Australia (as a result of the men’s Gather Round in 2023 and 2024).

“That replicated anywhere and that replicated with women is something that we’re definitely open to.

“We’re having different conversations but anywhere where we can shine a light on what we’re doing in AFLW, we will.”

Cairns Regional Council and AFL Cairns has set an ambitious plan to host the inaugural AFL Women's gather round at Cazalys Stadium. Cairns deputy mayor Brett Olds, AFL Cairns general manager Craig Lees and mayor Amy Eden want to mimic the success of the AFL's Gather Round by hosting an entire round of the AFL Women's premiership at Cazalys Stadium. Picture: Brendan Radke

AFL Cairns signed a deal with the Hawthorn Hawks AFLW side in June to host their Indigenous Round clash in Cairns for the next three years, starting with a clash against the Melbourne Demons at Cazalys Stadium this October.

It comes after Hawks played their first AFLW game in Cairns in 2023, taking on Richmond at Cazalys Stadium.

The mounting momentum of footy in the Far North has now spread to the possibility of AFLW Gather Round becoming the latest initiative to expand the game in the region.

Katie Brennan of the Tigers and Greta Bodey of the Hawks lead the teams onto the grounds ahead of the round eight AFLW match between Hawthorn Hawks and Richmond Tigers at Cazaly's Stadium, on October 20, 2023, in Cairns, Australia. (Photo by Emily Barker/Getty Images)

Kane described Cazaly’s Stadium as a “beautiful football ground” that would be perfect to host the event.

“We’ve got AFLW content there, we’ve played AFL content there,” she said.

“I think it’s certainly an option.

“I’ve been to Cairns many times, I’ve been there for a game of footy but we might have to schedule it for a different time of year because it’s rained more than I’ve ever experienced up there than when I was involved in North Melbourne.”

The push to host AFLW Gather Round in Cairns follows on from the announcement in May that this year’s AFLW Dreamtime game between Richmond and Essendon will be played in Darwin for the first time ever.

Another initiative that will inspire the next generation of talent hoping to take up the sport and building the case for a team in the Northern region to secure a 20th AFL licence.

Originally published as ‘Certainly an option’: Momentum mounts for Gather Round AFLW in Queensland