Capacity crowd expected at Whitten Oval for AFLW game

THE atmosphere is fever pitch ahead of the AFL Women’s showdown between the Western Bulldogs and Fremantle Dockers this evening.

Thousands of fans formed a queue that snaked for hundreds of meters around Victoria University Whitten Oval in Footscray. Picture:Rob Leeson.

THE atmosphere is fever pitch ahead of the AFL Women’s showdown between the Western Bulldogs and Fremantle Dockers this evening.

The AFL opened the Whitten Oval gates early as fans queued the length of the carpark, with the line snaking almost to Barkly Street.

A second gate was opened to ease the congestion.

Unlike on Friday night at Ikon Park, supports weren’t allowed on the ground for a kick after the match, a move made to protect the playing surface.

Thousands of fans formed a queue that snaked for hundreds of meters around Victoria University Whitten Oval in Footscray.

FOLLOW LIVE: Western Bulldogs v Fremantle

Twenty-year-old Elkie Brooks was full of excitement ahead of the 7.40pm kick-off of the second game of the inaugural women’s season.

“I love women’s footy,” she told the Herald Sun. “I hope to play alongside them one day, and I just think it’s great that females get to finally have the chance to play AFL just like the guys do.”

The footy fan, who travels from her home in Torquay twice a week to practice footy with VU Western Spurs in Footscray, said she got into the sport after meeting Bulldogs captain Katie Brennan two years ago.

“If she can do it, I want to do it, too,” she said.

Jessica Dixon, 9, said it was time for the spotlight to be shone on the women after so much focus on the men’s game.

“I just like how you can tackle and how you can ... kick a goal sometimes,” said Jessica, who started playing for a club in Cold Stream in the Yarra Valley last year.

Jessica has followed her mother’s lead to become a diehard Bulldogs fan.

“It’s just in a my blood,” she said.

Crowds are flocking to the Whitten Oval for the AFLW. Picture:Rob Leeson.

Crowds are flocking to the Whitten Oval for the AFLW. Picture:Rob Leeson.

Crowds are flocking to the Whitten Oval for the AFLW. Picture:Rob Leeson.