AFLW news: Captains call for longer season, predict 2022 premier
Just days out from the start of a new season, AFLW captains have backed another radical change to the women’s fixture.
AFL
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AFL Women’s captains have thrown their support behind increasing the length of the season as the league prepares to get its second women’s competition this year underway next week.
As the competition expands to include every AFL club, all 18 captains expressed overwhelming support to boost the current 10-game fixture – plus finals – in the near future.
The AFL Players’ Association has been open in its desire to see players full-time by 2026, if not sooner, with all teams playing each other once in a full home-and-away fixture plus a finals series, while the league has been in favour of marginal increases to the fixture length in coming years.
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE FULL RESULTS OF THE AFLW CAPTAIN’S SURVEY
A Herald Sun survey of skippers garnered an overwhelming response for more games.
Melbourne skipper and All-Australian star Daisy Pearce did not hesitate when asked her ideal season length, declaring “17 games plus four weeks of finals”.
“So 21 weeks in total,” she told the Herald Sun.
Richmond counterpart Katie Brennan said this year’s call by the league to bring this season forward from summer to August meant the current fixture was adequate given the toll on players, but she was adamant that an increase should be on the cards.
“I think where it is right now is right, just for this season with the quick turnaround,” Brennan said.
“But going forward, we want more games.
“What that looks like, I don’t know.
“We want to eventually get to the position where we can play everyone once.”
Brennan said she was keen to see how the August timeslot worked for AFLW before making a call on where its permanent home in the calendar could sit.
Pearce said she liked August as a start time but as games increase it could shift earlier.
“I would imagine that as the games increase – when, not if – I can see it creeping back into the men’s a bit,” she said.
“But still finishing in November so it has a bit of clean air for finals is good, but growing back in, too.”
GWS Giants captain Alicia Eva and Lions leader Bre Koenen were on the same page for “all teams playing each other once”, as were inaugural Bombers co-captain Bonnie Toogood and fellow new captain Hawk Tilly Lucas-Rodd.
Bulldogs premiership captain Ellie Blackburn said “playing every team once and a proper finals fixture” was her ultimate scenario and that this time of year presented a refreshing change.
“I’m really looking forward to the August timeslot and this time of year, personally. I think it would be really good,” she said.
“We’re playing footy at Punt Road Oval on (men’s) grand final eve – I’m really excited about that. It’s an exciting opportunity.”
West Coast captain Emma Swanson works as a firefighter, and said any increase in the number of games would mean she and others may need to strike a new balance between work, study commitments and football.
“I want to say longer is better,” Swanson told the Herald Sun.
“But I also work at the same time so the 10 games plus finals is friendly with work for now.
“Any longer and it makes work tough, but I’d never say no to more footy.”
Could this be fairytale season for Daisy, Dees?
The AFL has not ruled out moving more AFL Women’s games as it eyes blockbuster Round 1 crowds next weekend to kick off its seventh season.
The league this week shifted the Round 1 clash between Essendon and Hawthorn from Port Melbourne’s ETU Stadium to the 50,000-plus Docklands showpiece for what will be a stand-alone Saturday night game on a weekend with no men’s matches fixtured.
Melbourne and North Melbourne are also scheduled to meet at the ground in Round 2, Essendon and Carlton in Round 3 and Richmond and Essendon will stage the first-ever AFLW Dreamtime clash in Round 4.
AFL clubs and broadcast boss Travis Auld said the prospect of potentially having to move games due to crowds “is a good problem to have” and won’t be dismissed.
“If fans vote with their feet (we will),” Auld said.
“We’re not in the business of locking people out, as much as on Thursday night (for Round 1), we’d love to have a full stadium.
“We made sure (Marvel Stadium) was available for that game (Essendon v Hawthorn).
“It’s one of the great parts of W — the growth we’re seeing in front of our eyes.
“There’s that balance between using those community venues, really family-friendly and a great experience and the differentiation between that and the men’s competition. But where it works — and with double-headers (with men’s matches), where it works, then of course we’re up for that.”
League chief Nicole Livingstone said the AFL was currently committed to maintaining its system where the grand final is awarded to the higher-finishing qualifying team.
“That’s difficult also for us to very quickly put things in place in a week’s time,” Livingstone said.
“But for now, it’s part of the uniqueness of AFLW. Players, clubs, they appreciate the opportunity to actually have that as a reward for their year. No discussions on locking it in (to one particular ground) as yet.”
Captains predict Pearce fairytale premiership
Richmond star Monique Conti has been hotly tipped to take home this season’s AFL Women’s best and fairest medal in what skippers predict could be a wide field of contenders.
All 18 teams came together on Wednesday at Marvel Stadium before the season — which kicks off next Thursday night — was officially launched in North Melbourne, with the Tigers speedster nominated by four leaders to clinch the season-ending individual glory.
The three-time All-Australian headed the voting with Crows midfielder Anne Hatchard (3) and last year’s winner Emily Bates (2) close behind.
Melbourne forward Kate Hore was named by two skippers with North Melbourne goalkicker Jasmine Garner also in the mix for captains.
Crow Ebony Marinoff, Magpie Chloe Molloy, Bulldogs captain Ellie Blackburn, Fremantle leader Hayley Miller and Collingwood All-Australian Ruby Schleicher have also been pinpointed as chances.
All captains were surveyed on a range of topics leading into the season, with eight captains nominating Melbourne as likely grand finalists after falling just short last year.
Demons skipper Daisy Pearce joined her fellow captains at Marvel Stadium as her team looks to avenge its grand final defeat at the hands of dominant force Adelaide, which enters the competition as reigning premier for the third time.
With the season brought forward to August, the Demons have the opportunity to have a second crack at silverware within the space of a few months.
The 34-year-old said the team had unpacked its Adelaide Oval defeat and was determined to turn the tables this time around, with the second of two 2022 premiership cups up for grabs.
“(After the loss), I quickly turned to ‘what can I do next’,” Pearce told the Herald Sun.
“We touched on it and tried to use the learnings out of it once we did get back together as a group, but everyone’s just so focused on what we’re doing right now and the next challenge.
“It’s the blessing of a double season year — we don’t have to wait too long.”
Sydney No. 1 draft pick Montana Ham was anointed by seven skippers as their tip for the rising star award, ahead of new Hawk Jasmine Fleming.
Demons key forward Tayla Harris and Tiger Katie Brennan were the standout tips for the league’s leading goalkicker award.
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