President Jeff Kennett believes Hawthorn is being punished for not wanting an AFLW team in the past
Hawthorn has a VFLW premiership, a rock solid balance sheet and a world-class facility in the wings, but no AFLW team. And outspoken president Jeff Kennett believes the Hawks are being punished.
AFLW
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFLW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Hawthorn says it has been excluded from the AFLW competition as punishment for not wanting to be part of the original eight-team league.
The Hawks and Essendon are desperate to be part of the rapidly-rising women’s competition but are yet to be given any assurances by league headquarters about further expansion in 2023.
Port Adelaide and Sydney also do not have an AFLW team.
Kennett said the Hawks’ continued pleas to be given an AFLW licence had fallen on deaf ears despite its rock solid balance sheet, a VFLW premiership and plans to move into its world-class men’s and women’s Dingley facility in 2022.
The Hawks’ president said the long wait to be allowed into the AFLW would continue to hurt the club.
Watch every match of the 2020 NAB AFLW Season LIVE & On-Demand on KAYO. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
“We are very disappointed we are not in the AFL, not only for our female (VFLW) players, but also our female membership,” Kennett said.
“I consider it to be gross discrimination against the four clubs that are not part of it.
“It puts us at a huge disadvantage in terms of our membership and sponsorship and our ability to participate fully in what is the AFL.
“We can afford an AFLW team, but what the AFL keeps coming back to me and saying is the former administration indicated they didn’t want to participate.
“I have said to them ever since I have been president the second time around that we do (want in).”
MORE AFL NEWS:
Ultimate guide: Check out what your club’s Round 1 team could look like
Liam Picken opens up on the concussion battle that forced him to retire from AFL football
Hawthorn will again raise the issue with league bosses when they next meet over the next two months.
Any further AFLW expansion is unlikely until the next broadcast rights deal expires at the end of 2022.
Kennett said Hawthorn’s on-field success, winning four AFL premierships between 2008 and 2015 and financial independence should not be held against the club.
“I think the AFL has always had a fairly jaundiced view of our success and our contribution to the game and I think at times, they do not like our independence,” Kennett said.
“So the times where we are prepared to challenge the AFL on their administration – although we recognise they are the best code in the country – not everything the AFL does is above questioning.
“They are an organisation against which there is no appeal to anything the AFL does.
“Therefore, when we may question what they are doing, they don’t take that lightly.”
Essendon chief executive Xavier Campbell said the Bombers had also requested answers from AFL football operations boss Steve Hocking about the league’s AFLW expansion plans.
“It is our strong desire to enter the AFLW competition by 2022, and no later than 2023,” Campbell said.
“The ball is in the AFL’s court.”
Kennett said the Hawks would continue the fight, adamant every club in the AFL should be given an AFLW licence if they wanted one.
“We have got to keep arguing the case,” he said.
“The AFL said you don’t want it originally, so you’re not going to get it.
“And at the end of the day, they run the code according to their own will.”