St Kilda urges AFL to expand women’s league after successful inaugural season

VOTE: ST KILDA and Geelong are leading the fight for an AFL Women’s expansion licence while Tasmania is also interested.

The inaugural AFLW captains and ambassador Susan Alberti.

ST KILDA has urged the AFL to “ride the wave of momentum” and immediately expand its women’s competition.

On Friday, the AFL Commission deferred a decision, buying itself more time before deciding whether to add more clubs for the 2018 season.

St Kilda and Geelong have been vocal in their bids to join the eight-team league, while Tasmania also wants to be included.

BULLDOGS SKIPPER: BRENNAN HOPING FOR LONGER AFLW SEASON

SUCCESSFUL START: WE’VE REVOLUTIONISED THE SPORT: GILL

CONSOLIDATION: AFLW SET FOR AGGRESIVE EXPANSION IN 2019

The Cats were last night “heartened” by the league’s decision to keep expansion on the table for 2018.

“We are ready to go next year,” chief executive Brian Cook said.

The AFL is weighing up the financial implications of expansion, how deep the developing talent pool is and the two-year agreement with the AFLPA and broadcasters.

Chelsea Randall, Bec Goddard and Erin Phillips hold the AFLW premiership cup aloft.

The Saints penned a detailed submission to the league detailing why the AFL Commission should balloon the AFLW league from eight to 10 clubs next year.

League boss Gillon McLachlan said a decision would be made in the next “couple of weeks”.

“The Commission is absolutely committed to expanding the competition,” McLachlan said.

“We’ve asked for some more detail on how and when an expansion would unfold.”

The Saints will stage a one-off women’s exhibition match before Sunday’s clash against Geelong in what chief executive Matt Finnis dubbed a “historic milestone” on the club’s pathway to AFLW.

“We’ve put a detailed submission to the AFL urging the Commission to ride the wave of momentum that they’ve in fact created and expand the league next year,” Finnis told the Herald Sun.

“We’re very passionate and we feel very strongly that this is a start-up competition.

“It should continue to grow to attract talented players from within the game and from other sports, but also to capture the support that’s out there for women’s sport.

“The number of conversations I’ve had with Saints fans who are saying, ‘When are we going to get a team?’ and who have loved the league, but of course aren’t going to bring themselves to barrack for Carlton or Collingwood.

“They want to barrack for us.”

“It’s the first time a women’s team will run out with the Saints’ tri-colour under the banner of St Kilda,” Finnis said.

The southern academy will play the Australian Defence All-Stars with the first bounce set for 12.45pm at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.