Footy Fans Survey 2018: AFLW struggling to gain support of wider footy community

THE AFL Women’s competition has now completed two seasons but it is struggling to attract the interest of the wider football community, with the Footy Fans Survey revealing more than half don’t follow the league.

AFLW is struggling to gain the support of the wider football community, according to the Herald Sun Footy Fans survey.

AFL Women’s has played just two seasons and will expand to a 10-team competition in 2019 with Geelong and North Melbourne fielding sides for the first time.

A further four teams — Richmond, St Kilda, Gold Coast and West Coast will join in 2020.

While the game enjoyed solid TV ratings and healthy crowds this season, 60 per cent of fans in the survey said they didn’t follow the sport.

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Western Bulldogs won the AFLW premiership in 2018. Picture: Mark Stewart

AFLW supporter Janita Docherty wants more people to get behind the league.

“That’s really disappointing,” she said of the survey result.

“I look back at the old days of footy and it’s about going to the ground and feeling the atmosphere and getting behind your team.

“It’s so inspirational for the little ones, they see what they can be in the future.

“You don’t even have to understand the rules of footy that much to enjoy the game.

“The players are so personable. I actually enjoy the AFLW sometimes more than the AFL.”

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