Lions AFLW coach Craig Starcevich says it would be nice if expansion clubs could ‘lay off’ talking to players and coaches

Expansion clubs should ‘lay off’ while the AFL Women’s season is ongoing, according to Brisbane Lions coach Craig Starcevich, who says player movement could do with some restrictions as the competition grows.

Craig Starcevich wants expansion clubs to “lay off’. Picture: AAP Images

Expansion clubs should “lay off” while the AFL Women’s season is ongoing, according to Brisbane Lions coach Craig Starcevich, who says player movement could do with some restrictions as the competition grows.

Starcevich said he was already having conversations with his players about staying at the club amid expansion clubs already investigating potential recruits as they prepare to enter AFLW in 2020.

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“The big advantage for the expansion clubs is they’re not playing right now, so they can put all their energy into ringing everyone up,” Starcevich said.

“And that’s exactly what happened last year. To make matters worse, is they can go after your coaches as well.”

The Lions’ now-former midfield coach David Lake was recently announced as the new coach of Gold Coast, which has a licence for next season.

Inaugural Gold Coast Suns AFLW senior coach David Lake, who used to coach the midfield group at Brisbane. Picture: Supplied.

“It’s brilliant (for Lake) but it’s (the Suns joining) a distraction for us,” Starcevich said.

“We’re trying to win this comp, get these new players in and look after them, and all this is going on. Players are getting talked to, coaches are getting talked to.

“This whole little expansion phase is interesting. It’s great to be a part of it, and the competition’s three years old and we all love being in it, but it’s got its challenges. But we’ll get through.”

But while he would welcome a rule that allowed clubs to sign “key people” for longer than one season, he admitted guidelines for contact would be impossible to enforce.

Lions coach Craig Starcevich knows player contact rules would be almost impossible to enforce, and clubs would be left behind. Picture: AAP Image

“While we’re all playing, is there a period where you can say to the expansion clubs, ‘by the way, can you just lay off for three months, let us get this out of the way and then go your hardest after that?’,” he said.

“Everyone knows if you try and set that up as a rule or an ethic, then you get left behind if you don’t actually break that rule or ethic.”