AFLW premiership coach Bec Goddard urges caution on expansion

EIGHT clubs are vying for an AFLW licence but the inaugural AFL Women’s premiership coach Bec Goddard has called for caution on expanding the league too rapidly.

INAUGURAL AFL Women’s premiership coach Bec Goddard has urged the league not to “break” the successful competition by expanding it too rapidly.

The first season of AFLW comprised eight teams and it will not be expanded until the 2019 season.

Of the 10 clubs that did not field a team this year, the league received eight submissions for a 2019 licence and has so far canvassed each written document.

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Clubs have been invited to present their case to the six-person assessment committee – which includes league football operations boss Simon Lethlean – and will do so later this month.

The committee will then make a recommendation to the AFL commission which is expected to make a call on how many licences – a minimum of two – will be issued at its August meeting.

Essendon is one of the eight clubs seeking an AFLW licence.

But Goddard has called for caution.

“I’ve seen where women’s footy has been, so I would err on the side of caution about how many licences are given,” she said at the AFL Women’s industry conference.

“I wouldn’t want to put a number on it, but don’t break it.

“We’ve created something absolutely amazing. I’m not saying this to protect my patch in Adelaide – I’m saying this because I do genuinely care about what has been created and I don’t want it to break.

“I don’t want the standard to drop – it’s got to get better. And I think it’s really important that caution is exercised when handing out those licences.”

Goddard – one of only two female senior coaches in the inaugural AFLW season - also urged AFL clubs to give more female coaches a chance at the top level.

Originally published as AFLW premiership coach Bec Goddard urges caution on expansion