AFL softens on proposed AFLW fixture after fierce backlash from players and fans

LAST week AFLW players and fans were outraged after the League floated a radical fixture plan for the upcoming season. And that backlash has forced a rethink at AFL House.

The Western Bulldogs celebrate their premiership. Picture: Mark Stewart

A SEVEN-round home-and-away season plus two weeks of finals is the latest fixture model floated for next year’s AFL Women’s competition, which is also set for a new rule book.

The AFL’s controversial plan to cut the women’s season to six home-and-away rounds plus two weeks of finals was discussed at Tuesday’s first meeting of the AFLW’s competition committee, but it’s understood the league has softened on this model after its plan, revealed in the Herald Sun, met outrage from players.

The players’ preferred outcome — a full nine-round ­regular season as well as two weeks of finals for the expanded 10-team competition — was also debated, along with a conference system.

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AFLW head Nicole Livingstone said the busy summer sports schedule was a constraint on a potential nine-round home-and-away season.

Several proposed rule changes for 2019 will be trialled in VFLW matches this ­season.

The Herald Sun on August 4.

Daisy Pearce was among the AFLW stars to lash the fixture proposal. Pic: Michael Klein

The minimum kick distance for a mark would be cut from 15m to 10m, boundary throw-ins brought in 10m and the goalsquare extended as the AFL trialled ways to make the women’s game more free flowing.

“Some of the data that we’ve seen has suggested that it is a game that might need some assistance with some rule adjustments,” Livingstone said.

The AFL has maintained its strong preference for a February-March season.

Livingstone said the committee “talked about a variety of options, thinking about the best window that we have”.

“Earlier in January is obviously quite crowded with other sports and then the potential of moving into the men’s season, looking at what the season length could be and where we’re best to place that in terms of trying to get the ultimate goal of having some clean air so the players can actually get good coverage,” she said.

The fixture is proving a challenge for the league and it is yet to sign a TV deal with its broadcasters Channel 7 and Fox Sports juggling new commitments to cricket.

While the Herald Sun understands being on TV is not a priority for the players, it is for the league.

The Western Bulldogs will try to defend their premiership this summer. Pic: Getty Images

“I think the time window is something we really need to make sure we’re giving our AFLW players and the competition the best chance to receive the attention that it deserves, the attendance, the eyes on the television, making sure we can find a nice little window that’s complementary to us,” Livingstone said.

“I think the girls would care about being on TV, if we were to limit it to say, one game a round. I wouldn’t want to be the person to decide which teams get on and which teams don’t. I think if we give up on giving every game broadcast then we’re going to take a step back.”

Asked about backing AFLW to go up against cricket and tennis, Livingstone said the reality was women’s sport struggled when pitted against men’s.

“We actually do struggle to get a foothold against men’s sport,” she said.

“I would love to say that the metrics would suggest that we can go head-to-head with men and beat them, but I know our first round of the 2018 season the Big Bash was into its semi-final, it rated 1.8 million, we didn’t rate that and we were up against them.”

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Originally published as AFL softens on proposed AFLW fixture after fierce backlash from players and fans