By Marnie Vinall
The AFLW will take its Dreamtime game between Essendon and Richmond to Australia’s Top End, increasing the celebration of Indigenous culture within the sport and to mark the strength of women’s football in the Northern Territory.
Details of the Dreamtime game – the centrepiece of Indigenous round – were revealed on Friday when the league released its 2024 fixture.
Richmond’s Ellie McKenzie and Essendon’s Maddy Prespakis look forward to the AFLW’s Dreamtime match moving to Darwin.Credit: Justin McManus
Backed by both clubs, the relocation of the game from Melbourne to Darwin is a positive step for the NT government as it pushes for a licence to create the 20th team in the AFL and AFLW sometime after Tasmania enters its team in 2028.
It will also provide an opportunity to showcase the strength of the women’s game in the Territory, where almost 40 per cent of all registered footballers are women and girls. That figure, provided by AFL Northern Territory chairman Sean Bowden, is double the national average for women’s participation.
“This Dreamtime game will spread that enthusiasm across Australia. First and foremost, the game is recognition of that passion and love of the game,” Bowden said.
Hawthorn will also take their Indigenous Round match north again when they host Melbourne in Cairns.
In January, Essendon’s VFL and VFLW teams, complemented by some local players, played matches on the Tiwi Islands against Northern Territory Football League representative teams. Among those who made the trip to the Tiwis were the club’s footy boss Craig Vozzo, AFLW coach Natalie Wood and her joint captains Bonnie Toogood and Steph Cain.
“I feel like we took away so much more than what the visit provided them, but it was where we just realised how important and how influential footy clubs can be for community,” Toogood said.
Bonnie Toogood of the Essendon Bombers.Credit: Getty
As a co-ordinator role of the club’s Next Generation Academy – which includes the Tiwi Islands among its zones – Toogood is keen to see more female players from the country’s far north make it to the VFLW and AFLW.
“There’s so much love for the game up north, and I think that’s why it’s seen as such a good game … I think there’s been a huge growth also in the female space, as we know everywhere since AFLW has started, but particularly in the Territory, it’s grown a significant amount,” she said.
“And if we can help bring role models to the territory and play more football up there, it’s a no-brainer.”
The previous two AFLW Dreamtime matches were played at IKON Park and ETA Stadium in Port Melbourne. The AFLW currently has 19 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players, including Richmond’s Mackenzie Ford, who the Tigers recruited from Tasmania in last year’s draft.
Richmond CEO Brendon Gale said it made sense to take the AFLW version of the Dreamtime match to Darwin, given both clubs’ connection to the Top End.
“The female game continues to grow, and the opportunity to showcase elite female talent in Darwin can only support that,” he said.
“To do that, while also celebrating the enormous contribution Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have made to the game, will make this a really significant occasion and hopefully lay the foundation for future Dreamtime games to be played in Darwin.”
The 11-round AFLW season will run over 10 weeks, fast-tracked by a three-week burst mid-season during the school holidays where each club will play four games, including some scheduled mid-week.
“The AFLW is starting to see the establishment of traditional marquee games and club rivalries being cemented,” AFL scheduling boss Josh Bowler said.
“The mid-week matches will fall during the school holidays and provide great opportunities for fans to attend and watch at home on evenings that traditionally don’t have footy.
Chloe Molloy for Sydney Swans during the 2023 season.Credit: Getty
“We felt it was important for our fans to maintain the weekend timeslot structure we have seen in previous seasons, whilst also adding an additional game mid-week across the middle of the competition.”
Toogood is excited by the prospect it will create a “festival of footy vibe” that appeals to fans and helps grow the game. But she also acknowledged players would need to managed that stretch of games carefully, particularly in terms of their recovery and nutrition.
“Through COVID times, back when I was playing at the Dogs, we did three bouts of playing three games in 12 days and, look, it’s difficult. It’s a lot of pressure on your bodies. But we’ll be conditioned for it,” Toogood said.
In other fixture highlights, Daisy Pearce’s first AFLW derby as coach of West Coast will be held at the 60,000-capacity Optus Stadium on October 19 in a standalone match.
New West Coast coach Daisy Pearce.Credit: Getty Images
There will be added interest at struggling West Coast after Pearce, an inaugural marquee signing with Melbourne, moved from Victoria to lead the Eagles.
The clubs and the league will be hoping to push the crowd figure of 41,975 set at the same ground when Fremantle hosted Collingwood in 2018.
The AFLW is open to hosting other marquee games at big stadiums and will continue to work with clubs to make it happen.
The Brisbane Lions, the reigning premiers, will get their flag defence with a grand-final rematch against North Melbourne at Brighton Homes Arena on September 1.
The opening night of the season will consist of two matches – Sydney hosting Collingwood at North Sydney Oval, and West Coast up against Richmond.
This year’s grand final has been locked in for November 30 after a four-week finals series.
With AAP
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