AFLW 2023: There’s still no clarity on the fixture release or how long the season will be
Last week, AFLW clubs were told to prepare for the fixture to land. On Monday, as they were still waiting, acting AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon was grilled about the situation.
The AFL is giving little clarity on when the women’s fixture will be released or how long the season will be.
Acting AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said the league remained in discussions with the players’ association about a collective bargaining agreement and how many matches the upcoming campaign would comprise.
Two months out from round 1 of AFLW season eight in the last week of August, there is yet to be a fixture released despite clubs starting pre-season training a month ago.
The AFL sent an email to clubs last week instructing them to prepare for the women’s schedule to land.
Some clubs were still expecting the fixture to be released before the weekend.
Asked when one could be expected, Dillon said: “Well, the season starts in the last week of August, we’ll have a fixture out well before that”.
“We’re in conversations with the AFL Players Association about a collective agreement for both the men and the women,” Dillon said.
“Part of the discussion we’re having with the players’ association is an extended (women’s) season.
“What we want to do – and the players’ association are across it – is have a plan with the players, the players’ association, the AFL and the clubs for a season for AFLW that makes sense for them, is sustainable … but we also want to have a three-to-five-year vision on how we expand the competition.
“AFLW when it came in 2017, there’s been an unprecedented increase in games – we’ve gone from 29 games in season one to 99 games with all 18 teams in season seven.”
Women’s players are steadfast that the competition should expand to 12 games next season and 17 by 2026.
The upcoming campaign is expected to remain at 10 matches.
This masthead reported last Wednesday that clubs were expecting the AFL to publish a 10-round season as early as this week in a move that would infuriate players, who have demanded a 12-round season.
The AFL sent an email to clubs instructing them to prepare for the women’s fixture to land.
But as clubs started promoting its imminent release on social media, players were told it was not coming.
Sydney Swans published an Instagram story early this week saying: “Coming soon – 2023 fixture”.
The Swans doubled-down with the same post on Thursday, which has been ‘liked’ by more than 300 people.
But the AFL Players’ Association told player leaders – who include club captains and AFLPA delegates – on Wednesday that the fixture would not come anytime soon.
AFLPA boss Paul Marsh called for the AFL to “up the ante or risk falling further behind its major competitors” as they fight for more games.
“The AFLPA and players are still negotiating the CBA with the AFL, so the AFLW season structure, including number of games, is yet to be agreed and locked in,” Marsh said.
“We are currently visiting all AFLW members, and they are resolute in their desire for the continued growth of AFLW, including season length.”
Pay talks between the AFL and the AFLPA are struggling to progress and the length of the women’s season remains a key sticking point.
Players remain resolute that the AFL should expand the 2023 season to 12 games. They want to then play 14 in 2024, 16 in 2025 and 17 in 2026.
They are crying out for the AFL to show them its vision to grow their competition.
But the AFL has refused to commit to a season longer than 10 games either in 2023 or future years.
Some players told this masthead that growth should be incremental because ballooning from 10 rounds to 17 rounds too quickly would heighten their risk of injuries.
The tension is also being felt in clubland.
One official said: “Every season is compromised. The stress and anxiety for AFLW players and staff is the last thing (the AFL) thinks about. Breaking point about to hit”.
INFURIATING MOVE HEIGHTENS STRIKE THREAT
Clubs expect the AFL to release a 10-round home-and-away women’s fixture next week in a move that will infuriate players and heighten the threat of strike action.
The AFL Players’ Association is demanding the league commits to growing the women’s game and wants to expand the season to a full 17-round fixture by 2026.
The AFLPA’s proposal would see this season swell to 12 rounds before 14 in 2024, 16 in 2025 and 17 in 2026.
That would culminate in players earning 12-month contracts as full-time professionals.
But the league is refusing to commit to a longer season in 2023 or in the future before it assesses key metrics such as attendances and TV ratings.
Western Bulldogs coach Nathan Burke said on Saturday: “No one wants to play 10 (games). Give them a pathway to a proper league rather than an exhibition of women’s football tagged on to the men’s season”.
Burke said players would threaten strike action if the AFL did not budge on its attempt to lock in 10 AFLW rounds for the next nine years.
“The players will not take that, they will use the ‘S’ word (strike),” Burke said.
AFLPA boss Paul Marsh told the Herald Sun that AFLW risked “falling further behind” competitors including soccer, which will take centre stage next month with Australia co-hosting the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“The AFLPA and players are still negotiating the CBA with the AFL, so the AFLW season structure, including number of games, is yet to be agreed and locked in,” Marsh said.
“We are currently visiting all AFLW members, and they are resolute in their desire for the continued growth of AFLW, including season length.
“We have been transparent with the AFL about our desire and rationale for competition growth and players are committed to their part in ensuring that the AFLW is Australia’s strongest women’s code.
“In order to do that, the league must up the ante or risk falling further behind its major competitors.”
But multiple clubs told the Herald Sun they were expecting the AFL to release a fixture with the identical structure to last season – 10 home-and-away rounds and a three weeks of finals.
That has the potential to blow up pay talks between the AFL and AFLPA, who are already at an impasse.
If a fresh Collective Bargaining Agreement cannot be struck before the season begins in September then it is understood a Heads of Agreement will see last year’s pay deal rollover.
That scenario would see players back-filled once a new pay deal is eventually struck.
Melbourne president Kate Roffey expected the league would stick with a 10-round season.
“I think it’ll stay a relatively short season until things settle a bit more, particularly with four new teams who are still fairly new,” Roffey, who is on the AFLW Competition Committee, said.
“So I suspect it will be pretty much running along the same line as last year.”
Roffey called for a longer season to minimise the luck of the draw.
Clubs are also set to lobby the AFL to overlap the women’s and men’s season in winter, with AFLW matches to be played as curtain-raisers at AFL venues.
“If we’re going to a full-on women’s comp we’re going to have to look at something like that otherwise we just can’t cope as clubs with the volume of work because we don’t have two sets of administration,” Roffey said on RSN.
“We have only one membership team, one media team, only one president and one CEO.
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