Geelong captain Meghan McDonald would love Cats to “be the Arsenal” of AFLW

Amid reports of dwindling AFLW crowd numbers and TV figures, Geelong skipper Meghan McDonald holds high hopes both her club and league can drive attendances up in the coming years.

Geelong skipper Meghan McDonald hopes the Cats and AFLW can strive to increase attendance at games this season and into the future. Picture: Matt Roberts/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Geelong AFLW captain Meghan McDonald hopes the Cats can replicate some of the successes of one of the world’s fastest growing women’s team’s fanbases when it comes to driving attendance and fan engagement within the AFLW.

After off-season reports the AFL had told clubs the AFLW competition was losing $50 million a year, with attendance and TV numbers also dropping, ahead of its 10th season, McDonald hoped the energy and focus moving forward was on filling out out the stands.

“I’d like Geelong to be the Arsenal (women’s) of AFLW.,” McDonald said at Tuesday’s AFLW captains day.

Aussie footballer Steph Catley of Arsenal in action in a WSL game against Tottenham Hotspur in March 2024 which drew 60,050 people to Emirates Stadium. Picture: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Matildas’ footballer Caitlin Foord in action for WSL club Arsenal in front of 45,860 fans at Emirates Stadium in October, 2024. Picture: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

The Gunners have set the standard in the English Women’s Super League in recent years, the club continually breaking crowd records – with a 2024/25 season-high 56,784 attendance, numerous sell-outs and average crowds of 29,000 when several games were moved to their men’s traditional home of Emirates Stadium – before going on to win their first Champions League title in 18 years in May.

The Cats – who will eye a return to finals in 2025 after reaching the 2023 preliminary final – have been one of the leading clubs in terms of AFLW membership numbers and fan engagement at games in recent AFLW seasons, with the club third among clubs for memberships in 2022 – first among Victorians clubs – before rising to first overall in 2023 and increasing their numbers further in 2024.

Geelong defender Claudia Gunjaca interacts with fans at GMHBA Stadium last year. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

They’re the only AFLW team to play all their home games at their AFL counterpart’s home ground – GMHBA Stadium – as other clubs host games at smaller boutique stadiums.

Gold Coast Suns are the only other to team to play a handful of their games at their club’s home ground, People First Stadium, this upcoming season.

McDonald has witnessed the league’s growing professionalism – having played in its inaugural season with Western Bulldogs – and pointed to the rapid expansion of the number of team and season lengths as the early focus.

Geelong midfielder Georgie Prespakis signs autographs at a Cats’ AFL/AFLW joint open training session last month. Picture: Brad Fleet

Now with an 18-club competition about to enter its fourth season, McDonald would love the clubs and league as a whole to strive to drive up attendances.

“If we can get people to the footy – I don’t know anyone’s whose been to the footy, an AFLW game and not want to come back and return,” she said.

“How different it would feel, that notion of success and fulfilment and this being a really pumping comp – I think we’ve developed in our thinking around it, 12 games across 12 weeks this season – to see crowds turn up and expand and be celebrated would be really significant.

“I think for players playing in front of 10,000 feels completely different to not – to keep driving attendance and have people turn up and do what we can as players and a league to head in that direction is absolutely what I’d love to see.

“Fill the stands.”

Originally published as Geelong captain Meghan McDonald would love Cats to “be the Arsenal” of AFLW