10-10-2022, 04:04 AM
I think the AFL are doing a good job with AFLW.
I think there is plenty more to do, but considering it was about 10 years ago when the first ever AFL Womens match was broadcast, to now there is an 18 team competition in its 7th year is nothing short of a miracle.
The AFL had to push the AFLW in the off-season to give people who need a football fix something to watch. Build a following of sorts. Now its gradually moving to its more traditional winter/spring timeslot, and eventually seasons will get longer and it may mirror the mens game which is what most would see as the end game.
However, the AFL are playing 9 games a weekend for the mens, and would need to find a space for another 9 games of AFLW.
Keeping in mind, there is already VFL, and VFLW played during this time. So finding grounds to accommodate all is a task in itself.
Then you need to find umpires, cameramen, commentators etc to do it all justice as well.
Logistically, there is a lot to get through.
Sure, throwing money at it will help, but is not that simple.
This is growing faster than most would've predicted. The standard is increasing and will continue to do so.
You can already see some of the standouts from the early seasons are turning into bit players and getting overtaken by the younger girls who are now able to play all through their underage years, rather than stopping at 13-14.
IMO the biggest current issue is the zoning system which breeds inequality among the competition. This will take the better part of a decade to fix as if it was fixed today, you'd need to wait that long for the lists to be refreshed under the new rules (ie no-zones).
This won't even start until players wages increase to the point where they are fully professional.
Which won't start until the list sizes increase and the season is longer.
Which won't start until you can accommodate that extra amount of footy successfully (umpires etc).
Which is a problem the afl has been having for years before AFLW started.
I think there is plenty more to do, but considering it was about 10 years ago when the first ever AFL Womens match was broadcast, to now there is an 18 team competition in its 7th year is nothing short of a miracle.
The AFL had to push the AFLW in the off-season to give people who need a football fix something to watch. Build a following of sorts. Now its gradually moving to its more traditional winter/spring timeslot, and eventually seasons will get longer and it may mirror the mens game which is what most would see as the end game.
However, the AFL are playing 9 games a weekend for the mens, and would need to find a space for another 9 games of AFLW.
Keeping in mind, there is already VFL, and VFLW played during this time. So finding grounds to accommodate all is a task in itself.
Then you need to find umpires, cameramen, commentators etc to do it all justice as well.
Logistically, there is a lot to get through.
Sure, throwing money at it will help, but is not that simple.
This is growing faster than most would've predicted. The standard is increasing and will continue to do so.
You can already see some of the standouts from the early seasons are turning into bit players and getting overtaken by the younger girls who are now able to play all through their underage years, rather than stopping at 13-14.
IMO the biggest current issue is the zoning system which breeds inequality among the competition. This will take the better part of a decade to fix as if it was fixed today, you'd need to wait that long for the lists to be refreshed under the new rules (ie no-zones).
This won't even start until players wages increase to the point where they are fully professional.
Which won't start until the list sizes increase and the season is longer.
Which won't start until you can accommodate that extra amount of footy successfully (umpires etc).
Which is a problem the afl has been having for years before AFLW started.