We have to be patient and...
We have to stop looking at a 'semi-pro' league and comparing it with a fully professional competition with a 120+ years of history.
The women's competition is as settled as my 'weetbix, crunchy nut, nutra-grain' breakfast combination.
Expansion was always going to gut existing sides.
I guess the question is...Would it have been better to be in at the start, and be 'gutted now'...or wait until this last season, and be the 'gutter' of existing sides?
I'm not sure what the answer is ..I suspect being in at the start may have cost us a few initial supporters who were a bit dismayed by the loss of players.
The factors Kruddler mentions meant existing sides were never going to be able to maintain settled lists.
Some of these problems with retention are short term and unique.
How many AFL men players would cite a move to a club because they were life long supporters as the main reason for that move?
That factor would be way down the list.
It's more about money, opportunities and family reasons...and that will be the same for the women as the AFLW progresses.
Luck also plays a bit of a part in the AFLW as to how many of your players want a move.
Some existing sides will have been affected by expansion more than others.
As far as culture goes...this is not something you can establish in a few short years with such expansion and movement happening.
And as for interest and support...
I suspect a lot of older supporters will never fully invest in a Carlton AFLW team...but five year old Carlton kids, Jack and Jill, will grow up with the side, and they will be able to tell their kids about our champion 200+game AFLW players.
We have to stop looking at a 'semi-pro' league and comparing it with a fully professional competition with a 120+ years of history.
The women's competition is as settled as my 'weetbix, crunchy nut, nutra-grain' breakfast combination.
Expansion was always going to gut existing sides.
I guess the question is...Would it have been better to be in at the start, and be 'gutted now'...or wait until this last season, and be the 'gutter' of existing sides?
I'm not sure what the answer is ..I suspect being in at the start may have cost us a few initial supporters who were a bit dismayed by the loss of players.
The factors Kruddler mentions meant existing sides were never going to be able to maintain settled lists.
Some of these problems with retention are short term and unique.
How many AFL men players would cite a move to a club because they were life long supporters as the main reason for that move?
That factor would be way down the list.
It's more about money, opportunities and family reasons...and that will be the same for the women as the AFLW progresses.
Luck also plays a bit of a part in the AFLW as to how many of your players want a move.
Some existing sides will have been affected by expansion more than others.
As far as culture goes...this is not something you can establish in a few short years with such expansion and movement happening.
And as for interest and support...
I suspect a lot of older supporters will never fully invest in a Carlton AFLW team...but five year old Carlton kids, Jack and Jill, will grow up with the side, and they will be able to tell their kids about our champion 200+game AFLW players.