AFLW-Raising the skill level.

[LP]

Seen it happen in Basketball at club level and the improvement was dramatic in the women's game.

I can see it working after they get to AFL level or perhaps at least to VFL level, beyond that it was tried in Unders at amateur level a few years back and was an unmitigated disaster. But I can understand it working in basketball or soccer given the lower level of physical contact.

I think the AFLW problem is clearly that the girls need different game styles to the men, before we can see them shine. The NRLW is a good example, girls came out of a long standing touch rugby competitions, and as a result the NRLW tactics were different from the get go and the teams and tactics looked more polished from the start. Slick skills, fast movement, no hesitation, well organised.

As much as I am a booster for AFLW, much of it still looks like U13s footy, packs of players, inability to clear stoppages, low scoring. That game scenario leaves the competition prey to any team that has one or two dominant players, like Erin Philips. Sort of like when a kid like Weitering in U13s would play 1/2 a game for his club then another 1/2 for the opposition!