02-25-2023, 11:17 AM
The problems with AFLW are with the way the competition is run as much as anything.
There seems to be 2 steps forward, 1 step back.....every year.
The fact we don't have a season length, start or anything else right now is nothing short of laughable.
Money is increasing for players.
Coaches are being forced to become full time.
Players are now able to nominate for the national draft, rather than just their own state (which is still an option if they choose) but its getting closer to the way it should be.
However, until there can be some kind of long term certainty, we will suffer through more of the same.
As an example....
- Player can only be contracted for max 2 years.
- Season length is unknown
- Rules are still able to be changed for the upcoming season.
- New clubs are able to poach players from opposition clubs without any compensation.
So....how is a coach able to get a game plan built around players when they don't know who those players are, if the existing players will even be there come the start of the season and no long term certainty that they will be there 2 years from now.
On top of that, the season is so short that there is no time to tweak a game plan and turn a season around if you get it wrong (or even just injuries) early on in the year.
What needs to happen is...
1. Truly national draft like the mens, no more zones.
2. No cap on length of contracts to players and coaches
3. No more poaching of players at all.......or at the very least, get some adequate compensation.
4. Increased pay to the point that players don't NEED employment elsewhere.
5. Certainty around the length of the seasons in coming years
6. An even draw/fixture of the back of the length of the season decided - go back to conferences to make it fair if required.
7. Certainty around the rules for the coming years.
THEN and only then, can you actually have a competition that is deemed a professional competition.
Until then, we are simply impersonating one.
There seems to be 2 steps forward, 1 step back.....every year.
The fact we don't have a season length, start or anything else right now is nothing short of laughable.
Money is increasing for players.
Coaches are being forced to become full time.
Players are now able to nominate for the national draft, rather than just their own state (which is still an option if they choose) but its getting closer to the way it should be.
However, until there can be some kind of long term certainty, we will suffer through more of the same.
As an example....
- Player can only be contracted for max 2 years.
- Season length is unknown
- Rules are still able to be changed for the upcoming season.
- New clubs are able to poach players from opposition clubs without any compensation.
So....how is a coach able to get a game plan built around players when they don't know who those players are, if the existing players will even be there come the start of the season and no long term certainty that they will be there 2 years from now.
On top of that, the season is so short that there is no time to tweak a game plan and turn a season around if you get it wrong (or even just injuries) early on in the year.
What needs to happen is...
1. Truly national draft like the mens, no more zones.
2. No cap on length of contracts to players and coaches
3. No more poaching of players at all.......or at the very least, get some adequate compensation.
4. Increased pay to the point that players don't NEED employment elsewhere.
5. Certainty around the length of the seasons in coming years
6. An even draw/fixture of the back of the length of the season decided - go back to conferences to make it fair if required.
7. Certainty around the rules for the coming years.
THEN and only then, can you actually have a competition that is deemed a professional competition.
Until then, we are simply impersonating one.