Women's AFL - the wedge to put new teams in Canberra, Darwin, Hobart & Cairns....

[McCrann]

Please be aware - this post is not about Women's Football per se, it is about the possible implications for how Women's Football can be used by the AFL in the broader sense of growing the game - so don't move it to the Women's Football board!

Given the new Women's league starting up next year, the Women's AFL could be the ultimate wedge to drive the growth of Australian Football in new areas around Australia.

Why?

Because it is so so so much cheaper than running a Men's team.

And because of this great competitive advantage, I propose the next 4 teams should all come from "growth areas" for the AFL.

Who are the candidates?

Canberra
Hobart
Darwin/NT
Cairns
Newcastle
Launceston
Wellington
Auckland


I would suggest the areas in bold should be the first cabs off the rank with others to perhaps follow on at some (probably much) later point.

Surely these places would be/ should be clamouring for teams.

Make a success of the Women's team and you have a great case for a Men's team.

 

[Garlic muncher]

I think it would make sense if financially viable or in the future realistically seen as financially viable.

It is definitely food for thought

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

A lot might depend on how big the league gets. Unfortunately for regional areas, the higher the expense the more we are shut out.

Having a womens team and no mens team is common enough in Canberra, both W-League and WNBL have teams here. Its not so common elsewhere, and the Capitals WNBL side is no doubt partly due to the AIS. Though, I think Hobart continued in the WNBL for quite some time after the NBL Devils were booted.

It can't necessarily been seen as any evidence of a mens teams viability though, the finances are going to be very different. It certainly an option to be looked at once the league is going and a call can be made on its medium-term cost for a club, and the calendar in the future.

 

[Rob]

I doubt it. Reason being that player payments probably aren't going to be enough to be able to relocate players, and pretty much all those areas would need to get 80% (or more) of their playing list from outside the area.

If player payments were high enough to be able to attract players across cities, then it means that teams will be expensive to run and therefore they won't be the low cost option that small cities could afford.

 

[Established1870]

I doubt it. Reason being that player payments probably aren't going to be enough to be able to relocate players, and pretty much all those areas would need to get 80% (or more) of their playing list from outside the area.

If player payments were high enough to be able to attract players across cities, then it means that teams will be expensive to run and therefore they won't be the low cost option that small cities could afford.

Actually, 3 out of 4 that are bold (Cairns, Tassie, NT), could all possibly have a fair number of players from their states. There's actually a huge explosion of women picking up our game north of Brisbane. A Tassie side would have a lot of girls wanting to play and would get a lot of support. Same with NT.

 

[jatz14]

The AFLs plan is that they pay the players the first year, giving the clubs time to get their sponsorship ducks lined up. The clubs will then gradually take up the player payments until the AFL exits completely after a maybe 5 years. Also given that with time, the number of games, and the payments will both increase, and the list is likely to get longer, this will get expensive. Could Canberra support a womens team with a list 30 long where base payments were 10 - 20k, and top players where getting 40 - 60k? Wages bill could easily top 500k, would be possible if the AFL was picking up the tab, but long term, they do not intend to.

I think only established AFL clubs have the sponsorship connections and clout to make it happen, anything else is wishful thinking.

Also think people underestimate the skill gap. Any of those areas fielding a team that is even half local talent gets smashed regularly.

 

[The_Wookie]

The AFL isnt going to expand the womens comp outside of the scope of its male afl teams.

 

[Hawkers]

The womens' teams will only worked if they are an offshoot of the mens' teams. A standalone womens team would be nothing

 

[Rob]

Actually, 3 out of 4 that are bold (Cairns, Tassie, NT), could all possibly have a fair number of players from their states. There's actually a huge explosion of women picking up our game north of Brisbane. A Tassie side would have a lot of girls wanting to play and would get a lot of support. Same with NT.

Not even close to 1/10th (or 1/whatever the number of teams in the league is).

Canberra is the only place that would even be close to a third of a list.

 

[madmug]

Please be aware - this post is not about Women's Football per se, it is about the possible implications for how Women's Football can be used by the AFL in the broader sense of growing the game - so don't move it to the Women's Football board!

Given the new Women's league starting up next year, the Women's AFL could be the ultimate wedge to drive the growth of Australian Football in new areas around Australia.

Why?

Because it is so so so much cheaper than running a Men's team.

And because of this great competitive advantage, I propose the next 4 teams should all come from "growth areas" for the AFL.

Who are the candidates?

Canberra
Hobart
Darwin/NT
Cairns
Newcastle
Launceston
Wellington
Auckland


I would suggest the areas in bold should be the first cabs off the rank with others to perhaps follow on at some (probably much) later point.

Surely these places would be/ should be clamouring for teams.

Make a success of the Women's team and you have a great case for a Men's team.

Garbage.
We've had footy here for 160 years. we have 2 FIFO AFL clubs milking the place.
As if a womens team will lead to anything.
Please get some realty.

 

[Gigantor]

The AFL isnt going to expand the womens comp outside of the scope of its male afl teams.

I think this is close to the mark - the die has been cast, I now cannot see the AFL expanding beyond using the remaining AFL clubs.

 

[Garlic muncher]

Why would it not be possible for the new AFL X game and i must admit to not really being clued up about it to have teams where the OP is proposing new womens teams.

Apparently it is going to be played during the summer or out of normal football season, if teams are only going to have around a dozen players including reserves etc then towns like Cairns, Darwin, Canberra, Newcastle etc as well as some teams in the bigger cities can be targeted.

 

[madmug]

Why would it not be possible for the new AFL X game and i must admit to not really being clued up about it to have teams where the OP is proposing new womens teams.

Apparently it is going to be played during the summer or out of normal football season, if teams are only going to have around a dozen players including reserves etc then towns like Cairns, Darwin, Canberra, Newcastle etc as well as some teams in the bigger cities can be targeted.

Yes but the AFL will control it for marketing & the usual political reasons. They wont want to make moves which could be misconstrued in any way. Any thoughts of fairness, equity, community are irrelevant. Its all about tight control & the AFL image.