AFLW 2020 Expansion Announcements, News

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GOLD Coast, Richmond, St Kilda and West Coast have officially been granted licences for the 2020 AFL Women's season and can begin pre-listing players from January 14 next year.

The four clubs had to meet financial, talent development and organisational requirements, including establishing open-age academies, in order for their licences to be ticked off.

They can pre-list up to 10 players each.

Up to seven of these will be open-age players from their respective club academies (including former AFLW-listed players), all of whom must have nominated for the 2018 NAB AFLW Draft but not been selected. This signing period runs through to August next year.

Clubs can also pre-list up to three players born in 2001 (the minimum draft-eligible year of birth for the 2019 NAB AFLW Draft), however these they must come from their designated development regions.

The rest of the list build for the four expansion teams will happen after the 2019 NAB AFLW season.

If team list sizes remain the same as 2019 (30 per side), 2020 will see 420 players represent 14 teams in the AFLW.
 

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The_Wookie said:

GOLD Coast, Richmond, St Kilda and West Coast have officially been granted licences for the 2020 AFL Women's season and can begin pre-listing players from January 14 next year.

The four clubs had to meet financial, talent development and organisational requirements, including establishing open-age academies, in order for their licences to be ticked off.

They can pre-list up to 10 players each.

Up to seven of these will be open-age players from their respective club academies (including former AFLW-listed players), all of whom must have nominated for the 2018 NAB AFLW Draft but not been selected. This signing period runs through to August next year.

Clubs can also pre-list up to three players born in 2001 (the minimum draft-eligible year of birth for the 2019 NAB AFLW Draft), however these they must come from their designated development regions.

The rest of the list build for the four expansion teams will happen after the 2019 NAB AFLW season.

If team list sizes remain the same as 2019 (30 per side), 2020 will see 420 players represent 14 teams in the AFLW.
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Hey Wookie,
I hope you are well.
For the 2020 AFLW season, where do you think Richmond will play home games? I think Punt Road Oval is too small with a capacity of 6,000. The club of hoping for a redevelopment of PRO before 2020, but didn't get the Government founding so it's unlikely it will happen in time.
 
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TigerTime_89 said:
Hey Wookie,
I hope you are well.
For the 2020 AFLW season, where do you think Richmond will play home games? I think Punt Road Oval is too small with a capacity of 6,000. The club of hoping for a redevelopment of PRO before 2020, but didn't get the Government founding so it's unlikely it will happen in time.
Click to expand...

I am, in fact, well. Thanks for asking.

I think the Tigs will want to use PRO anyway. 6,000 is going to be a decent AFLW crowd when the dust settles.
 
TigerTime_89 said:
For the 2020 AFLW season, where do you think Richmond will play home games? I think Punt Road Oval is too small with a capacity of 6,000. The club of hoping for a redevelopment of PRO before 2020, but didn't get the Government founding so it's unlikely it will happen in time.
Click to expand...
GWS AFLW team will be playing 5 games in the VFLW in 2019- & on 18.5, it will play Richmond's VFLW team at Punt Rd.

It will be interesting to see how many RFC fans attend, & keen to soak up the intimate/ol' time Punt Rd atmosphere. Hopefully, there will be a very big crowd, as it would greatly enhance Punt Rd's chances of development to increase its capacity.
There is plenty of unused "wasteland" at its southern end; & at the nthn. end, there is also plenty of space for expansion (not eastern wing though).

I thought its current capacity is only c.4000- where did you obtain the figure of 6000?

Were the plans for the Punt Rd capacity expansion primarily driven by the RFC hierarchy? How much support & pressure for the proposed expansion also came from RFC fans?

What specific reasons did the Vic. Govt. provide for not funding an expansion? Did it encourage a further Development Application in the near future?
 
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The_Wookie said:
Swans - didnt originally apply
Port - didnt originally apply
Bombers - didnt originally apply
Hawks - didnt originally apply
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Which seems a fair outcome

It also ensures an enormous bank of tribal energy when the final expansion occurs
 
Yep, Sydney's reason for not applying was different from the other three though. Sydney have no room to host a team and no home ground to play at. Their recently announced new training centre will allow for a women's team to exist so they will apply and get in when it is ready.

Essendon were dealing with their drug issues so didn't bother applying, could probably get in next along with Sydney if they can play games at Windy Hill (cricket permitting) or possibly out at the airport.

Hawks didn't want in at the start, want in now it is popular and benefits clubs with teams. Could possibly play at Box Hill? Unless cricket is there idk. Maybe share a home ground with St Kilda or Collingwood.

Port wanted in, 'signed up' erin phillips, missed out on the initial round then went away to play with their toys in China.

The AFL might just bring all four in at once in 2021 or 2022 if they're all ready by then.
 
2022 sounds like good timing for the final four to come in. Gives time to get their academies up and running. It's important there's not too big a gap in timing so that the new teams aren't too disadvantaged.

Also, it's clear now that they will run with the conference system, i.e. two conferences of 9 teams, so it gives them enormous flexibility with the length of the season: 9, 10, 11, 12 H&A games plus finals, doesn't really matter, they can do any combo to fit the time they have.

They can work their way up slowly to having a 17 round season.
 
Would the AFL negotiate a four-year broadcast deal based around a competition of 10-14 teams, then add more clubs midway through? Not if they've already mapped out a vague vision for the league. 2023 at the earliest for the remainders, I'd have thought.
 

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I would say with the 4 additional teams coming in 2020, a full season is a must with each team playing each other team once although I would like it that you play everyone once then your biggest rival in a return match. It wont happen though and I hope it is not a conference system again because that is an absolute joke.

Here is my look at the 4 expansion sides.

WEST COAST
Michelle Cowan has joined the Eagles as an assistant coach and with the links to the West Coast Fever, I could see some players playing Netball and AFL for the Eagles/Fever like we see with Collingwood and Magpies Netball. I would say they would be playing home games at the newly refurbished Leederville Oval with the Derby possibly being played at Optus Stadium. BHP and ECU have both signed on as sponsors already which is a plus. I don't think they will challenge for the premiership unfortunately.

GOLD COAST SUNS
I would say that the Suns women's team will be very strong when they come in as the talent in Queensland for women's football is super strong. We could possibly see a Q-Clash Grand Final! I have been following the Suns Women's program for some time as it has been pretty strong with the Suns underage girls winning carnivals all the time. There is a lot of sponsor interest in AFLW for the Suns. Kool Kids and Mackay Waterfront have already signed on as sponsors as well as Hostplus and Bond University showing significant interest in any involvement in AFLW. Home venue will be an interesting one as we see with the WBBL even though it would be a dream to play in a big venue it doesn't look good on TV if it has hardly anyone there so the Suns girls may play a few games at Metricon but I think the majority of games will be moved elsewhere. Cazaly's Stadium, Harrup Park, and Riverway Stadium in North Queensland all should expect some AFLW games in the near future as North Queensland was a big driving factor around the Suns AFLW bid. On the Gold Coast, Bond University has been touted as being a host of a few games for the Suns, Southport's Fankhauser Reserve and Broadbeach's Merrimac Oval may also be in the mix to host games too.

RICHMOND
I cannot see the Tigers being successful as the club is focusing too much on the mens team while it is dominating the league. Richmond will have the advantage of playing 2 seasons of VFLW before they enter though which could help their cause. Richmond will play all their home matches at Punt Road Oval (with maybe one or two country games).

ST KILDA
Similar to Richmond, playing 2 seasons in VFLW will assist them in making a solid impact on the league. Reflex has signed on as a sponsor. Home venues I would say would be Moorabbin, Frankston and Sandringham. They have been big supporters of AFLW right from the start so they will put everything into making the AFLW Saints team a success.
It is looking to be quite exciting for the Suns and hopefully they get better respect from the Footy public in the near future!
 
The Victorian said:
It wont happen though and I hope it is not a conference system again because that is an absolute joke.
Click to expand...
I think the drawbacks of proper conferences could easily be balanced out by the benefits. It would provide an opportunity for a fairer fixture, to start with. And if a 13-round season won't happen, how is a conference system not the next best option?

The Victorian said:
Home venue will be an interesting one as we see with the WBBL even though it would be a dream to play in a big venue it doesn't look good on TV if it has hardly anyone there so the Suns girls may play a few games at Metricon but I think the majority of games will be moved elsewhere. Cazaly's Stadium, Harrup Park, and Riverway Stadium in North Queensland all should expect some AFLW games in the near future as North Queensland was a big driving factor around the Suns AFLW bid.
Click to expand...
No doubt about Harrup Park, the Suns have already signed a four-year deal to play a game there each season.
 
Teen Wolf said:
I think the drawbacks of proper conferences could easily be balanced out by the benefits. It would provide an opportunity for a fairer fixture, to start with. And if a 13-round season won't happen, how is a conference system not the next best option?


No doubt about Harrup Park, the Suns have already signed a four-year deal to play a game there each season.
Click to expand...
No matter whether its a proper conference system, or not a proper conference, its just a way to justify playing less than each team once. It serves no other purpose.
 
The Victorian said:
I would say with the 4 additional teams coming in 2020, a full season is a must with each team playing each other team once although I would like it that you play everyone once then your biggest rival in a return match. It wont happen though and I hope it is not a conference system again because that is an absolute joke.

Here is my look at the 4 expansion sides.

WEST COAST
Michelle Cowan has joined the Eagles as an assistant coach and with the links to the West Coast Fever, I could see some players playing Netball and AFL for the Eagles/Fever like we see with Collingwood and Magpies Netball. I would say they would be playing home games at the newly refurbished Leederville Oval with the Derby possibly being played at Optus Stadium. BHP and ECU have both signed on as sponsors already which is a plus. I don't think they will challenge for the premiership unfortunately.

GOLD COAST SUNS
I would say that the Suns women's team will be very strong when they come in as the talent in Queensland for women's football is super strong. We could possibly see a Q-Clash Grand Final! I have been following the Suns Women's program for some time as it has been pretty strong with the Suns underage girls winning carnivals all the time. There is a lot of sponsor interest in AFLW for the Suns. Kool Kids and Mackay Waterfront have already signed on as sponsors as well as Hostplus and Bond University showing significant interest in any involvement in AFLW. Home venue will be an interesting one as we see with the WBBL even though it would be a dream to play in a big venue it doesn't look good on TV if it has hardly anyone there so the Suns girls may play a few games at Metricon but I think the majority of games will be moved elsewhere. Cazaly's Stadium, Harrup Park, and Riverway Stadium in North Queensland all should expect some AFLW games in the near future as North Queensland was a big driving factor around the Suns AFLW bid. On the Gold Coast, Bond University has been touted as being a host of a few games for the Suns, Southport's Fankhauser Reserve and Broadbeach's Merrimac Oval may also be in the mix to host games too.

RICHMOND
I cannot see the Tigers being successful as the club is focusing too much on the mens team while it is dominating the league. Richmond will have the advantage of playing 2 seasons of VFLW before they enter though which could help their cause. Richmond will play all their home matches at Punt Road Oval (with maybe one or two country games).

ST KILDA
Similar to Richmond, playing 2 seasons in VFLW will assist them in making a solid impact on the league. Reflex has signed on as a sponsor. Home venues I would say would be Moorabbin, Frankston and Sandringham. They have been big supporters of AFLW right from the start so they will put everything into making the AFLW Saints team a success.
It is looking to be quite exciting for the Suns and hopefully they get better respect from the Footy public in the near future!
Click to expand...
west Coast a going to have to hope there are some fans playing over East that may be enticed back by the prospect of playing for the Eagles, however, I have my doubts.

I also think the GC will seriously test Qlds depth in womens footy. They lost a few players South this year, and have a handful of decent non Qlders playing for Brisbane, which I think makes a world of difference. I doubt GC will get very many non Qlders, given there will be 2 new Vic teams and a WA team to fill as well.
 
jatz14 said:
No matter whether its a proper conference system, or not a proper conference, its just a way to justify playing less than each team once. It serves no other purpose.
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As far as I know, the justification for having a suboptimal number of games is that no TV network(s) offered to pay for a 16-week women's season.
 
Teen Wolf said:
As far as I know, the justification for having a suboptimal number of games is that no TV network(s) offered to pay for a 16-week women's season.
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and???

Just because the TV networks did not want a 16 week season does not mean it still does not happen.

Just play the extra games not on tv streamed through AFL.com.au

TV DOES NOT OWN EVERYTHING
 
jatz14 said:
west Coast a going to have to hope there are some fans playing over East that may be enticed back by the prospect of playing for the Eagles, however, I have my doubts.

I also think the GC will seriously test Qlds depth in womens footy. They lost a few players South this year, and have a handful of decent non Qlders playing for Brisbane, which I think makes a world of difference. I doubt GC will get very many non Qlders, given there will be 2 new Vic teams and a WA team to fill as well.
Click to expand...
Also, I must ask knowing a handful of Suns fans, why do people always bring them down. This is a chance for the Suns to something special yet ignorant people like you continue trash talking them this time in a women's sense.
 
The Victorian said:
Also, I must ask knowing a handful of Suns fans, why do people always bring them down. This is a chance for the Suns to something special yet ignorant people like you continue trash talking them this time in a women's sense.
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What?

I am Eagles fan, but unless, and possibly even if, the AFL allows them to completely gut Freo, they are going to be in a world of hurt the first few years. Nothing to do with Eagles, it's just that Freo lacks depth in a lot of positions, the Eagles will have to recycle Freo cast offs.

Queensland women's footy is in a great place, but pull the non qlders out of the Lion's, and I think they would have struggled.

GC, like Eagles are going to rely on locals, this will seriously stretch both states stocks, and there is no easy solution.

Sent from my XT1068 using Tapatalk
 
The Victorian said:
and???

Just because the TV networks did not want a 16 week season does not mean it still does not happen.

Just play the extra games not on tv streamed through AFL.com.au

TV DOES NOT OWN EVERYTHING
Click to expand...
To me that would feel like a step away from what they're trying to achieve, and I don't know of a financially viable sporting league anywhere in the world these days that shares your view.
 
The Victorian said:
The WBBL do it.
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Financially viable, as in players are paid according to the money the league generates. Unfortunately the WBBL isn't really close to that yet, which I just wrote about minutes ago in the '18-'19 season thread.
 
The Age 22.1.19 M.Fowler

Fowler said, re the AFLW 2018 B & F "Emma Kearney is critical of the AFL's decision not to make it one match against each of the other 9 teams" in 2019.

E. Kearney said
"They were the ones that introduced expansion, so I think they've got to own that...if you asked EVERY (my emphasis) AFLW player, they'd want to be playing every team once...If we keep having a seven-game season, girls that come from different sports will think "you know what? I'm actually going to stick with my basketball, or my netball" and not do footy. It's a big commitment for only a small competition".

If the AFL don't greatly expand the AFLW 2020 season, they are incompetent & hypocrites.
(Recently, McLachlan said "Nothing is more important to the AFL than the AFLW". Footscray Chairman P.Gordon said "The AFLW is the most important development since Wills and Harrison" ie since 1858!).

The AFL will, rightfully, attract much scorn & multiple attacks from players & many others, & its hypocrisy will be constantly challenged over a disrespectful "Mickey Mouse comp."
(I am assuming that, at the end of the 2019 AFLW season, virtually all AFLW experts declare there has been a noticeable improvement in skills in the average player, & a more attractive, free-flowing game style- which I am expecting).

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl...er-new-kids-on-the-block-20190121-p50sqn.html
 
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