2014 QAFL

[Breretonisahood]

Its about creating more AFL consumers basically Speedy (therefore a marketing exercise) - not about providing another sport to women who are missing out on opportunities to participate in sport in Australia. Not sure we can judge as to "what is required" can we? Surely people will vote with their feet as to whether a sport (or anything for that matter) is "required". Currently the largest growth sport in Australia so there appears to be some take up. Saw a match in Darwin last year at National 16's bn Vic and WA. Was a very, very good standard of footy. If it means some teenage girls take up sport bc they were looking for a bit of rough and tumble rather than netball / basketball / soccer then has to be a good thing in an age where obesity levels are incredibly high. The beauty of the AFL running it as well is that they will run comps in the correct manner. Would push my daughter to play AFL footy far more so than towards girls RL for instance.
Netball Aust is lucky if they can pour millions into female netball, let alone mens netball, but if they had the $$ I would suggest they would. Why cut off 50% of a potential market simply bc history dictates this is the way it has always been.
My suggestion would be to watch the match with an open mind and see what you think. It does make sense to play it there although I can see why it might be a pain in the arse for all concerned.

Generally agree, Smy. You're right, its about being seen to involve women both as spectators and players. This is an advantage the AFL has over the NRL which is very much a blokes only game. I have no stats to back this up, but my observation is that women generally will watch AFL ahead of NRL. This means more $$$ for the AFL. Its the same reason the AFL supports Sydney Swans and Giants so much (COLA, soft draw each year etc) at the expense of clubs from more traditional footy states. Its not about the footy, its about opening up new avenues for $$$$.

 

[spooner21]

Like being forced to?

Complete garbage.

Those that are interested will stay around to watch it, better than being forced.

Complete garbage that such resource is dedicated to the QWAFL, some of the grass roots mens community leagues and clubs would love that sort of support.

Even women don't like watching womens football!

So, to summarise, men's community leagues are more deserving of resources and support than the top female footballers in the State? Why is that?

 

[Lensen]

So, to summarise, men's community leagues are more deserving of resources and support than the top female footballers in the State? Why is that?

I ask this without any knowledge of the answer - but what, for example, are the fees to registered a team in the QWAFL vs the QAFL or QFA?

 

[QAFL_Fan]

So, to summarise, men's community leagues are more deserving of resources and support than the top female footballers in the State? Why is that?

because the standard is still higher, and they are the grassroots of our game.

the fact that umpires are appointed to QWAFL ahead of community mens leagues is a complete joke.

 

[spooner21]

I ask this without any knowledge of the answer - but what, for example, are the fees to registered a team in the QWAFL vs the QAFL or QFA?

QAFL = $34,319.95 ($11,439.98 per team)
QWAFL = $8,223.60 ($8,223.60 per team)
QFA = ???
QAFA(A) = $10,989.00 ($5,494.50 per team)
QAFA(B) = $5,225.00 ($5,225.00 per team)
QWAFA = $3,740.00 ($3,740.00 per team)

because the standard is still higher, and they are the grassroots of our game.

the fact that umpires are appointed to QWAFL ahead of community mens leagues is a complete joke.

And how is women's football meant to grow and improve in standard without being allocated resources and support? Or are you saying that it shouldn't be given any attention, that it's not worth spending time and effort on improving?

 

[Brock Machine]

And how is women's football meant to grow and improve in standard without being allocated resources and support?

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't this already happening? My impression is the women's game is growing strongly and more resources are being allocated to accommodate.

 

[Ruffles00]

There's a lot of "I'm all for women's footy, but..." being said above. Disclaimers like that are usually a pretty good indicator that you're not actually as open minded as you might think you are! (i.e. http://imnotracistbut.tumblr.com/)

I'd challenge you guys going to the semi-final to tough it out there and actually watch most of that game.

The depth in the women's competition isn't there yet and there will be a large difference in standard out there between the experienced girls and the newer girls (a product of the lack of support which they currently get), but keep an eye on some of the more skillful girls. Girls like Emma Zielke (#8 from Coorparoo) would hold their own playing in most community men's competitions.

Things like playing a women's game in between the QAFL matches are designed to over-come the prejudices that exist out there by getting you guys to actually watch a game. I'm sure AFLQ would have loved to have kept the QAFL games back to back and have the women's semi close out the day, but unfortunately if they did that then none of you would stay around to watch it and there wouldn't be any progress made to stop idiots dropping "I'm a fan of women's footy, but [insert derogatory statement here]" kind of lines.

This is complete garbage. The problem is purely a logistical one. The women's game is squashed in between two men's games which creates an unneeded problem for pre and post game preparations in terms of being able to change and use showers and whatnot. I have a good friend in the UQ Women's Team whom I'm sure wouldn't feel as comfortable having to change in between two men's teams ready to use the room as I'm sure the men's would if the roles were reversed.

Why did this need to occur during the week of finals that would send a team into the Grand Final? Especially during a finals campaign where the focus should be only on doing exactly the same things as they have prepared for the entire year to get them in this position. If you wanted to promote the women's league then there were 18 rounds before this one.

I don't understand the argument about people not staying around to watch the women's game if they were to be put on after the QAFL Seniors. If you have bothered to stay around for any of the U18 games being played after the QAFL Seniors then you will see the majority of the crowd will stay for at least the first quarter. This would be the same case if it were a women's case too I'm sure. Now if people are interested in staying around after that then that is there choice the same with any other game being played on the weekend.

So, to summarise, men's community leagues are more deserving of resources and support than the top female footballers in the State? Why is that?

I would like to know exactly what extra resources the men's teams are getting compared to the women's. Every change room that has been built has been built in coordination with new design standards to allow for both men and women's use. One small example of this is the development of new change room have been (or should have been) built with lockable doors on showers. What resources are exactly being given to the men that the women are excluded from?

 

[spooner21]

I didn't say that it should be happening this weekend, and agree that it creates a logistical problem at any ground where there are only two changerooms. I'm simply providing my take on why AFLQ are undertaking an exercise like this - to promote awareness women's footy. Some people are set in their ways and won't change their opinion but, for a lot of guys, simply watching a good game makes them re-assess their opinion of female football and shift away from their long-held beliefs that girls games are just kick-and-giggle. These girls go hard at it and there are some truly skilled athletes running around out there.

Similarly on resources, I'm not necessarily saying that the guys get more than the girls. QAFL_Fan implies that resources and support should be diverted away from women's to men's leagues. I'm asking him to justify that. His view highlights the current problem - a lot of people think that girls games are rubbish football and shouldn't be given any attention or support. AFLQ are doing things like playing QWAFL games at feature times so that guys are forced to watch them and re-evaluate their opinions of female football.

 

[QAFL_Fan]

re-evaluate, or confirm....

You say potato, I say spud.

 

[Blackdog32]

Surely the first time to 'experiment' with this scheduling is not a cut throat final week in the QAFL???
Labrador twos will have to be up at dawn to leave the Gold Coast and play at morningside on Saturday morning. Now surely no one outside of headquarters agrees that this is a smart move?? All year 11:30. Second semi 9am....absolute rubbish.

 

[stuyd1]

Surely the first time to 'experiment' with this scheduling is not a cut throat final week in the QAFL???
Labrador twos will have to be up at dawn to leave the Gold Coast and play at morningside on Saturday morning. Now surely no one outside of headquarters agrees that this is a smart move?? All year 11:30. Second semi 9am....absolute rubbish.

Spot on Blackdog,,,,,, this is just unbelievable stupidity.....

 

[Speedyunit]

Spot on Blackdog,,,,,, this is just unbelievable stupidity.....

and bad luck to the coaches and volunteers that now have to be there from 730am to 5pm,is the bloke that runs the operations for QAFL an ex ump?

 

[The_Sherrin]

Sadly the QAFL have form on strange decision making. Just look at the Under 18's Final series. Wonder who came up with that bright idea?

 

[Ruffles00]

Sadly the QAFL have form on strange decision making. Just look at the Under 18's Final series. Wonder who came up with that bright idea?

Agreed. Great idea in theory but unfortunately the teams in each conference were clearly not on the same level. Should have just graded them in the preseason and had three separate divisions.

 

[Bunyip62]

Agreed. Great idea in theory but unfortunately the teams in each conference were clearly not on the same level. Should have just graded them in the preseason and had three separate divisions.

Agree totally, having just come through the Colts finals series it is clear that there is a huge gap still between the conferences, particularly the QAFL teams and the NEAFL aligned clubs. Maroochydore probably the exception but have always been very strong at 18s level, in my recent memory anyway. There have been 3 or 4 games decided by more than 10 goals so far in this finals series, not a good look for a competitive system. What chance smaller, developing clubs against the might of Aspley, Morningside, Southport etc. In hindsight AFLQ may have not waited until 3/4 of the way through the season to inform clubs of the new system either. Yep very strange.

 

[Speedyunit]

Agree totally, having just come through the Colts finals series it is clear that there is a huge gap still between the conferences, particularly the QAFL teams and the NEAFL aligned clubs. Maroochydore probably the exception but have always been very strong at 18s level, in my recent memory anyway. There have been 3 or 4 games decided by more than 10 goals so far in this finals series, not a good look for a competitive system. What chance smaller, developing clubs against the might of Aspley, Morningside, Southport etc. In hindsight AFLQ may have not waited until 3/4 of the way through the season to inform clubs of the new system either. Yep very strange.

didnt southport have to merge with surfers in the 18s?

 

[Bunyip62]

didnt southport have to merge with surfers in the 18s?

Kind of Speedyunit. They merged their best dozen or so with Surfers best dozen and entered the Surfers Sharks in the QAFL Colts. They are very strong and it will be a cracking game with Maroochydore this week. The rest from both clubs were placed in Colts South as a stand alone Southport team, they did quite well too, finishing 3rd in the comp, but knocked out by Sandgate by plenty in the first round. So they had roughly one and a bit teams. I think they had about 30 players and Surfers 15 all up, roughly.

 

[stuyd1]

and bad luck to the coaches and volunteers that now have to be there from 730am to 5pm,is the bloke that runs the operations for QAFL an ex ump?

Speedyunit,
the AFLQ Operations Manager is ex Collingwood player , Craig Staravich..... So we have Conlan at the helm and whoever else, but geez where they get their ideas from is just unexplainable.!!!

 

[Speedyunit]

Speedyunit,
the AFLQ Operations Manager is ex Collingwood player , Craig Staravich..... So we have Conlan at the helm and whoever else, but geez where they get their ideas from is just unexplainable.!!!

thanks for the clarification, isnt he taking over the high performance role (newly created) for womens footy synergies..........

 

[Dezario]

Tips for weekends games?

Palmy by 7

Labrador by 21

 

[stuyd1]

Tips for weekends games?

Palmy by 7

Labrador by 21

Morningside by 29
Labrador by 26.

 

[Blackdog32]

and bad luck to the coaches and volunteers that now have to be there from 730am to 5pm,is the bloke that runs the operations for QAFL an ex ump?

Spot on speedy. Our volunteers will be at Labrador at 6am to pack and leave at 6:30. So while the geniuses who made this decision are sleeping, these loyal QLD footy people (there aren't a lot of them) will be setting there alarm for 5-5:30 to volunteer for their footy club.
Seriously who signs off on these ridiculous decisions?? I'm happy for and would like to see women's footy prosper but is this really the answer? I wouldn't think so.
If this mob operated in an open market they wouldn't last 2 years.

 

[Yesterday]

There's a lot of "I'm all for women's footy, but..." being said above. Disclaimers like that are usually a pretty good indicator that you're not actually as open minded as you might think you are! (i.e. http://imnotracistbut.tumblr.com/)

I'd challenge you guys going to the semi-final to tough it out there and actually watch most of that game.

The depth in the women's competition isn't there yet and there will be a large difference in standard out there between the experienced girls and the newer girls (a product of the lack of support which they currently get), but keep an eye on some of the more skillful girls. Girls like Emma Zielke (#8 from Coorparoo) would hold their own playing in most community men's competitions.

Things like playing a women's game in between the QAFL matches are designed to over-come the prejudices that exist out there by getting you guys to actually watch a game. I'm sure AFLQ would have loved to have kept the QAFL games back to back and have the women's semi close out the day, but unfortunately if they did that then none of you would stay around to watch it and there wouldn't be any progress made to stop idiots dropping "I'm a fan of women's footy, but [insert derogatory statement here]" kind of lines.

I call baloney! If AFL think women's football is such a great product, why don't they showcase it at the MCG on Grand Final Day. Why make traditional community clubs have to carry their addiction with taking on the world re new markets?

Its still offensive for men and women to have to get changed in the same change rooms. Its a recipe for disaster. Imagine a mens netball team sharing change rooms with the state national women's netball grand final and their second division. Wake up! I seriously don't mind womens football but they are turning into a novelty act at the circus

 

[spooner21]

Interesting how the girls play at all different times and days through the season to fit in around the guys, but the one week that one guys game is shifted to accommodate the girls all hell breaks loose!

I agree that the timing of this "novelty act" act as you call it might not have been handled correctly, but can see that AFLQ have done it to try to raise awareness of female football. It's a shame that will be lost on so many of you.

Anyway, no point arguing about it now - good luck to all the teams playing today. Seeing as you're all such big supporters of female footy I look forward to seeing you stay around at Yeronga in a few weeks after the QAFL Grand Final to watch the twilight QWAFL Grand Final!

 

[damochandler]

morningside wont be beaten this year. palmy threw everything they had at them today. siders just weathered it and piled it on