AFLW 2019 Expansion - Welcome North/Tas and Geelong (WCE, GC, Rich, Stk in 2020)

[Gigantor]

Why not just smother it while its in its infancy? Playing it in summer has huge advantages for the AFL. The dedicated AFL media have something to do over the summer, the AFL keeps churning out its own publicity all year round, and women get their own spotlight without being hidden behind the men.

Yep, it's an absolute no brainer that the women will creep further into the summer as the comp grows

 

[madmug]

Yep, it's an absolute no brainer that the women will creep further into the summer as the comp grows

Maybe, maybe not. As said, it may create a problem clashing with mens & womens cricket as well as the summer conditions. I think Late summer & into early season midweek footy may be a good spot to expand into.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

It might clash with cricket but as long as it doesn't clash with the BBL/WBBL I really don't see (too) much of a problem. Have a break between Christmas and around Australia Day to leave the most of January to the cricket and tennis. In October/November you're just going up against local cricket and racing. Would love to see some November footy.

 

[jatz14]

It might clash with cricket but as long as it doesn't clash with the BBL/WBBL I really don't see (too) much of a problem. Have a break between Christmas and around Australia Day to leave the most of January to the cricket and tennis. In October/November you're just going up against local cricket and racing. Would love to see some November footy.

There is a danger in a split season like that. The season develops some momentum and interest, then stops, everyone goes on holiday, sorts there silly season out, and when it all resumes, interest has dropped right off. Personally, I would prefer them to start as early as practical in the new year, and if necessary, continue on into the start of the mens season. There may be a drop in attendance, viewers, but i think thats likely to be the case either way.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

There is a danger in a split season like that. The season develops some momentum and interest, then stops, everyone goes on holiday, sorts there silly season out, and when it all resumes, interest has dropped right off. Personally, I would prefer them to start as early as practical in the new year, and if necessary, continue on into the start of the mens season. There may be a drop in attendance, viewers, but i think thats likely to be the case either way.

That's understandable, but I think a split season even with its issues, is less of an issue against a competition where the teams don't play play each other at least once before constructing a ladder. Conferences aren't an AFL thing and I would hate for one team to miss out on finals because they just so happen to play two or three of the bad teams.

 

[Starburns_]

Split season is the best option, avoids the oppressive heat and crowded Test/BBL/tennis schedule (as well as picking a fight with cricket, which at this stage isn't wise), and doesn't run it too far into the AFL season where it'd be cannibalised. A break could also help combat the attrition rate in the competition .

Apart from February, October and November are the least competitive months on our sporting calendar, it'd be a waste not to utilise them.

If the pre-finals bye survives and this competition makes it to say 17 weeks, then that's the ideal time to start it, considering that finals has mostly empty timeslots outside of prime time. 11 rounds from Sept-Nov, then 6 rounds+4 finals weeks Feb-Apr (or 12 and 5+4). The only overlap with the AFL is the finals, so less games to clash, but when they do, they're actually meaningful ones.

 

[Gigantor]

No problem with a split season concept, but the break should be only 2 to 3 weeks over Xmas/New Year's.

 

[Caputo]

No problem with a split season concept, but the break should be only 2 to 3 weeks over Xmas/New Year's.

If you want to go with the split season take some ideas from Argentina and Scottish Football Soccer. Split the teams in Bottom half and Top half. 2 Conferences and then mid season realignment.

 

[Gigantor]

If you want to go with the split season take some ideas from Argentina and Scottish Football Soccer. Split the teams in Bottom half and Top half. 2 Conferences and then mid season realignment.

It's not necessary. Every team playing each other once is enough to push the start of the women's season to before Xmas.

 

[The_Wookie]

AFLW players to be given points rating under 2019 list expansion rules

Victorian AFLW clubs will need to give up between two and four players next year based on a points rating system as part of the AFL's plans to ensure North Melbourne and Geelong hit the ground running when they enter the competition in 2019.

The AFL has outlined its list mechanisms ahead of the women's league's first expansion season, with draft concessions also likely to be granted to the Kangaroos and Cats.

Existing Victorian AFLW clubs Melbourne, Carlton, Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs were involved in the process of formulating the expansion player rules, as were North and Geelong.

The AFL has determined that the AFLW All-Australian committee will give each player at a Victorian club a points rating between 10 and 50, based on performance, but also taking into account injury, age and other relevant factors.

A window will open shortly after the end of the second AFLW season in which the Demons, Blues, Magpies and Dogs will need to give up players to their rivals. Existing clubs will give up between two and four players to a total worth of 100 points.

"We've created a set of list rules, which aim to allow expansion teams to be as competitive as possible straight away, which we think is important for the competition," the league's head of female football, Josh Vanderloo, told Fairfax Media.

"Notionally your top rated players are worth 50 points, your low-rated players are worth 10 points."

The expansion clubs will subsequently be allowed to sign any non-AFLW players over 18, before the league determines exact concessions for the 2018 draft.

Vanderloo said the AFL would then review the first round of expansion ahead of a decision on the second round in 2020, with Richmond, St Kilda, Gold Coast and West Coast set to enter the league that year.

The situation with the Suns and Eagles is complicated given AFLW players have a choice of which state they wish to play in, with Brisbane and Fremantle currently holding an effective monopoly over their respective states' talent.

Meanwhile, Vanderloo also confirmed the AFL has been exploring rule changes ahead of the second AFLW season, which are set to be finalised soon.

The AFL has toyed with the idea of nine-point super goals from outside 40 metres, as was trialled in this year's state of origin match, but this is unlikely to eventuate. Anti-density rules, the length of quarters and the amount of bench players per team have also been considered.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...019-list-expansion-rules-20171017-gz2jfs.html

 

[wally funk]

Don't like this. I guess it's relatively unavoidable though.

 

[The_Wookie]

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...er-to-open-second-season-20171026-gz9bs5.html

The AFL is considering using a conference-style fixture for AFLW seasons 2019 or 2020 when the league will expand to 10 and then 14 teams.

with new teams coming in for 2019 and 2020 the AFL is wary of moving the season's start to clash with the Australian Open or having the season finish too deep into the men's season (the AFLW grand final is currently played in round one of the AFL season).

North Melbourne and Geelong will join the AFLW in 2019, while Gold Coast, West Coast, Richmond and St Kilda will join in 2020.

A conference-style fixture is used in the United States for the NFL, NBA and MLB and would presumably split the AFLW into two or (less likely) three separate divisions, with the top of each playing off in finals or a grand final.

AFL general manager of clubs and broadcasting Travis Auld said at the AFLW 2018 fixture launch that the league and clubs had "run a number of scenarios" for expansion fixture planning.

"We have given it [the expansion fixture] a bit of thought as part of the expansion conversation at commission level with clubs," Auld said. "Do you run a straight fixture like we have got now, but just a longer season?

"Do you run some conferences? The beauty of launching a new competition is you can throw out the rules of the men's competition and think a bit differently about it so we have been encouraged to do that.

"We haven't landed anywhere yet but there are certainly some opportunities to think differently about it."

When asked directly about the possibility of conferences Auld said they were definitely a possibility to be used.

"Yep [conferences are a chance] and certainly again in 2020 with expansion if we do that two years in a row we need to manage the length of the season for a whole range of reasons and so you might look at conferences there again.

"We are quite open [to when the AFLW season starts and ends]. We are prepared to start earlier if that's the right thing to do or push further into the men's season. We're learning at the same time as everyone else is. "

 

[Wenners]

I reckon that putting 4 new teams in across 2 years isn't a good idea. They haven't generated enough revenue and don't have the talent to attract non - die hard fans to the games. It woulc be better if they introduced a team in geelong and one in tasmania to tap into the local footy talent instead of draining out melbourne.

 

[NoobPie]

I reckon that putting 4 new teams in across 2 years isn't a good idea. They haven't generated enough revenue and don't have the talent to attract non - die hard fans to the games. It woulc be better if they introduced a team in geelong and one in tasmania to tap into the local footy talent instead of draining out melbourne.

Disagree. The great benefit of AFLW expansion is that it will necessarily result in increased interest of those invested in their AFL clubs, which most people engaged in the game are.

There is a revenue constraint, the AFL are clearly prepared to subsidise it for a long time

 

[threenewpadlocks]

Two out of three attendees to the AFLW games weren't ordinary attending football fans.

That's your investment. The AFL spends tens of millions every year trying to get more fans to footy and generate interest in the league - e.g. why else do they pay Chris Hemsworth to do an ad for TV etc.

The AFLW, at a cost of "only" around $10 million to operate and with around half of that recouped in sponsorship, if anything, was more cost effective to generate interest in the league. Let alone the flow-on effects of grassroots footy and participation which is the AFL's actual responsibility as custodian of the game.

Makes me wonder why the NRL are going to wait several years for their own women's NRL. Makes no sense, especially if they're arguing the 'talent pool' isn't there. It's strange because a) the talent pool wasn't there for the AFLW, myself objectively speaking the quality of footy was terrible, but myself and nobody in general really cared, and b) they're clearly losing ground in the participation numbers battle to other sports as now virtually other sport has either proper international competition (like the Olympics) or a professional national competition to play in.

 

[The_Wookie]

Makes me wonder why the NRL are going to wait several years for their own women's NRL. Makes no sense, especially if they're arguing the 'talent pool' isn't there. It's strange because a) the talent pool wasn't there for the AFLW, myself objectively speaking the quality of footy was terrible, but myself and nobody in general really cared, and b) they're clearly losing ground in the participation numbers battle to other sports as now virtually other sport has either proper international competition (like the Olympics) or a professional national competition to play in.

I dont see how they can wait given womens union 7s results at the Olympics and boosts elsewhere. Hell even my daughter is playing now.

 

[BringBackTorps]

Two out of three attendees to the AFLW games weren't ordinary attending football fans.

That's your investment. The AFL spends tens of millions every year trying to get more fans to footy and generate interest in the league - e.g. why else do they pay Chris Hemsworth to do an ad for TV etc.

The AFLW, at a cost of "only" around $10 million to operate and with around half of that recouped in sponsorship, if anything, was more cost effective to generate interest in the league. Let alone the flow-on effects of grassroots footy and participation which is the AFL's actual responsibility as custodian of the game.

Makes me wonder why the NRL are going to wait several years for their own women's NRL. Makes no sense, especially if they're arguing the 'talent pool' isn't there. It's strange because a) the talent pool wasn't there for the AFLW, myself objectively speaking the quality of footy was terrible
, but myself and nobody in general really cared, and b) they're clearly losing ground in the participation numbers battle to other sports as now virtually other sport has either proper international competition (like the Olympics) or a professional national competition to play in.

The general quality of the AFLW was not terrible -it was OK. It was often played in STRONG heat & humidity, which obviously diminishes skills (slippery sweating hands, sweat/lotion in eyes, affects ball efficiency; fatigue etc). A few players were very good, a few also poor.
Due to biological differences, men's & women's sports should not be directly compared.

The skills will increase strongly over the next 10 -15 years, to become fairly close to AFL standard (if the AFLW can similarly recruit a significantly high % of the best young athletes).
The intensity & courage of the AFLW players was excellent, fierce & generally close games were played.

The 2017 AFLW crowds & ratings, in only its first year, indicated there was very good interest in the AFLW (highest in women's sport in Aust.,outside Aust. Open tennis?). Fans/neutrals/"antis" do care about skills. This interest is certain to rise as:-
.more games are played in better timeslots
.skills inevitably increase
.more AFL clubs field an AFLW side

On a tangent, the first AFLW game (or any match) at Perth Stadium will be highly anticipated - Freo. vs. Collingwood in Feb.2018. Could this first game attract 50,000? If so, would this be a world record ie the highest ever attendance to watch any stand alone women's sporting event (ie outside of an Olympics women's event, or combined with a men's sport at the same location)?
(A SANFL Charity Game women's AF match at Adelaide Oval, on a SANFL bye weekend, attracted 41,000 spectators in 1929! The game was started by a Gypsy Moth biplane flying low over the centre of AO, & it dropped the ball close to the centre!).

 

[BringBackTorps]

Melb. SEN Radio M. Christian Program 14.12

S.Gowan new NM/Tas. coach, already appointed, said:-

. " The skill standard of AFLW2 has improved dramatically over last year".
This skill improvement is crucial for the future success of the AFLW -&, IMO, it is reasonable to expect that AFLW3 will also be much higher than AFLW2.

. NM/Tas. will have automatic priority listing for all Tas. females (& ditto GFC for female players in Geelong's district)

. Significant resources are being provided to AFLTas. for teenage female player development; & there are many talented teenage female footballers in Tas.

. New last touch Rule in the AFLW will only apply to balls that are handballed or kicked over the line (ie not just touched). A defender punching the ball over the line in a marking contest will not be a free kick.

Later Georgie Parker, ex top Hockeyroo player who quit, said:-

. " I always loved Aussie Rules, but didn't have the opportunity to play it" (She is from Berri, SA & is 28) also said:-

.the 2017 AFLW success has forced all sports to improve their female pathways & competitions.
She also curiously said ( incorrectly?) that the Code Wars that exist in male sports don't exist in female sports

.Having joined Coll.FC AFLW team, the intro. to AF she surprisingly found very difficult to adapt to (apart from kicking) was that she was always being pushed when she was near the ball. This was more difficult for her to adapt to than being tackled. In female Olympic hockey, there is often body contact with opponents.