No Oppo Supporters 2024 General AFLW Discussion

[SwansProudly]

It means the usual rhythm of the season – team announcements, injury lists, nominees for Telstra AFLW Rising Star, MRO reports – will be altered through the condensed fixture period.

Tribunal, teams, award noms: AFLW season details confirmed

From team announcements, injury updates and match review findings, Sarah Black has all the details on the upcoming NAB AFLW season

www.afl.com.au

 

[Ticky009]

Tribunal, teams, award noms: AFLW season details confirmed

From team announcements, injury updates and match review findings, Sarah Black has all the details on the upcoming NAB AFLW season

www.afl.com.au

They're right. Working some of the Tribunal sessions is going to be a challenge, but they'll just have to adapt.

 

[Ticky009]

Metro will be open in time for our first AFLW game...this will cut my travel time by like 40mins

 

[SwansProudly]

How will this season be different?​

There are a couple of significant changes to the way AFLW will operate in 2024, namely the fixturing of mid-week footy, and the addition of Score Assist software.

In order to squeeze 11 rounds of footy into just 10 weeks, every club has a mid-week match as part of the fixture. These matches will take place between weeks four and seven, and will see sides back up games on a Tuesday or Wednesday, with Sunday afternoon matches.

Injuries, off-field moves and more: Get up to speed ahead of season 2024

Gemma Bastiani has all the details ahead of the NAB AFLW season opener

www.afl.com.au

 

[Ticky009]

I'm no fan of the Bulldogs - but what the AFL have just done with rescheduling their game to appear before the mens final is disgraceful.

All their plans pfft out the window. All the fans who thought they'd be able to get into the ground to watch the game..well they can kiss that goodbye because the final is already sold out so they can't get in.

I'd be spewing.

 

[Callipygian]

I'm no fan of the Bulldogs - but what the AFL have just done with rescheduling their game to appear before the mens final is disgraceful.

All their plans pfft out the window. All the fans who thought they'd be able to get into the ground to watch the game..well they can kiss that goodbye because the final is already sold out so they can't get in.

I'd be spewing.

I'm not really across this issue and I'm very sympathetic to the points you make... but, I imagine the reason that AFL has done this is to allow the AFLW team to play on a first class ground with a huge crowd watching (including a large number of their own club's fans). I gather that the problem arose because the AFL fixtured the men to play the same night as the women and, presumably, this is the AFL's cackhanded attempt to fix their own SNAFU. It's terribly unfair to the dedicated members who had bought tickets to the game and who won't now be able to attend (assuming they haven't been given the opportunity to access to tickets to the men's game) but there are some silver linings. Apologies if my off the cuff remarks misapprehend the situation and miss the point.

 

[Wheresbuddy]

Watching the GF rematch and have to say Dakota Davidson is the most annoying footballer across both the Women's and Men's competitions. How her opponent just doesn't snap and irons her out is beyond me

 

[Ticky009]

Norf are scary good this year, put the Lions to the sword.

 

[liz]

Norf are scary good this year, put the Lions to the sword.

Lions had some convincing defeats early last season too. But they got themselves together by the end of the season (obviously).

There were lots of very one-sided contests this week (at least five). But it's hard to put teams in likely pecking order until they've played a couple more matches. I expected the Dogs to struggle, but maybe not for GWS to beat them by quite so much. Does this mean that GWS might have improved, or just that a small difference in the ability of teams can lead the score to blow out?

The scoreline that surprised me the most was Gold Coast losing by so much, at home, to St Kilda. I do think the Saints will be one of the teams seriously challenging for a top eight spot but, based on last season, you'd expect Gold Coast to be in the same bracket.

 

[Kiama Chris]

Lions had some convincing defeats early last season too. But they got themselves together by the end of the season (obviously).

There were lots of very one-sided contests this week (at least five). But it's hard to put teams in likely pecking order until they've played a couple more matches. I expected the Dogs to struggle, but maybe not for GWS to beat them by quite so much. Does this mean that GWS might have improved, or just that a small difference in the ability of teams can lead the score to blow out?

The scoreline that surprised me the most was Gold Coast losing by so much, at home, to St Kilda. I do think the Saints will be one of the teams seriously challenging for a top eight spot but, based on last season, you'd expect Gold Coast to be in the same bracket.

After the first round I am seriously confused. Mainly I'm glad we snaffled the 4 points and drew a good crowd.

 

[liz]

After the first round I am seriously confused. Mainly I'm glad we snaffled the 4 points and drew a good crowd.

I just had a flick through the crowd sizes at the other games. Not great. Only one other game drew more than 5,000 and that was the Showdown. But I think last year’s Showdown, also in round 1, drew around 10,000 so barely over 5,000 is disappointing.

A couple of games drew between 3 and 4 thousand, while fewer than 3,000 turned up to watch the Suns St Kilda game. If they can’t get biggish crowds in for round one, while footy fever from the AFLM is still high and we should be looking to fill the void, it doesn’t look promising for the rest of the season.

If our women perform ok (and maybe even if they don’t), we could well land up with the five biggest home crowds of the H&A. (It’s hard to know how the people of Coffs will turnout.)

As an aside, I saw Andrew Dillon at NSO on Friday night. He was mingling with the people pushing their way along the walkway between the stands and the pitch at halftime.

 

[Kiama Chris]

I just had a flick through the crowd sizes at the other games. Not great. Only one other game drew more than 5,000 and that was the Showdown. But I think last year’s Showdown, also in round 1, drew around 10,000 so barely over 5,000 is disappointing.

A couple of games drew between 3 and 4 thousand, while fewer than 3,000 turned up to watch the Suns St Kilda game. If they can’t get biggish crowds in for round one, while footy fever from the AFLM is still high and we should be looking to fill the void, it doesn’t look promising for the rest of the season.

If our women perform ok (and maybe even if they don’t), we could well land up with the five biggest home crowds of the H&A. (It’s hard to know how the people of Coffs will turnout.)

As an aside, I saw Andrew Dillon at NSO on Friday night. He was mingling with the people pushing their way along the walkway between the stands and the pitch at halftime.

I reckon the club has done a good job launching and promoting our team and our crowds are very enthusiastic but I wonder what the next step is to grow crowds further. The overall standard has improved significantly year on year, Gowans is working on getting us to play an exciting brand, the men are supporting it, our choice of grounds works well to create atmosphere. There were a fair few kids there on Friday but I wonder if night games are that good an idea. In a year when we broke all records maybe I expected a bit more.

 

[Callipygian]

30-60 minutes before the game started the crowd at NSO was looking scant - but it looked great later on. In fact, it looked so great that I was surprised and disappointed to see the crowd was only 5.5K. Didn't we average about 5K last season? The season launch, blockbuster opener might have drawn more, even though we didn't have the chance to see a historic first ever victory for the team.

The club is doing an excellent job making the match day vibe feel really good, and the venues we use are working well.

 

[liz]

30-60 minutes before the game started the crowd at NSO was looking scant - but it looked great later on. In fact, it looked so great that I was surprised and disappointed to see the crowd was only 5.5K. Didn't we average about 5K last season? The season launch, blockbuster opener might have drawn more, even though we didn't have the chance to see a historic first ever victory for the team.

The club is doing an excellent job making the match day vibe feel really good, and the venues we use are working well.

The crowd was almost the exact same size as last year. There were a few black and white scarfs scattered amid the crowd but I think there was more charcoal and orange last year. So against an interstate team, maybe it represented a small growth.

I was surprised the crowd was "only" 5k. Capacity of NSO is 10k. I'd hate to be there (comfort wise) when there are nearly twice as many people. I'm not sure where you'd put them all. I was in the stand on the broadcast wing and it wasn't at complete capacity but was pretty packed.

I guess we'll need to wait and see how the season and the crowd unfold to get any idea of whether there was a Friday night effect. Or whether Henson Park crowds will see even a modest increase.

But it's the rest of the clubs that really need to do some heavy lifting, crowdwise, if the competition is to achieve its target crowds to justify expanding the season.

One thing that I have noticed in all the games I've been to over the last season and a bit is how varied the crowd is. Lots of kids (and parents) sure, but also lots of teens, older adults and young (pre-family) adults. And, by eye, as many men as women.

 

[Kiama Chris]

Crowds:
Swans 5489
Eagles 2166
Giants 2003
Bombers 2820
Suns 1749
Cats 3838
Port 5194
Hawks 2794
Lions 3395
TOTAL 29448
AVERAGE 3272
Suns and Giants following the men's crowds.
Eagles, Bombers and Hawks letting the side down some.
Port and Crows playing each other.

 

[caesar88]

I think the AFLM media pundits have been awful the way they have talked about the pre-finals bye in the men's competition, with so many mentions of "dead weekends" and "no footy on this week."

I don't particularly have a problem with AFLM fans speaking like that, because if they don't follow AFLW or have no interest in it, then to them, subjectively speaking it really is going to be a dead weekend of no footy for them.

However when you have Seven, Fox Footy, SEN and AFL Media - all organisations that broadcast and promote the AFLW - personalities all using that language, that's just unacceptable. As employees of those organisations they should be held accountable for failing to promote - not to mention show common, decent respect to - a sport being broadcast by those very organisations.

That they're not is telling.

 

[liz]

I think the AFLM media pundits have been awful the way they have talked about the pre-finals bye in the men's competition, with so many mentions of "dead weekends" and "no footy on this week."

I don't particularly have a problem with AFLM fans speaking like that, because if they don't follow AFLW or have no interest in it, then to them, subjectively speaking it really is going to be a dead weekend of no footy for them.

However when you have Seven, Fox Footy, SEN and AFL Media - all organisations that broadcast and promote the AFLW - personalities all using that language, that's just unacceptable. As employees of those organisations they should be held accountable for failing to promote - not to mention show common, decent respect to - a sport being broadcast by those very organisations.

That they're not is telling.

Totally agree with your sentiments. But I find it hard to describe SEN as convering the AFLW. They’ve had a week of space and it has barely got a mention in their articles. I rarely listen to the shows - just go and listen to the odd recording when it’s of interest. So don’t know if they gave it any radio discussion coverage.

I did read Whately whingeing about the bye, in the context of having nothing to do.

 

[caesar88]

Totally agree with your sentiments. But I find it hard to describe SEN as convering the AFLW. They’ve had a week of space and it has barely got a mention in their articles. I rarely listen to the shows - just go and listen to the odd recording when it’s of interest. So don’t know if they gave it any radio discussion coverage.

I did read Whately whingeing about the bye, in the context of having nothing to do.

Do SEN not cover the AFLW games on their station? I wouldn't know. I just remember a mate saying he was listening to a game on the SEN app or something of the like (unless my memory is totally failing me and it wasn't SEN but some other network.) So it was disheartening to see Gerards Whateley and Healy both using that kind of rhetoric about the bye weekend.

 

[liz]

Do SEN not cover the AFLW games on their station? I wouldn't know. I just remember a mate saying he was listening to a game on the SEN app or something of the like (unless my memory is totally failing me and it wasn't SEN but some other network.) So it was disheartening to see Gerards Whateley and Healy both using that kind of rhetoric about the bye weekend.

No idea. Have never used SEN for match commentary/coverage.

 

[caesar88]

No idea. Have never used SEN for match commentary/coverage.

OK I just looked it up and it would appear they don't do coverage of the games.

Although SEN is producing an AFLW show featuring renowned AFLW commentators Abbey Holmes and Kate McCarthy, so my point that they should do better at supporting and promoting the AFLW across their network still stands.

SEN's Rainmaker to Produce New AFLW Show "Talking W" in Partnership with Channel 7

Talking W will air every Monday night, with renowned host Abbey Holmes and expert panelist Kate McCarthy leading the charge.

www.sen.com.au

 

[liz]

OK I just looked it up and it would appear they don't do coverage of the games.

Although SEN is producing an AFLW show featuring renowned AFLW commentators Abbey Holmes and Kate McCarthy, so my point that they should do better at supporting and promoting the AFLW across their network still stands.

SEN's Rainmaker to Produce New AFLW Show "Talking W" in Partnership with Channel 7

Talking W will air every Monday night, with renowned host Abbey Holmes and expert panelist Kate McCarthy leading the charge.

www.sen.com.au

Absolutely they should do better. They have become an integral part of the mainstream media. And there’s such a crossover of radio/TV presenters between Fox Footy and SEN that is hard to distinguish them at times. And as far as “print” journalism goes (ie internet written reporting and stories) I swear that they share content with the AFL site.

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

This will be an interesting challenge

I really hope this doesnt occur a massive injury toll on the players.

 

[liz]

AFLW change rooms at MCG highlight challenges of double headers with men | Jack Snape

Port Adelaide’s rooms were equipped with just two toilets and two showers while Western Bulldogs players got changed at the ground’s cricket nets

www.theguardian.com

I wonder how they’ll treat the crowd for this match when determining whether the average crowds have hit the trigger for an additional round next season.

 

[Ticky009]

AFLW change rooms at MCG highlight challenges of double headers with men | Jack Snape

Port Adelaide’s rooms were equipped with just two toilets and two showers while Western Bulldogs players got changed at the ground’s cricket nets

www.theguardian.com

I wonder how they’ll treat the crowd for this match when determining whether the average crowds have hit the trigger for an additional round next season.

I was thinking the same thing. This crowd has the potential to blow the stat out of the water.

 

[Ticky009]

This is adorable & what AFLW is all about