Did the AFL drop the ball on women's footy?

[The Educator]

Having played all sports Australian football is a much harder game to play because it has a wider skillset, that's why W is a hard watch, this being despite having high participation rates with females now.

It's also why you see as well with nrlw for example, that despite it coming in later and having much less participants it doesn't seem as far off the men's comp as in the AFL world. Basically tossing a rubber ball sideways a few metres is an easy skill to master to a base level, the AFL skills of kicking, handballing and catching from a distance under pressure makes it a lot harder to master, especially for a part time athlete.

So the difficulty in the aflw being successful is that it's a very difficult game to play to get to a watchable level.

Agree with this but i also think that Australian football as a spectator passion is more about tribe and contest than it is about demonstrations of skill. The league will improve now that it has fully expanded and there will be increasing engagement and identification. It will be fine

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

Having played all sports Australian football is a much harder game to play because it has a wider skillset, that's why W is a hard watch, this being despite having high participation rates with females now.

It's also why you see as well with nrlw for example, that despite it coming in later and having much less participants it doesn't seem as far off the men's comp as in the AFL world. Basically tossing a rubber ball sideways a few metres is an easy skill to master to a base level, the AFL skills of kicking, handballing and catching from a distance under pressure makes it a lot harder to master, especially for a part time athlete.

So the difficulty in the aflw being successful is that it's a very difficult game to play to get to a watchable level.

Absolutely. It's not to say other codes aren't skillful at their highest level (they are) but at the starting out level Aussie Rules is difficult to get the hang of.

 

[Bjo187]

No sport in the world can offer that special moment like the world game, that 'goal' is so special and it's why it's the biggest code on the planet and always will be.

Lol it's the biggest code on the planet because the British empire ruled the world during the 1900s and spread it and their culture around the entire world. No different to American culture now and the English language as examples.

 

[peetoo]

Lol it's the biggest code on the planet because the British empire ruled the world during the 1900s and spread it and their culture around the entire world. No different to American culture now and the English language as examples.

Not that simple. Cricket and rugby are more popular in old empire locations. But the influence in such as Argentina is a clear link

 

[Bjo187]

Not that simple. Cricket and rugby are more popular in old empire locations. But the influence in such as Argentina is a clear link

Rugby was the biggest sport in the world around 1900, again, because it was invented by the British who spread it everywhere. It's no surprise that pretty much every sport that spread around the globe is British and latter American (who now set the world culture).

Unfortunately if you have lived overseas before you will realise Australia is barely even thought of in places like North America and Europe. If only we were, Australian football would have had some chance in spreading too.

* Soccer surpassed rugby and cricket and became the biggest sport in the world because like the other two, it was British, but also because it wasn't based on class. Add to that it was easier to organise a game coz all you needed was a round ball and nobody gets hurt.

 

[Consolaçao]

Absolutely. It's not to say other codes aren't skillful at their highest level (they are) but at the starting out level Aussie Rules is difficult to get the hang of.

A Brazilian friend asked me recently whether he thought soccer required more skill than football. My (honest) answer, as someone who played a lot of both (and I don't think he expected it!), was that I always found soccer much easier, at least at the amateur level. In my experience, with soccer you've got more time, and when an opponent arrives, it's possible to 'hold them off' and still execute. With football, you've often got a fraction of a second to do something before you're smooshed into the ground, and that 'something' often involves transferring an oval ball to your foot and kicking it to a small moving target 30+ metres away.

 

[deck]

Yeah but the expectations are completely different. No-one follows a test match expecting thrills and spills. But you do expect that in a concentrated 90 min team game.

Test cricket is like nothing else on earth.

You have proved my point.

 

[Consolaçao]

Rugby was the biggest sport in the world around 1900, again, because it was invented by the British who spread it everywhere. It's no surprise that pretty much every sport that spread around the globe is British and latter American (who now set the world culture).

Unfortunately if you have lived overseas before you will realise Australia is barely even thought of in places like North America and Europe. If only we were, Australian football would have had some chance in spreading too.

* Soccer surpassed rugby and cricket and became the biggest sport in the world because like the other two, it was British, but also because it wasn't based on class. Add to that it was easier to organise a game coz all you needed was a round ball and nobody gets hurt.

I respectfully disagree. Soccer in the UK was and remains very much a working-class game, though because these people made up the bulk of the British population, it always had that popularity which helped its spread.

Listen to interviews with English soccer players and you won't hear too many posh or 'middle class' accents. They almost always speak with regional accents.

 

[deck]

No it isn't. It's what you grow up with and what you prefer.

I can, have, and do watch Test Cricket and can easily watch a draw - and some of them can be absorbing and thrilling. Have watched many, many nil-all draws in soccer.

On the other hand, I would rather have a red hot needle stuck into my eye than watch NFL, NRL and especially basketball.

You have completely missed my point.

 

[Bombermania]

We shouldn't compare women's and men's sport for they are entirely different competitions but has the AFL dropped the ball? maybe, however how serious they are for the season should be at least 17 rounds and the players should be full time. The AFLW might benefit from being played in winter with matches starting at 2pm Saturday or Sunday. The AFLW doesn't need to be played in front of AFL size crowds.

 

[Bombermania]

Rugby was the biggest sport in the world around 1900, again, because it was invented by the British who spread it everywhere. It's no surprise that pretty much every sport that spread around the globe is British and latter American (who now set the world culture).

Unfortunately if you have lived overseas before you will realise Australia is barely even thought of in places like North America and Europe. If only we were, Australian football would have had some chance in spreading too.

* Soccer surpassed rugby and cricket and became the biggest sport in the world because like the other two, it was British, but also because it wasn't based on class. Add to that it was easier to organise a game coz all you needed was a round ball and nobody gets hurt.

English soccer is class based, which is why many of the bigger clubs are from the north and midlands, whilst cricket and tennis was more middle to upper class.

 

[Fadge]

We shouldn't compare women's and men's sport for they are entirely different competitions but has the AFL dropped the ball? maybe, however how serious they are for the season should be at least 17 rounds and the players should be full time. The AFLW might benefit from being played in winter with matches starting at 2pm Saturday or Sunday. The AFLW doesn't need to be played in front of AFL size crowds.

17 rounds and full time? How is that funded?

AFLW doesn't need to be played in front of AFL size crowds? That's a relief...

 

[Bombermania]

17 rounds and full time? How is that funded?

AFLW doesn't need to be played in front of AFL size crowds? That's a relief...

The AFL clubs should be able to fund their own football programs.

 

[Bjo187]

I respectfully disagree. Soccer in the UK was and remains very much a working-class game, though because these people made up the bulk of the British population, it always had that popularity which helped its spread.

Listen to interviews with English soccer players and you won't hear too many posh or 'middle class' accents. They almost always speak with regional accents.

Why do you disagree, if you read my post that was exactly one of my point's. Three reasons soccer became the biggest sport in the world, in order of priority:

1. It's British - they ruled the world.
2. It's easy to play - just need a round ball and it's safe to play.
3. It's got no class divide - so passed rugby, cricket and tennis which was more upper class in Britain. There are less upper class people than middle and lower class in most countries in the world.

 

[Fadge]

The AFL clubs should be able to fund their own football programs.

Are you referring to AFLW?

 

[Bombermania]

Are you referring to AFLW?

They are the same clubs.

 

[Fadge]

They are the same clubs.

So you're saying the AFL clubs should be able to subsidise their women's team's?

Why should they?

 

[Footy Smarts]

The expansion teams have been funded by the increased TV and advertising revenue by having extra teams in new markets and extra games each week - they have more than paid their way.

Lol. Take a look at the stands and the ratings. An extra crap game a week nobody watches isn't paying for anything. FTA viewers for Gold Coast and GWS average well under 30k per game in their home market. Nobody is watching!

And every time Collingwood or Essendon play GWS it's one less time they play Carlton or StKilda or even Brisbane, games that are much more followed by neutrals.

You're being lied to and failing for it hook line and sinker.

 

[JackFlash]

So? They are still different sports. While no one has to like a sport. Arguing NFL is too slow and stop and start when you love cricket is a ridiculous argument. Same with arguing soccer is boring and stupid because you can play regularly for 90 minutes and end up with a 0-0 draw. But a 5 day going nowhere test match is always exciting?

IMO cricket is never boring, the game has something happening all the time where as American football has 11 minutes of play and a whole lot of time to go buy a hot dog. Soccer at least has some tactics. I took some Americans to the cricket once and one of them got it just after lunch when he yelled that "It's chess, it's chess on a field" he wasn't all that far off IMO. They live in America again and are still cricket fans, the Matildas were great and so was Kerr, but there is no local competition and all the players play overseas. Their efforts will be largely forgotten by the end of the year.

 

[dean33]

and yet still would get smashed by a Under 15 boys team

Have you seen some of these girls? I doubt that very much but this isn’t about comparing men and women athletes. Does a tennis fan only watch male tennis matches? Do you watch Serena Williams v ash Barty and think any 15 yr old male tennis player would beat them?
Appreciate it for what it is, the best women footballers on the planet.
11 million people watched the game last night, why do you think that was?

 

[peetoo]

I respectfully disagree. Soccer in the UK was and remains very much a working-class game, though because these people made up the bulk of the British population, it always had that popularity which helped its spread.

Listen to interviews with English soccer players and you won't hear too many posh or 'middle class' accents. They almost always speak with regional accents.

Do we think the apparently horrendous junior soccer fees make it a middle or upper class sport here?

 

[peetoo]

Lol. Take a look at the stands and the ratings. An extra crap game a week nobody watches isn't paying for anything. FTA viewers for Gold Coast and GWS average well under 30k per game in their home market. Nobody is watching!

And every time Collingwood or Essendon play GWS it's one less time they play Carlton or StKilda or even Brisbane, games that are much more followed by neutrals.

You're being lied to and failing for it hook line and sinker.

Truth which must not be spoken. Forget one of Gold Coast or GWS and get Tassie in instead and it’d be a whole different scenario

 

[TheEscapeClub]

The Matilda's are a force right now because every woman you've ever known who never quite understood your love affair with sport now finally gets in. They're all in!
Think about how many people that is.

The interesting thing is going to be if it translates to AFLW and other women's sport after the world cup is over.

Women's soccer is recognisable as soccer, it just has less speed and power than the mens'. AFLW whilst having plenty of endeavour, lacks the skills / polish. That will come with time but for me as a spectacle it is currently a long way behind women's soccer and rugby league.

Although not a huge fan of soccer in general, I didn't mind watching the women playing. Corner kicks were mostly delivered into good spots and with the lack of power, a goalkeeper has a fighting chance against kicks from the spot.

 

[TheEscapeClub]

I can name dozens of AFLW players, and maybe 5-10 Matilda’s.

Had you asked me 3 weeks ago it would have been 1 Matilda

If Taylor Harris is still playing, she would be the only AFLW player I could name, unless Erin Phillips is still going around.

3 weeks ago I could name Sam Kerr, now I can name most of them and would recognise them. I could still only name and recognise Taylor Harris.

 

[SBD Gonzalez]

Do we think the apparently horrendous junior soccer fees make it a middle or upper class sport here?

I think this is a very telling question to ask in the wash-up from the Matilda’s success. For years parents have complained of the exorbitant junior soccer fees. Will the sports administrators finally listen? (Or are their hands tied by the demands of gangsters above them? I know nothing of how soccer is structured, but I’ve certainly heard a lot about the cravenness of its upper echelons.)