AFLW Essendon, Hawthorn, Port Adelaide and Sydney to join in the 2022/23 season

[TigermanM2]

Historic decision made: Final four clubs to join AFLW
Sarah Black

Essendon, Hawthorn, Port Adelaide and Sydney will join the NAB AFL Women's competition. Picture: AFL Media

THE NAB AFLW competition is now whole, with the AFL Commission throwing the door open for Essendon, Hawthorn, Port Adelaide and Sydney to join in the 2022/23 season.
It means all 18 clubs will now have an AFLW side after beginning as an eight-team competition in 2017.

Port Adelaide and Sydney had not previously applied for a licence, while Essendon and Hawthorn first submitted applications ahead of the 2019 intake.

As previously decided by the Commission, the upcoming 2021/22 season will stay at 14 teams, giving the new sides around 16 months to prepare for their debut.

Currently, Hawthorn and Essendon field sides in the VFLW competition (coached by Bec Goddard and Brendan Major respectively), while Port Adelaide and Sydney run junior academy programs (led by Naomi Maidment and Jared Crouch

Jared Crouch

Age

46

Ht

173cm

Wt

80kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.5

3star

K

7.4

3star

HB

5.1

4star

M

1.8

2star

T

2.8

4star

No current season stats available

D

9.6

3star

K

4.4

2star

HB

5.2

4star

M

0.4

1star

T

2.4

4star

).

Rules around list builds are yet to be confirmed, but in expansions prior, existing teams saw a certain number of players walk to the new clubs, with any additional players over that maximum resulting in compensation.

For fans eager to see just who will join their new AFLW side, list builds won't commence until the conclusion of the upcoming 2021/22 season.

 

[Phar Ace]

All important year to get around the Club and the AFLW side so that they remain connected to one of the greatest football Clubs in land. They won't want to join others if they simply don't want to leave.

 

[TigermanM2]

'Changing forever and for the better': Final four clubs complete AFLW
Sarah Black

AFL CEO Gillon Mclachlan poses with young footballers Nora Don, Fadilla Taleb, Leni Burgoyne and Layla Rabah during an AFLW media opportunity at Marvel Stadium on August 12, 2021. Picture: AFL Photos

THE NAB AFLW competition is now whole, with the AFL Commission throwing the door open for Essendon, Hawthorn, Port Adelaide and Sydney to join in the 2022/23 season.

It means all 18 clubs will now have an AFLW side after beginning as an eight-team competition in 2017.
Port Adelaide and Sydney had not previously applied for a licence, while Essendon and Hawthorn first submitted applications ahead of the 2019 intake.

As previously decided by the Commission, the upcoming 2021/22 season will stay at 14 teams, giving the new sides around 16 months to prepare for their debut.

Currently, Hawthorn and Essendon field sides in the VFLW competition (coached by Bec Goddard and Brendan Major respectively), while Port Adelaide and Sydney run junior academy programs (led by Naomi Maidment and Jared Crouch

Jared Crouch

Age

46

Ht

173cm

Wt

80kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.5

3star

K

7.4

3star

HB

5.1

4star

M

1.8

2star

T

2.8

4star

No current season stats available

D

9.6

3star

K

4.4

2star

HB

5.2

4star

M

0.4

1star

T

2.4

4star

).

Rules around list builds are yet to be confirmed, but in expansions prior, existing teams saw a certain number of players walk to the new clubs, with any additional players over that maximum resulting in compensation.

For fans eager to see just who will join their new AFLW side, list builds won't commence until the conclusion of the upcoming 2021/22 season.

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan said the competition was "changing forever and changing for the better".
"I'm incredibly proud of all who have been involved and been part of the first five seasons. Our players, coaches, umpires, administrators and particularly our supporters," McLachlan said.

"In 2015, there were 318,000 women and girls playing our game. Today, there are more than 600,000 women and girls playing around the country.
"Before we announce the final teams into the competition, I want to acknowledge those who have been driving women's football since the first organised match was played over 100 years ago in 1915.

"The contribution and persistence of pioneering individuals who pushed and pushed for women to play football should never be forgotten. So for all those pioneering women, we're here today because of your hard work. Thank you."

McLachlan said all four applications met the criteria around resourcing, facilities, list strategies, fan engagement and commercialisation and investment into AFLW.
The details around extending the season length (set to be 10 rounds in the 2021/22 season) has not been confirmed, with the current Collective Bargaining Agreement set to expire in October 2022.

McLachlan would not be drawn on whether the controversial conference system would be back, describing them as "suspended" rather than dead and buried.
"Season length and player pay are ongoing discussions. I don't believe, per say, there is any greater integrity or commitment to the season playing each other once," McLachlan said.

"That's where many of the players are, certainly. I believe that sustainable growth is the path forward. We will get there at some point, but it needs to be sustainably."

On the complete absence of women holding senior coaching roles for the 2021/22 season, McLachlan said AFLW was also about boosting underrepresentation in coaching ranks.

"Depth is a key part of broader representation and those who are willing and able to get to those positions can. It's clearly also a commitment from clubs to give them an opportunity," he said.

"[Quotas] have been raised. I won't comment on that other than to say I think clubs are clear that we need greater female representation in the coaching ranks. The discussion is not going away."

 

[Stan Judkins]

All important year to get around the Club and the AFLW side so that they remain connected to one of the greatest football Clubs in land. They won't want to join others if they simply don't want to leave.

Here, here
The expansion of all the remainder teams at once, is a best case scenario for us & the rest of the clubs, with only one nervous year in regards to losing players
I believe the more established clubs like Pies, Dees, Kangas & Blues & the lone state GWS/Crows will be in the gun for players being poached
All in all i think we'll be left alone, with maybe Conti & Ellie Mck being asked the question, but will say no thanks, our girls are pretty tight with each other & the club

 

[TigermanM2]

I think its a good thing.

I am not one bit concerned about losing players. I think we have created the right culture and with the recent addition of players like the Hosking twins, Harriet Cordner etc I think we have a fantastic mix of players on our list.

We have experience, we have leaders and mentors, we have great footy talent to help make better footballers and best of all anyone who walks through our door into our women's program will walk out as a better person.

Sure there may be some who go for whatever reason. That's exactly how we got some of our best. I am confident, though, we will keep our talent.

 

[TigermanM2]

I reckon Adelaide would be filthy.

Suddenly their monopoly on SA talent is gone.

 

[Stan Judkins]

I reckon Adelaide would be filthy.

Suddenly their monopoly on SA talent is gone.

Yeah, but they knew this was coming, so bad luck to them that it's next year & not the year after, they'll have to suck it up
I reckon that the S.A. pool of talent is probably 2nd behind VIC. so another 20 or so U/18 players will be able to play AFLW with Power coming in
In VIC. there were a lot of unlucky U/18's that weren't drafted that will be on a list next year with an additional 45-50 list spots open for them with Hawks & Bombers coming in
With 4 more teams next year that's another 80 possible juniors out of 120 getting a list spot (40 approx. mature drafted/traded players)
more list spots to play at the highest level is a good thing

 

[Bojangles17]

Here, here
The expansion of all the remainder teams at once, is a best case scenario for us & the rest of the clubs, with only one nervous year in regards to losing players
I believe the more established clubs like Pies, Dees, Kangas & Blues & the lone state GWS/Crows will be in the gun for players being poached
All in all i think we'll be left alone, with maybe Conti & Ellie Mck being asked the question, but will say no thanks, our girls are pretty tight with each other & the club

Conti and Ellie mc both signed 2y contracts so will be both be mid stream. I think it will be a boon for the AFLW comp with publicity going into overdrive once all 18 clubs have their own women’s team. I’d like to see a plan that ultimately there’s a 17r season , doesnt appear to be the case. Short term there will be a player drain however the added publicity will be a further catalyst to the junior ranks . I think it’s a great move , just hope we can soon get started on Punt rd development so we can make a decent event of our AFLW match days