AFLW Richmond withdraws from the VFLW

Oct 10, 2007
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Per the club website...


Safe to say, quite a few in the Women's footy community are shocked, as we mostly thought the Tigers (being one of the financially stronger clubs) would have easily kept this fairly low cost team out on the park.

If you were struggling, what does it mean for everyone else?!
 
Are you here because you know something? Care to shed any light?
I don't know anything that isn't widely reported, but my memory is pretty good. Haven't forgotten my club went 11-3 in AFLW without a standalone VFLW team. Worth remembering when judging Richmond's decision here.

I also haven't forgotten that Adelaide went 8-1 and breezed to a flag with a coach plucked from the men's team (keep that one in mind when Tom Hunter's replacement is announced, if industry speculation is anything to go by).
 
Oct 10, 2007
3,521
3,892
Melbourne
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Essendon
Other Teams
Port Melbourne (VFL)
I don't know anything that isn't widely reported, but my memory is pretty good. Haven't forgotten my club went 11-3 in AFLW without a standalone VFLW team. Worth remembering when judging Richmond's decision here.

That comes with an * - In 2018 & 2019 Melbourne Uni was just a 'name' in the VFLW, as North pulled all the strings, the coaching staff was North Staff, a good chunk of players were North players and the side trained out of Arden Street.
 
Low cost, lower reward. They ran a fine VFLW program, and anybody who thinks it helped them compete at AFLW level just isn't being fair dinkum.

Yeah, I don't quite buy that. As CH says above, North had a VFLW team in most ways except name. And I'm yet to see the football club of any level that isn't improved by playing more together.
 
That comes with an * - In 2018 & 2019 Melbourne Uni was just a 'name' in the VFLW, as North pulled all the strings, the coaching staff was North Staff, a good chunk of players were North players and the side trained out of Arden Street.
Yeah, I don't quite buy that. As CH says above, North had a VFLW team in most ways except name.
Would've ended two years earlier if it was as one-sided as you're both suggesting.
And I'm yet to see the football club of any level that isn't improved by playing more together.
Richmond's AFLW players will still be able to play state league football together to the same extent as every other club (i.e. very rarely, and not as a whole group anyway). The lack of a standalone VFLW team doesn't change that.
 
Oct 10, 2007
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Melbourne
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Would've ended two years earlier if it was as one-sided as you're both suggesting.

Only reason they didn't change the name earlier was that Arden Street wasn't ready for VFLW matches. And it's not a suggestion, but fact from actually speaking with the coaches and players during and after that period.

*Apologies to Richmond fans for debating a Norf issue in your sub-forum.
 

NorthernBastard

Team Captain
Aug 15, 2019
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Initially I expected alot of the clubs to go down this path, but seems Dogs, Blues and Pies are committed to VFLW next year - not sure about the others.

Imagine Richmond will align with someone, so they still have opportunity to play together, but avoid the costs of running the program.
 
May 17, 2004
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Initially I expected alot of the clubs to go down this path, but seems Dogs, Blues and Pies are committed to VFLW next year - not sure about the others.

Imagine Richmond will align with someone, so they still have opportunity to play together, but avoid the costs of running the program.
You’d think that’ll be the case
 
Oct 10, 2007
3,521
3,892
Melbourne
AFL Club
Essendon
Other Teams
Port Melbourne (VFL)
Initially I expected alot of the clubs to go down this path, but seems Dogs, Blues and Pies are committed to VFLW next year - not sure about the others.

Imagine Richmond will align with someone, so they still have opportunity to play together, but avoid the costs of running the program.

Alignment options seem limited at the moment.

The four clubs in the VFLW without an AFLW licence are Darebin, Williamstown, Essendon and Hawthorn.

You can safely rule out an alignment with the Bombers and Hawks. Darebin are a fiercely independent women's only sports club, so they seem unlikely.

Williamstown seems like a possibility, as they were going to have a partial alignment this year with Adelaide(!), but with the season moving to a Feb start, the Crows will probably just have their players in the SANFLW only now.

I have heard a rumour that some of the standalone VFL (Men's) clubs will enter a side. Port Melbourne have a women's side in the SEWFL and are keen to get into the VFLW, so an alignment there might be both in the Tigers and Borough's best interests.
 
Alignment options seem limited at the moment.

The four clubs in the VFLW without an AFLW licence are Darebin, Williamstown, Essendon and Hawthorn.

You can safely rule out an alignment with the Bombers and Hawks. Darebin are a fiercely independent women's only sports club, so they seem unlikely.

Williamstown seems like a possibility, as they were going to have a partial alignment this year with Adelaide(!), but with the season moving to a Feb start, the Crows will probably just have their players in the SANFLW only now.

I have heard a rumour that some of the standalone VFL (Men's) clubs will enter a side. Port Melbourne have a women's side in the SEWFL and are keen to get into the VFLW, so an alignment there might be both in the Tigers and Borough's best interests.


I've heard Coburn lions is the mail
 

NorthernBastard

Team Captain
Aug 15, 2019
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Coburg are really keen to get into the VFLW also, but their women's program would be brand new.

I'm also hearing VFLW sides will be capped at 10 AFLW players once the AFLW season is finished. A good chunk of the AFLW season and VFLW season will overlap, so there will be a very limited number of games players can actually play in a season...

Max might be 9 AFLW and say 7 VFLW (finals excluded)
but then if you're trying to get game time into you players you'll want them part of the 10 picked for VFLW

so you may have these women playing 10-12 games a year each at AFLW or VFLW level... surely that stunts the growth and development of players and womens footy?

maybe the wrong thread for this convo
 

MRobbo

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May 17, 2004
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Richmond VFLW team withdrawal confirmed today as Port Melbourne have been announced to have taken over their license
 

MRobbo

Norm Smith Medallist
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Just confirm the article on Richmond website is false. Richmond are out of VFLW I understand some Richmond AFLW players not playing that week will be playing For Port. Richmond is not paying a cent. It effectively means Port Melbourne has total control of the license. It is an agreement not an alignment similar to Williamstown and Adelaide Crows pre Covid this year,.
 
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