State of AFLW

[Teen Wolf]

Is the state of gameplay good enough? No.

Yeah that's an opinion, one typically voiced by people who brag about turning it off after 2 minutes.

It's a fact more people each season are attending games, buying memberships, etc. And stats strongly suggest skill level is also continually getting higher. You'd have to ignore all that in order to perpetuate the "derr they have to start improving" meme.

 

[sherb]

I'm in the age group of those who yell "women shouldn't be playing football", I've actually experienced them first hand in local footy. But I couldn't disagree with them more. I reckon the growth of the womens' game is great.

I've been involved with my local senior club here in Sydney for 30+ years, and I've seen a lot of change and innovation in the club. But I'm firmly of the view that the best thing my club has ever done in my time there was set up a womens' team. It brought a completely new dimension to the club - for the better.

Having watched the AFLW competition since its inception, I find it much more watchable now than I did back then, as the standard has improved incrementally over the years. And that's despite the addition of more teams. So I think the competition is definitely on the right track, at least as a spectacle and a competition.

As for the growth of the game at grassroots level, I definitely think it is showing in the womens' game. I can only speak for Sydney of course, when I trot out these facts (these relate to senior womens' footy, not juniors):
*The Sydney Womens' AFL started in 2000. It was run independently of the AFL, as I believe the AFL at the time showed little interest in running it. It was administered this way until 2011.
*In 2000, the SWAFL comp had 5 teams in one division. In its final season of self-administration, 2011, the comp had 10 teams - initially in one division, but it split during the season into two divisions (6 teams and 4 teams), based on ladder positions at the time.
*In 2012, the Sydney AFL took over running of the womens' comp. It was still one division and had 11 teams.
*In 2017, when the AFLW competition launched, the Sydney Womens' AFL had 22 teams spread over 2 divisions.
*In 2025, the Sydney Womens' AFL had 45 teams spread over 4 senior divisions and 1 Under 20 division.
(Note: I'm talking teams here, not clubs, as obviously a number of clubs had multiple teams).
So, since the launch of the AFLW competition nationally, the number of womens' teams in Sydney has doubled. And in the five years prior to that, they doubled as well.
So from 2012 to 2025, 13 years, we have seen a quadrupling of the number of senior womens' teams here in Sydney. I can't be bothered digging up the figures, but I can tell you we haven't seen that sort of growth in the mens' senior game here, even allowing for the fact that the womens' game is coming off a far lower starting base.

 

[kalex6251]

if youre hating on aflw - watch the prelim between melb and north ....... cracking game

if this is the future of the womens game then im here for it

 

[speedpeck23]

I know you love playing devil’s advocate on everything I post, but if you look back a few pages you’ll see I’ve been clear: I’m a supporter of the women’s game. Its introduction has been fantastic for the code. The problem isn’t the concept, it’s the way it’s been managed.

The AFL expanded far too quickly and kept granting pay rises before the competition was on stable footing. Those decisions feel like they were driven more by the desire to appear socially progressive than by what was actually best for the long term health of the competition and in doing so, they've killed the product.

Agree with those comments but I think the AFL are prepared to wear it. I don't think they've killed the product....look at Prelim finals this weekend....there was some real quality footy.

They've gone for a stand alone comp, very hard to get off the ground.. it's worth giving it a chance...it's massive for the game if it works.

A club like Carlton with a big supporter base coming into the mix and playing good footy raises the profile of the comp.

 

[Bjo187]

Agree with those comments but I think the AFL are prepared to wear it. I don't think they've killed the product....look at Prelim finals this weekend....there was some real quality footy.

They've gone for a stand alone comp, very hard to get off the ground.. it's worth giving it a chance...it's massive for the game if it works.

A club like Carlton with a big supporter base coming into the mix and playing good footy raises the profile of the comp.

I did watch the prelims and I think that just proves the point even more though, that a few teams at the top can play a near watchable product, about 12 to 14 other teams underneath can't though coz there is no depth of talent.

In fact those top teams would get even better quality if 9 of the teams moved over their 4 or 5 best players and coaching to them too.

 

[speedpeck23]

I did watch the prelims and I think that just proves the point even more though, that a few teams at the top can play a near watchable product, about 12 to 14 other teams underneath can't though coz there is no depth of talent.

In fact those top teams would get even better quality if 9 of the teams moved over their 4 or 5 best players and coaching to them too.

Fair enough. Its a slow process but compare those prelim matches this year to the first ever match at Ikon Carl/Coll.....massive difference. It's a compromise between depth of talent versus involvement of all AFL clubs.

 

[Bjo187]

Fair enough. Its a slow process but compare those prelim matches this year to the first ever match at Ikon Carl/Coll.....massive difference. It's a compromise between depth of talent versus involvement of all AFL clubs.

It's why promotion and relegation is the only solution mate. It keeps all the clubs, but funnels all the top talent into the best 10 teams, increases the quality, cuts losses and makes the competition more watchable and popular. At least until there is enough talent to reabsorb the other 8/9 clubs into the top division again.

 

[Rob]

It's why promotion and relegation is the only solution mate. It keeps all the clubs, but funnels all the top talent into the best 10 teams, increases the quality, cuts losses and makes the competition more watchable and popular. At least until there is enough talent to reabsorb the other 8/9 clubs into the top division again.

There's a massive downside there though that there is zero chance the AFL would accept.

 

[Saints2001]

There is plenty of great young talent coming through now that the full girls program was established, such that players in recent years have never had to play anything other than AFLW if they didn't want to right up to draft day.

So right at the time when this wave of youth is coming through you want to strip down the competition and cut down the number of teams? The competition is improving as a whole, North as head and shoulders ahead due to astute recruitment and a better program, but that in and of itself is nothing another team can't replicate if they invested the time and effort into, especially if they manage to poach some coaching staff, which has already happened a little.

 

[Bostonian]

The game will always be limited by the physical limitations.

 

[Bjo187]

There's a massive downside there though that there is zero chance the AFL would accept.

What's the downside you see? Half the teams are so far off they're playing for nothing at the moment anyway. Plus the tv deal would still include all the games, most of the general public wouldn't even realise it's split into division A and B, but the games that are on primetime would be so much more watchable.

 

[Saints2001]

No TV company is going to pay any money to broadcast the 2nd division, and any changes by the AFL to institute that would be a clear breach of contract the TV channels signed up to. So it's an idea that's dead on arrival, it will never see the light of day.

 

[jatz14]

No TV company is going to pay any money to broadcast the 2nd division, and any changes by the AFL to institute that would be a clear breach of contract the TV channels signed up to. So it's an idea that's dead on arrival, it will never see the light of day.

He is advocating something that A/ Would kill the comp, because thats his preferred outcome and B/ Is never happening, so isn't worth discussing, even as a hypothetical.

 

[Bjo187]

No TV company is going to pay any money to broadcast the 2nd division, and any changes by the AFL to institute that would be a clear breach of contract the TV channels signed up to. So it's an idea that's dead on arrival, it will never see the light of day.

I don't think they'd even mind to be honest. The ratings must be so low now coz they don't even advertise it and the finals aren't even on 7 main, instead re runs of sister act and independence day take precedence each Saturday night. Also they don't broadcast the W for themselves, it's for the afl as part of the tv deal, it likely runs at a loss for the broadcasters at this point. So they might even enjoy the change to improve the standard in at least half the games, to get more people watching.

He is advocating something that A/ Would kill the comp, because thats his preferred outcome and B/ Is never happening, so isn't worth discussing, even as a hypothetical.

Good one genius, here I am suggesting options to make the standard better and the game more appealing and more cost affective and you think the comp is going great guns. At least come up with other options on how to improve a product that's going backwards commercially? instead of being a groveling little sook.

 

[Teen Wolf]

JoBlo69's suggestion is to make the league more appealing by getting rid of the league's best attended matchups (Carlton-Collingwood, Sydney-GWS and Adelaide-Port all average 6k+).

He does this while making categorically false statements about things like broadcasting and commercial details.

 

[speedpeck23]

It's why promotion and relegation is the only solution mate. It keeps all the clubs, but funnels all the top talent into the best 10 teams, increases the quality, cuts losses and makes the competition more watchable and popular. At least until there is enough talent to reabsorb the other 8/9 clubs into the top division again.

AFL has a built-in promotion/relegation....its called the finals.... There are effectively 2 comps per season...all clubs are in the first one....the best clubs are also in the second. There's promotion with in but no relegation out . Gives all supporters and clubs a chance every year.

 

[parano1a]

They expanded to 18 teams way too quickly.

A 12 team competition (5 Vic, 2 SA, 2 WA, 1 NSW, 1 Qld, 1 Tas ) would be a lot higher standard and offer less lopsided games to broadcast. Perhaps half of the Victorian teams could be relegated to/from the VFLW?

 

[The_Wookie]

26.11.25

Members make it a momentous season!

The AFL is delighted to announce a new AFLW club membership record for the second consecutive year, thanks to the support and passion of footy fans across the country.

The new record tally of 84,644 AFLW club members has resulted in a nearly 11 per cent growth from last season and eclipses the previous total of 76,356 set in 2024.

Across the league, twelve clubs set new membership records including this week’s NAB AFLW Grand Finalists the North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos and the Brisbane Lions, as well as Fremantle, Geelong Cats, GWS GIANTS, Gold Coast SUNS, Hawthorn, Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Richmond, St Kilda and West Coast.

Under new captain Ruby Schleicher and boasting 2024 number one draft pick Ash Centra, Collingwood also saw a membership increase year-on-year while nine clubs saw more than 10 per cent growth this season in their membership tallies.

AFL CEO Andrew Dillon thanked footy fans for their support in the milestone 10th season.

“On behalf of the AFL I would like to thank our fans who have supported their team this year and become an AFLW member – you have set this new record and it’s another remarkable milestone to celebrate in the 10th season of the competition,” Dillon said.

“Our clubs do an incredible job instilling fans with pride and passion for their jumper – as well as drive a one club two team culture – and that’s reflected in 12 clubs breaking their own AFLW membership record.

“The NAB AFLW Competition this year has gone from strength to strength. From the open, free flowing, attacking footy on the field, to record high scores and disposals as well as huge crowds at Henson Park and across our Indigenous and Pride Rounds, there has been growth in many areas throughout the league.

“We’re looking forward to Saturday and seeing either North become the first AFLW team to win back-to-back flags or Brisbane becoming the first club to win the AFL and AFLW premierships in the same year.”

The AFLW club membership record follows the announcement in September that the AFL broke its all-time club membership record with 1,363,437 fans a member of an AFL club – the equivalent of one in 20 Australians.

 

[dave10]

On what basis does Collingwood deserve an assistance package? Does this reflect the leagues insistence that it must have Collingwood up the top of the comp to deliver growth? I’m bemused by this.

 

[Teen Wolf]

Growth is being achieved regardless, see one post above.

Bottom 4 across the past 2 seasons
Rich: 8-14-1 (34 pts)
Coll: 4-19-0 (16 pts)
GC: 3-19-1 (14 pts)
GWS: 3-19-1 (14 pts)

Gold Coast are about to get a huge influx of top talent via academy picks. So it would make sense that either all 3 of those bottom teams get some form of extra assistance, or none of them do.

 

[Cmarsh]

Not sure if its a good thing for a small club like North to be so dominant of the competition. A larger club like carlton or Collingwood in their position probably gets last nights grand final moved to Marvel.

 

[Outtatym]

Not sure if its a good thing for a small club like North to be so dominant of the competition. A larger club like carlton or Collingwood in their position probably gets last nights grand final moved to Marvel.

Carlton have 500 more members than North in the women's game. Doubt it changes things that much.

 

[Cmarsh]

Carlton have 500 more members than North in the women's game. Doubt it changes things that much.

I highly doubt AFLW member numbers would be a good imdicator of a bandwagon a big club got on a roll.

 

[dave10]

Carlton have 500 more members than North in the women's game. Doubt it changes things that much.

How do you know? They haven’t released the figures for a few years so I assume you’re guessing or using old 2022/23 data.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

One of the greatest issues is the pissant Federal government funding for womens sport. When the 2023 Womens World Cup came to Australia, the budget set was for around 480 mill in revenue. It generated more like 1.3 billion dollars in revenue. The demand was just unprecedented. This money should have been handed over to all womens sport dollar for dollar. Instead it was kept for well donations to universities in reality.

I think we had a chance to branch off that success to drive all womens sport, but we didnt..... I dont think we get that opportunity back anytime soon