What have you liked, learnt or hated about AFL Womens Round 1?

[Fat Nyfe]

It kind of shits me that the AFL media have once again trotted out the "What are you scared of?" defense, which appeals to those already on their side but antagonizes those who were on the fence.

There is no rational reason to be upset over AFLW, yet the media has created this us against them narrative that has been targeted at the same people who the media blame for all of life's problems. The AFLW media campaign to date has been incredibly patronizing, with some fans and members of the media claiming that any white male not supporting the product is an absolute bigot. It gets tiring constantly being told your viewpoint is wrong, so the backlash towards AFLW is more directed at the whole holier than thou vibe it's putting out, rather than the concept itself. There's a lot of people using the AFLW as an opportunity to fire shots at the trivial remnants of sexist Australia, with most of their bullets hitting the average Australian male who is offended more by the accusations than some people of the opposite sex kicking a ball.

While I think it's an unattractive product and that I personally could go out there and kick 10 goals, there's no harm in it existing. Whether it be in front of 10,000 or 100, or whether the players have the skills of Sam Mitchell or Dyson Heppell, the league existing doesn't affect me in any way so it would be silly to be against it.

Just please don't use it as a political talking point.

Most of this is pretty spot on I reckon. I tuned in for both FTA games and whilst it personally didn't grab me much at all, I also don't have a problem with it being there, in fact I acknowledge it as a real positive that it's come into fruition. But the mindset that any criticism towards the product is due to ancient sexist attitudes or bulldust like that is pretty tiring. Rohan Connolly is a prime example, posts a ridiculously patronizing tweet like "It's time to acknowledge that women are terrific!" and then spends the rest of his time in a twitter war with anyone who criticized the game so he could feel big ups on himself for lording a so called progressive attitude.

The fact is a lot of the criticism has genuine basis, such as the call for expansion to more teams means reaching into a talent pool that is simply not there and may not be for a generation or more, meaning an even more inferior product.

 

[Mixed Results]

Most of this is pretty spot on I reckon. I tuned in for both FTA games and whilst it personally didn't grab me much at all, I also don't have a problem with it being there, in fact I acknowledge it as a real positive that it's come into fruition. But the mindset that any criticism towards the product is due to ancient sexist attitudes or bulldust like that is pretty tiring. Rohan Connolly is a prime example, posts a ridiculously patronizing tweet like "It's time to acknowledge that women are terrific!" and then spends the rest of his time in a twitter war with anyone who criticized the game so he could feel big ups on himself for lording a so called progressive attitude.

The fact is a lot of the criticism has genuine basis, such as the call for expansion to more teams means reaching into a talent pool that is simply not there and may not be for a generation or more, meaning an even more inferior product.

Definitely wrote my post with Connolly in mind.

“I think there is a small percentage of dinosaurs out there who are going to complain regardless, for whatever reason. Maybe they feel threatened by women’s success. Maybe they’re resentful of it. Maybe they’re just sad and inadequate."

Quotes like the above from Connolly serve nothing but to divide the footy public, while being harmful to the overall success of the AFLW. It's very easy to see the AFL and the media politicizing the new league, which is going to put a sour taste in the mouth of the general footy public.

 

[SCRAY72]

To all those critical of the low scores and skill errors pretty sure the men when they started their leagues at the turn of the century struggled to score, dropped marks and turned it over.
Have a look at the VFL scores in 1897. Teams won games 4 goals to 2, Geelong scored 1.9 in a game and still won by 5 points. Teams regularly scored only one goal a game. In some games teams failed to score a goal
And just like the men back then , the women get paid but they have day jobs. It's just the beginning.
I went to the game, if they charged for admission I would still
go, some people would not, fair enough.
I enjoyed it, I will go again, the standard will only get better.

 

[chiwigi]

To all those critical of the low scores and skill errors pretty sure the men when they started their leagues at the turn of the century struggled to score, dropped marks and turned it over.
Have a look at the VFL scores in 1897. Teams won games 4 goals to 2, Geelong scored 1.9 in a game and still won by 5 points. Teams regularly scored only one goal a game. In some games teams failed to score a goal
And just like the men back then , the women get paid but they have day jobs. It's just the beginning.
I went to the game, if they charged for admission I would still
go, some people would not, fair enough.
I enjoyed it, I will go again, the standard will only get better.

Women's footy has been around for years.
They should have played a season of trial games to get the standard up before the big launch.
If you are going for a top down strategy, the top needs to be impressive, otherwise invest in the grassroots and await growth.

 

[Micksy]

Dislike rhat I can't find the ladder on the AFL webzone.

It's a competition FFS!

Amateur hour.

Found it! http://www.afl.com.au/womens

 

[ThePezDispenser]

To all those critical of the low scores and skill errors pretty sure the men when they started their leagues at the turn of the century struggled to score, dropped marks and turned it over.
Have a look at the VFL scores in 1897. Teams won games 4 goals to 2, Geelong scored 1.9 in a game and still won by 5 points. Teams regularly scored only one goal a game. In some games teams failed to score a goal
And just like the men back then , the women get paid but they have day jobs. It's just the beginning.
I went to the game, if they charged for admission I would still
go, some people would not, fair enough.
I enjoyed it, I will go again, the standard will only get better.

Different rules and substandard playing conditions didn't help them.

 

[Micksy]

Different rules and substandard playing conditions didn't help them.

Shhhh! Or they'll sic Rohan onto you.

 

[ThePezDispenser]

Shhhh! Or they'll sic Rohan onto you.

I forgot to add that the overall ability of humans was far inferior back then. The 100 meter sprint was being run in the best part of 11 seconds.

 

[Bombermania]

Rohan's reactions to any criticism has been pretty heavy handed, I think most people can see that the players need to spend a bit of time on the training track and have some kind of preseason matches before the season started, we have seen some good passages of play and it should improve overtime.

 

[Ichabod Noodle]

Liked: History being made, crowds enjoying footy, players cracking in.

Learned: some people have never heard of a remote control, let alone know how to use one.

Hated: idiots who jump the gun declaring doom after one game/round

 

[hawkgal02]

Loved-
- Pretty much everything. The crowds and support were fantastic.
- I loved getting to barrack for another team and seeing girls i've grown up with playing.
- The commentary. Jason Bennett was fantastic and having a woman player there to add insight was genius.

Learnt-
-How much this really meant to me. When the women's league was first spoken about i hated the idea and was incredibly insulted by the assumptions that this would get women interested in the sport. Then recently i started getting really excited about it and i was amazed at how emotional watching those women getting to live out their dreams made me. This truly is a massive event for not only Football but for sport in Australia as a whole. For the first time i've actually been proud and confident to be a woman interested in football.

-There are some really sad, threatened and insecure people involved in footy. Some of the comments made about every game was embarrassing. I don't understand why you would want to bring this down? Do you really feel proud of yourself trying to bring down this competition, the women involved and those who are so happy to watch and see the games. It's really sad, just turn it off and don't watch.

Hated
- That i couldn't get to the first game
- That Hawthorn don't have a team, but Carlton are a new love
- The men's AFL player commentary. That was really unnecessary and they didn't really add much to the commentary. Would prefer an all female affair (with Jason Bennett of course)

 

[SCRAY72]

Different rules and substandard playing conditions didn't help them.

Retrospective excuses for the men, 120 years later but the women need elite standard straight away?
Good news is you don't have to watch.

 

[SCRAY72]

I forgot to add that the overall ability of humans was far inferior back then. The 100 meter sprint was being run in the best part of 11 seconds.

It was still 11 seconds 70 years later, your point has been made, men's comp is just around the corner.

 

[SCRAY72]

Women's footy has been around for years.
They should have played a season of trial games to get the standard up before the big launch.
If you are going for a top down strategy, the top needs to be impressive, otherwise invest in the grassroots and await growth.

Dogs and Melbourne have been playing trial games at the G for years.
Everyone has a different definition of impressive. Looks like thousands were impressed.
The grassroots is happening fast, several suburban and country teams now have women's teams. Both can happen simultaneously.

 

[The_Wookie]

Womens Footy Board Player of the Year Voting
https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/womens-footy-board-aflw-player-of-the-year.1157378/

 

[Hank93]

The crowds were awesome, regardless of the free entry it shows there's plenty of interest in this comp. The crowd were really getting behind their team as well which I wasn't expecting, there were boos and calls for holding the ball which is encouraging. A connection to your club's team.

The passion and enthusiasm the players show is infectious, and this needs to be the selling point. For hundreds of these players this is dream finally realised that many never believed was going to eventuate. Going from playing in front of 50 people to 24,000 can't be underestimated.

Skill development will take years to progress through an increased talent pool and multiple pre seasons as part of a professional environment, but I don't think it's a major issue at the moment. Of course the skills are a work in progress, these players have for their entire lives played for nothing, had to juggle full time work and study and would train probably twice a week if they are lucky. An elite, full time professional program will fast track the skills of the players.

 

[telsor]

No, you did read his post wrongly.

Really? Let's look at it shall we...

I guess it is if you're a basement dwelling MRA dickhead that's terrified of the opposite sex, but for everyone else it's great.

Let's start with the end...'for everyone else it's great'.

That seems pretty clear to me me..'else' means all apart from those described elsewhere, so...'for everyone other than those described in the first part of the sentence, it's great.'

and who are those described elsewhere?

"basement dwelling MRA dickhead that's terrified of the opposite sex".


What am I missing?

 

[Proper Gander]

Really? Let's look at it shall we...



Let's start with the end...'for everyone else it's great'.

That seems pretty clear to me me..'else' means all apart from those described elsewhere, so...'for everyone other than those described in the first part of the sentence, it's great.'

and who are those described elsewhere?

"basement dwelling MRA dickhead that's terrified of the opposite sex".


What am I missing?

What you are missing is the whole post - you picked out a section.

The post suggested that the women's competition, at worst, might attract more women to come to watch the AFL. And then suggested that anyone that didn't approve of the idea was probably "a basement dwelling MRA dickhead that's terrified of the opposite sex".

That's what was said. Extracting sentences at random and trying to disprove your total misread of the post is great and entertaining and all so you go with that to your hearts content.

Also, think what you want about that post, this post or any post because this crap is tedious and I have no intention of responding any further

 

[Wetdog]

Brilliant. The fans of 8 AFL teams will continue to not give a ****.

You obviously care enough to come in this thread, read the posts, and then express your rage.

I don't think it would sit well with Port management that your direct competitor can basically service the market of new female fans uncontested.

Do you think young girls will pick a club that doesn't have a women's team? Unlikely.

 

[snooplions]

I like that I feel a connection to the Lion's womens team already. Watching it today, I didn't think of the women's side as a separate entity, they were still the club I barrack for and I couldn't take the grin off my face when we won and they sung the song.

 

[Wetdog]

I like that I feel a connection to the Lion's womens team already. Watching it today, I didn't think of the women's side as a separate entity, they were still the club I barrack for and I couldn't take the grin off my face when we won and they sung the song.

I felt the same way with the dogs.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

Liked: Some hard hitting, great contests on display. Huge passionate crowds. Generally ok commentary.

Learned: If the weather is bad in Melbourne, it is awful in Casey.

Disliked: No Hawthorn womens team, maybe one day.

I thought it was a huge success, and if they can build of this current base we will have a truly great competition, that will have stars and stories its own right. Skills rusty at times, but that will improve. I thought the Lions were impressive in awful conditions today, very efficient with their inside 50's, and a solid defense.

 

[Colonial]

Liked: The support from the fans and media

Loved: The way the girls played was all heart. Tough footy

Learned: Not really learnt but should expect. It will take time for the girls to get the professionalism of the men and the quality will rise.

Disliked: We are in for a long 1st season (getting flashbacks).
Some people short changing whats happening. This is great for the sport.

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

 

[Mkcaptain]

Liked: The atmosphere at the footy Friday night was amazing. I loved that enthusiasm continued throughout the weekend. I loved my friends who normally would have no interest in footy were posting pics on Facebook of themselves at matches.

Learnt: Collingwood's coaches need to have major rethink about how we are going to win games of footy. With a 7 week H&A season it needs to happen this week.
I also learnt just how short the quarters are. Its not necessarily a bad thing, I just didn't expect them to feel so short.

Hated: People on here who are barracking for the league to fail.

 

[Toump Ass]

What you are missing is the whole post - you picked out a section.

The post suggested that the women's competition, at worst, might attract more women to come to watch the AFL. And then suggested that anyone that didn't approve of the idea was probably "a basement dwelling MRA dickhead that's terrified of the opposite sex".

That's what was said. Extracting sentences at random and trying to disprove your total misread of the post is great and entertaining and all so you go with that to your hearts content.

I think most posters here understood my criticism was directed at the small number of people who felt the need to denigrate the competition via social media.

Thank you for spelling it out for those who missed it