Womens AFL Game(s) 2015

[jatz14]

Nominations for the draft for the womens AFL games have opened today, with a second game later in the year pencilled in. A second mini draft to be held prior to the second game.

This thread is for peoples thoughts on
1. Are the AFL womens games achieving what was intended
2. Is there sufficient progression that an AFL sanctioned national womens league will be viable by the target date of 2020
3. Your opinion on the games as games. What do the Bulldogs need to change to catch Melbourne. What do you think of the teams

 

[jatz14]

First my thoughts.
1. Yes, they generate significant interest within the ranks of womens football, they generate interest in people not normally interested in womens footy. Virtually every footy talk show mentioned the last game in a positive manner. I believe it is changing perceptions as to how good elite female footy could be. The next step required would be to get the game televised, not sure that will happen.

2. Second game was significantly better standard than the first, and the first was very good. I think they are identifying players that can handle a step up in intensity and quality. How this filters down is the question. You cant build a league on the backs of 50 players. The promising thing is the number of juniors coming through, and how good they are. It looks promising, but they need a lot of very good players for a league.

3. To me the key is the quality of the Melbourne backline and midfield. Melbourne have play making defenders, that read the play, drop of and take intercept marks. Bulldogs CHF Katie Brennan is very good, but she is constantly double and triple teamed when going for marks. Moana Hope, in the first time I had seen her play, is probably the best lead I have seen in womens footy, but she plays deep forward, and they can not get it to her enough past the likes of Kara Donnellan and Kirby Bentley. MFC have 5 players listed with preferred position as CHB. In the midfield, they have Daisy Pearce and Ellie Blackbourne, 2 of my favourite players, and both have dominated in both games. With a very good forward line as well, it is hard to see Melbourne losing personally. I do not see where the Bullies can get the key defenders and game winning mids they need.

 

[Oneiros]

Will it be Bulldogs v Melbourne for both games?

 

[jatz14]

Yes, they are doing it as a home and away. Melbourne home game May 24 first, then Bullies Aug 16. I do not think the second game is a certainty yet. May depend on money, interest etc.

 

[jatz14]

The teams only got to retain 6 players each. A bit of a surprise as I would have thought keeping a good nucleus from each team would help build a rivalry. Mixing the teams up completely makes it more of an 'exhibition' game rather than a 'real' game. Have to balance that with giving the most chance for fresh blood, but I suspect many of the delisted players will be relisted again, so it will not be new blood, just mixed up old blood.

 

[fabulousphil]

Nine new clubs join VWFL in 2015

http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...sID=56309&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=33420797

Thats is an incredible amount of new clubs joining, although perhaps they are at this stage just one team clubs.

Don't take as much interest in womens footy these days as a couple of years ago ( Perth) but hoping the national league is still on the agenda for 2020