Re: AFLW 2022 Rd 4: Carlton vs North Melbourne
Reply #13 –
I think part of the issue is that being semi-professional brings is great variability, not just game to game but moment to moment. You can see the glimpses of play, but they break down very quickly.
I remain convinced part of the problem is that the AFLW is being too closely modelled on the AFL, the AFL game style and tactics do not suit the girls, giving in to the girl's desire to play under the same basic rules and style is doing them a disservice. I had expected the AFLW to be a much faster but lighter impact more heavily team orientated style of game play, not dissimilar to the difference between the Premier League and the Women's Premier League.
I continue to be be gobsmacked at how little reward and protection Maddy Prespakis gets for her efforts, she lays tackle after tackle, her opponents throw the ball away, and she gets nothing form the umpires. When she attacks the football opponents trip or tackle her illegally time after time and again the umpires give her nothing.
Same page, Spotted one.
At the risk of sounding like a smarty pants -- again -- this was my point from the get-go. Expecting the gals to play under exactly the same rules/ground sizes as the fellas was short-sighted and, well, silly. Even tennis acknowledges the physical differences (3 sets v 5 sets).
Grounds should be smaller and physicality reduced to give the gals more time to execute the skills of the game. And as for the rapid expansion when the talent pool was already shallow, well that was ill-conceived as mentioned by plenty a while ago.
I'm not as pessimistic as some. I think that with meaningful modifications to allow more ease of flow, the gals game can grow and flourish and become a better spectacle.
Playing the game in the heat of summer is ridiculous... the idea that it can serve as a kind of pre season comp to the blokes is, again, silly. Far better later in the year when the weather is more favourable - our blokes play in the cooler months for a reason... FFS. (Oct/Nov and finishing in Dec would be better).
And expecting the gals to put on a quality product when they are so poorly remunerated - and hence unable to give their sport suitable time and commitment to refine skills, is mind boggling.