The AFL has announced that the 2023 AFLW season will kick off during the AFL bye week in September. However, the duration of the season is still being negotiated as part of the CBA.
I really don't think that the AFL has a firm vision for the AFLW. Uncertainty about the season's structure and duration won't and credibility to the competition.
The AFL has announced that the 2023 AFLW season will kick off during the AFL bye week in September. However, the duration of the season is still being negotiated as part of the CBA.
I really don't think that the AFL has a firm vision for the AFLW. Uncertainty about the season's structure and duration won't and credibility to the competition.
Yep, its a joke.
How the hell can you run a professional organisation where you go 5 months into the new year before you narrow down a start date, and do not give the length of the season. These players have a life outside of football. Some would be planning holidays, starting a family, or getting married, but have to put all that on hold while the AFL pull their finger out.
Yep, its a joke.
How the hell can you run a professional organisation where you go 5 months into the new year before you narrow down a start date, and do not give the length of the season. These players have a life outside of football. Some would be planning holidays, starting a family, or getting married, but have to put all that on hold while the AFL pull their finger out.
AFL does AFLW because it wants to have the profile, while having a bet each way on the cash cow!
Tactically, I think the AFL made a mistake allowing the AFLW to be dominated by LGBTIQA+-ø°²xxxxxxx issues, the NRL has done a much better job partly this is due to the strong association with Islander and Maori interest, but it's also less dominated by minority sectors. I suspect NRLW is about to surpass AFLW in the northern states for this reason despite the NRL being late to the game and somewhat disingenuous early.
The AFL has weakly slipped into allowing AFLW become associated with a minority, anyone who has a daughter, grandchild or niece competing at lower levels will understand what I'm referring to, the majority is basically non-sequitur.
A few AFLW rule changes announced today, most are trivial, although two caught my eye as potentially testing the ground for AFL.
The first was an increase to train on players, I can see the AFL will think this as a way to level the playing field and make the progress up and down the ladder more dynamic. Players will want to go to club's where real opportunities exist, not just hang around champion teams hoping an injury delivers an opportunity.
The second was umpires coming in off the boundary for throw ins inside the arcs. I suspect the AFL is testing this as there is a focus to recruit more boundary umpires, in particular female boundary umpires. But the current throw in guidelines are making female boundary umpires for AFL almost an impossibility. The players are told to setup and expect a throw in distance most girls cannot achieve. To solve this you bring the boundary umpires in and have them practise throwing a shorter distance. Keen observers will know certain teams are already practising / training on grounds that have a faint inner boundary line, I'd suggest the AFLW change is the next step in the process of rule verification.
A few AFLW rule changes announced today, most are trivial, although two caught my eye as potentially testing the ground for AFL.
The first was an increase to train on players, I can see the AFL will think this as a way to level the playing field and make the progress up and down the ladder more dynamic. Players will want to go to club's where real opportunities exist, not just hang around champion teams hoping an injury delivers an opportunity.
The second was umpires coming in off the boundary for throw ins inside the arcs. I suspect the AFL is testing this as there is a focus to recruit more boundary umpires, in particular female boundary umpires. But the current throw in guidelines are making female boundary umpires for AFL almost an impossibility. The players are told to setup and expect a throw in distance most girls cannot achieve. To solve this you bring the boundary umpires in and have them practise throwing a shorter distance. Keen observers will know certain teams are already practising / training on grounds that have a faint inner boundary line, I'd suggest the AFLW change is the next step in the process of rule verification.
The rule has changed so that throw ins inside the arcs will now be from the boundary line rather than from 10m inside the line as in previous seasons. Throw ins from between the arcs will still be from 10m inside the line.
Tossing the ball further inside the arcs was intended to reduce congestion and avoid secondary stoppages. I'm not sure what the benefit of this change is meant to be but defenders will probably be happy.
Actually, I noticed a female boundary umpire in one of our VFL games who was hurling the ball a decent distance and at least as far as the blokes.
The rule has changed so that throw ins inside the arcs will now be from the boundary line rather than from 10m inside the line as in previous seasons. Throw ins from between the arcs will still be from 10m inside the line.
Tossing the ball further inside the arcs was intended to reduce congestion and avoid secondary stoppages. I'm not sure what the benefit of this change is meant to be but defenders will probably be happy.
Actually, I noticed a female boundary umpire in one of our VFL games who was hurling the ball a decent distance and at least as far as the blokes.
Correct.
Also the reason for coming inside the boundary line was because there is only 16 on the ground, and they have the lasso rule aka last touched = turnover.
Makes sense for that not to be inside the arcs.
As for the train on players....simple numbers game. 21 playing each week, only 30 on the list. You will have 4-5 players unavailable most weeks....doesn't leave much left.
Bad luck for Maddy Gueren.
Bad luck for Maddy Gueren.
Yep, sometimes you get lucky in recovery from knee issues other times not so much.
Maddy G was a someone taking the next step in the wake of mass exodus of midfielders over the past couple years.
Bang. 2 seasons gone.
Maddy G was a someone taking the next step in the wake of mass exodus of midfielders over the past couple years.
Bang. 2 seasons gone.
:( :( :( It will be interesting to see if she an come back after this. Very disappointing for a player who was headed in the right direction.
Watching the AFLW practice match against Sydney on the live stream, again worrying signs. Last week the reigning premiers pantsed us, this week it is a team that struggled last year well on top of us. Haven't been able to get the score on the board, blown a couple of good chances, but still in general play being beaten to my eye. Could be a long season.
Outs > Ins for a few years running now.
Can't see a reason for our competitiveness to change with that trend.
Much improved 3rd quarter and finally got results on the scoreboard, thanks largely to Moody who kicked our first 2 goals. 8 points down at 3QT but with the momentum.
SYD 2.3 4.5 4.7 5.8 (38)
CARL 0.3 0.4 3.5 4.5 (29)
Goals: Moody 2, Austin, Hill
Bests: Moody, Austin, Skepper, Vickers, Cordner
Sydney didn't win a game last year. This bodes poorly. Then again, we aren't close to our best team on the park.
SYD 2.3 4.5 4.7 5.8 (38)
CARL 0.3 0.4 3.5 4.5 (29)
Goals: Moody 2, Austin, Hill
Bests: Moody, Austin, Skepper, Vickers, Cordner
Sydney didn't win a game last year. This bodes poorly. Then again, we aren't close to our best team on the park.
Can't find a team lineup and didn't see any of the match, so not sure who we had missing from our list.
.....but i could probably pick a team of players from the AFLW who were previously on our list but are now elsewhere.......and they'd win!
Watched the AFLW practice match against Sydney on the live stream, again worrying signs early. Last week the reigning premiers pantsed us, this week a team that struggled last year were well on top of us for the first half. Unable to get the score on the board, blew a couple of good chances, but still in general play being beaten to my eye.
Different outfit after half time. Q3 we finally got on the scoreboard and closed to within 8 points with the momentum our way. Pressed hard in Q4, got to within a goal but lost by 9 after they goaled after the siren.
Much improved on last week, but the quality of opponent much reduced. In particular we were much better outside the contest this week.
Moody huge as usual, usual suspects stood except for Vescio who I thought was generally quiet. Mia Austin looked good as did the 2 new Irish girls especially Erone Fitzpatrick, they both add run and speed and if they are on an upward curve look out opposition.
Overall more light on the horizon than last week, or indeed half time, but we need to get value for our forward entries. With Vescio, Austin and Skepper up forward and Moody drifting forward we have the talent, the defence is solid and the midfield has quality individuals so there is something to work with.
Moody going forward is going to be a thing this season. I think that she could be quite effective, particularly with our back up rucks and increased run out of the midfield.
As Moods said, it was a practice match and they used the opportunity to practise some different tactics.
Moody going forward is going to be a thing this season. I think that she could be quite effective, particularly with our back up rucks and increased run out of the midfield.
As Moods said, it was a practice match and they used the opportunity to practise some different tactics.
I'd love to be able to clone Moody.....maybe get her sister?
One forward and one in the ruck would be a good start.
Sarah Black has done her top 30.
30 Alice Edmonds
29 Mimi Hill
28 Breann Moody
27 Breanna Koenen
26 Emma Swanson
25 Chelsea Randall
24 Chloe Scheer
23 Chelsea Biddell
22 Eilish Sheerin
21 Emma Kearney
20 Greta Bodey
19 Charlie Rowbottom
18 Ellie Blackburn
17 Tayla Harris
16 Liv Purcell
15 Jesse Wardlaw
14 Kiara Bowers
13 Tyla Hanks
12 Nat Grider
11 Maddy Prespakis
10 Emily Bates
9 Alyce Parker
8 Amy McDonald
7 Kate Hore
6 Georgie Prespakis
5 Ally Anderson
4 Anne Hatchard
3 Ebony Marinoff
2 Jasmine Garner
1 Monique Conti
So we've just lost our first round pick for the year. Recent pick #5 (2nd overall from vic draft) Lulu Beatty is gone.
Injury list
=============================================================================
Lulu Beatty Leg Scans confirmed a right tibia fracture. - Ruled out for the 2023 AFLW season: placed on the inactive list. (Update: 22 August)
Maddy Guerin ACL Has been placed on the inactive list. (Update: 22 August)
Phoebe McWilliams Calf Experienced a low-grade calf strain. - Availability will be assessed closer to Round 1. (Update: 22 August)
Tahlia Read Ankle Integrated back into running this week. - Aiming to be available in Round 5. (Update: 22 August)
Paige Trudgeon Knee Recovering from a meniscus injury. - Expected to be sidelined for another 3-5 weeks. (Update: 22 August)
Chloe Wrigley Hamstring Currently recovering from a high-grade hamstring strain. - Aiming to be available in the first few weeks of the season. (Update: 22 August)
Has anyone checked out the photo gallery from the practice match against Sydney?
Apart from duplicate images and several shots of the same bit of action, the captions give the wrong names and describe the players celebrating a try ::)
Surely the club has a web master with some control over what gets posted to our site :-\
Some of the photographs are very good captures though.
Apart from duplicate images and several shots of the same bit of action, the captions give the wrong names and describe the players celebrating a try ::)
Maybe it was the players celebrating a try hard! ;D
A lot of people on here lambasted me a year or two back when I called our club's online presence dead-set amateurish. I think I recall stating that I don't know who we pay for it but I hope it's not too much!
Or this could be one of those A/B traps, where they earn clicks just from people visiting to see the blooper, like viral feck-up marketing.
Took me forever to locate it, but thats very poor.
https://www.carltonfc.com.au/albums/1408592/aflw-2023-practice-match-sydney-v-carlton?modal=true&type=gallery&playlistId=1408592&playlistSize=30
Took me forever to locate it, but thats very poor.
And that's another problem; folk won't bother with websites if they're hard to navigate.
Good grief… what an own goal !
Good grief… what an own goal !
An own try?
TRYing a bit too hard maybe!
The hits just keep on coming.
Captain Kez is out for a few weeks, which is basically 1/3 of the year.
https://www.carltonfc.com.au/news/1419592
Player Injury Update
Lulu Beatty Leg Scans confirmed a right tibia fracture. Ruled out for the 2023 AFLW season: placed on the inactive list. (Update: 22 August)
Maddy Guerin ACL Has been placed on the inactive list. (Update: 22 August)
Phoebe McWilliams Calf Experienced a low-grade calf strain. Availability will be assessed closer to Round 2. (Update: 30 August)
Kerryn Peterson Knee Had an arthroscope completed. The timeline for her return will become clearer once she returns to running in the coming weeks, at this stage Peterson is expected to miss the first month of the season. (Update: 30 August)
Tahlia Read Ankle Integrated back into running this week. Aiming to be available in Round 5. (Update: 22 August)
Paige Trudgeon Knee Recovering from a meniscus injury. Expected to be sidelined for another 2-3 weeks. (Update: 30 August)
Chloe Wrigley Hamstring Currently recovering from a high-grade hamstring strain. Aiming to be available in the first few weeks of the season. (Update: 22 August)
That's nearly a quarter of our list unavailable. :(
Player Injury Update
Lulu Beatty Leg Scans confirmed a right tibia fracture. Ruled out for the 2023 AFLW season: placed on the inactive list. (Update: 22 August)
Maddy Guerin ACL Has been placed on the inactive list. (Update: 22 August)
Phoebe McWilliams Calf Experienced a low-grade calf strain. Availability will be assessed closer to Round 2. (Update: 30 August)
Kerryn Peterson Knee Had an arthroscope completed. The timeline for her return will become clearer once she returns to running in the coming weeks, at this stage Peterson is expected to miss the first month of the season. (Update: 30 August)
Tahlia Read Ankle Integrated back into running this week. Aiming to be available in Round 5. (Update: 22 August)
Paige Trudgeon Knee Recovering from a meniscus injury. Expected to be sidelined for another 2-3 weeks. (Update: 30 August)
Chloe Wrigley Hamstring Currently recovering from a high-grade hamstring strain. Aiming to be available in the first few weeks of the season. (Update: 22 August)
That's nearly a quarter of our list unavailable. :(
We've got more players on our AFLW injury list (with 30 players) than we do on our AFL injury list (with 46-ish) players.....possibly double-so.
Thats some good luck and bad luck all summed up in one sentence.
Interesting interview (Breanna Moody - Fox) circulating today. That it was mentioned that players just left to play for other clubs, not career opportunities, was notable. The fact that the club was gutted by expansion is still swept under the carpet by the ivory tower dwellers. One day it will all come out, WTF was going on?
Interesting interview (Breanna Moody - Fox) circulating today. That it was mentioned that players just left to play for other clubs, not career opportunities, was notable. The fact that the club was gutted by expansion is still swept under the carpet by the ivory tower dwellers. One day it will all come out, WTF was going on?
AFLW is a shambles at AFL level and at Club level.
AFLW is a shambles at AFL level and at Club level.
I heard Cameron Ling on the wireless earlier this week. He said that he lives near the ground and often wanders down to watch the AFLW Cats train. He is amazed at the growth in the professionalism of the players and the improved skills on display at training.
From what's coming out of our players, I suspect that our professionalism has improved considerably over last season. Time will tell whether that's the case.
It seems that the AFLW playing group is largely focused on improving and being the best they can but the AFL, and some clubs, aren't really sure where they are heading.
Interesting interview (Breanna Moody - Fox) circulating today. That it was mentioned that players just left to play for other clubs, not career opportunities, was notable. The fact that the club was gutted by expansion is still swept under the carpet by the ivory tower dwellers. One day it will all come out, WTF was going on?
She'd be pinpointing Prespakis and Gee with those comments, with an eye on the Hosking twins, Stevens, McEvoy i suspect. A few other names could be mentioned, but they're the main ones who left for no real reason.
She'd be pinpointing Prespakis and Gee with those comments, with an eye on the Hosking twins, Stevens, McEvoy i suspect. A few other names could be mentioned, but they're the main ones who left for no real reason.
There lies a lesson in there.
One player leaves for no reason.
When you have 6 leaving for "no reason" the reason is less about what they are going to and more about where they are going from IMHO.
Ive only seen a mass exodus a few times from football clubs, and you can bet your bottom dollar it had little to do with coaches, players, relationships, and opportunities and more to do with the direction the club was taking the project and what players believed.
Sure some got some money and left, others went because they wanted to follow their mates, but you dont look elsewhere if you're happy where you are.
Fair dinkum, Melbourne looked good thrashing Collingwood. I can't see our girls doing that yet.
A huge change for us this season is training during the day. It's incredible to think that the girls had to train at night like local park footballers.
That change alone should make a significant difference to our performance.
There lies a lesson in there.
One player leaves for no reason.
When you have 6 leaving for "no reason" the reason is less about what they are going to and more about where they are going from IMHO.
Ive only seen a mass exodus a few times from football clubs, and you can bet your bottom dollar it had little to do with coaches, players, relationships, and opportunities and more to do with the direction the club was taking the project and what players believed.
Sure some got some money and left, others went because they wanted to follow their mates, but you dont look elsewhere if you're happy where you are.
While six players leaving over a couple of years is hardly a "mass exodus", you can bet your bottom dollar that they were enticed away by more lucrative offers. Take Lucy McEvoy for example, there's no way that she would up stakes and move to Sydney to play for "no reason". If she had returned to Geelong, "no reason" or "lifestyle" might just cut the mustard.
Breann loves playing footy and loves the club, warts and all. It seems to me that she hasn't taken too much notice of why some of her teammates have jumped ship. The girls that have stayed - Darcy, Kez, Bre, Gab and Abbie - and the girls that are relative newcomers seem to be very tight and committed to the club. I don't think that has changed all that much since last season.
While six players leaving over a couple of years is hardly a "mass exodus", you can bet your bottom dollar that they were enticed away by more lucrative offers. Take Lucy McEvoy for example, there's no way that she would up stakes and move to Sydney to play for "no reason". If she had returned to Geelong, "no reason" or "lifestyle" might just cut the mustard.
Breann loves playing footy and loves the club, warts and all. It seems to me that she hasn't taken too much notice of why some of her teammates have jumped ship. The girls that have stayed - Darcy, Kez, Bre, Gab and Abbie - and the girls that are relative newcomers seem to be very tight and committed to the club. I don't think that has changed all that much since last season.
Not the point. We've had a yearly departure of our better players because they don't want to be there.
Why?
FYI, here is a list of players who used to play for Carlton but lined up in opposition colours this round (or were injured in S.Hoskings case)
FB Plane Wilson
HB J. Hosking Davey Gay
C S.Hosking Egan B.Walker
HF Stevens Shierlaw Gee
FF Jones Harris
R Gibbs Prespakis Lucas-Rodd
INT: Brazzale Jakobsson Dalton Privitelli Kennedy
That is a full team of players who wanted out, or were deemed 'not good enough' or too much hassle.
Put our current team up against that team, and i'm pretty sure we lose.
Not the point. We've had a yearly departure of our better players because they don't want to be there.
Why?
Our better players?
Why do we still have Kez, Darcy, Bre, Abbie, Mua, Gab, Mimi, Jess, etc, and why do we continue to attract quality players.
We’ve been screwed by the AFL’s haste to get the expansion clubs up to strength and the lure of $$$ thrown around by other clubs.
It would be interesting to see the results of a full on salary cap audit … but that’s not in the AFL’s interest.
Our players didn’t leave because they didn’t want to be there, most were lured away by offers we couldn’t match.
FYI, here is a list of players who used to play for Carlton but lined up in opposition colours this round (or were injured in S.Hoskings case)
FB Plane Wilson
HB J. Hosking Davey Gay
C S.Hosking Egan B.Walker
HF Stevens Shierlaw Gee
FF Jones Harris
R Gibbs Prespakis Lucas-Rodd
INT: Brazzale Jakobsson Dalton Privitelli Kennedy
That is a full team of players who wanted out, or were deemed 'not good enough' or too much hassle.
Put our current team up against that team, and i'm pretty sure we lose.
I’d have McEvoy in that squad … and I reckon we’d be more than competitive, particularly with our manic tackling and some of our injured players back in the team.
I can’t believe that Lucas-Rodd is still getting games, Gibbs never got close to her potential, Shierlaw is past it, the Hoskings are done, Walker never recaptured the form of her first season. The better players in that squad left us for more lucrative offers.
FYI, here is a list of players who used to play for Carlton but lined up in opposition colours this round (or were injured in S.Hoskings case)
FB Plane Wilson
HB J. Hosking Davey Gay
C S.Hosking Egan B.Walker
HF Stevens Shierlaw Gee
FF Jones Harris
R Gibbs Prespakis Lucas-Rodd
INT: Brazzale Jakobsson Dalton Privitelli Kennedy
That is a full team of players who wanted out, or were deemed 'not good enough' or too much hassle.
Put our current team up against that team, and i'm pretty sure we lose.
Thanks Kruddler. I don't see the point of arguing semantics about names leaving, when my perception of the situation is true, and we have had a good team of players elect to leave.
Interesting article from last year in which Mimi Hill shares her thoughts about players leaving and how it strengthened the playing group: https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/it-is-hard-rising-star-mimi-hill-on-carlton-s-aflw-player-exodus-20220720-p5b304.html
The following observation by Marnie Vinall is pertinent:
Several clubs have been decimated by expansion in the AFLW’s past, which hasn’t meant they’ve been sent to the bottom of the ladder or been uncompetitive. Most notably, during the 2019-20 expansion periods, Brisbane lost 16 players in total, more than half their list, and then went on to win the 2021 premiership.
We got off lightly ...
I’d have McEvoy in that squad … and I reckon we’d be more than competitive, particularly with our manic tackling and some of our injured players back in the team.
I can’t believe that Lucas-Rodd is still getting games, Gibbs never got close to her potential, Shierlaw is past it, the Hoskings are done, Walker never recaptured the form of her first season. The better players in that squad left us for more lucrative offers.
I had McEvoy in the squad, but played mix and match trying to get a good team together and she somehow got lost in the shuffle by accident. Definitely should be in there. But it strengthens the argument.
Lots of players 'are done' but are still better than players on our list.
They could be #20 or #30 on our list....but they are still better than players on our list.
Interesting article from last year in which Mimi Hill shares her thoughts about players leaving and how it strengthened the playing group: https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/it-is-hard-rising-star-mimi-hill-on-carlton-s-aflw-player-exodus-20220720-p5b304.html
The following observation by Marnie Vinall is pertinent:
We got off lightly ...
Apples and oranges.
They were able to pick a state of origin side to start with, and include a few all-stars from elsewhere to begin.
Yes, they lost plenty of players (how many stars?) but they also have half a state to choose players from.....as well as cat b-type players from elsewhere for free.
How did we go last year? For all the spin doctoring attempted by Mimi Hill, we finished 14th/18th.
The only vic club who finished behind us (on equal points no less) was Hawthorn, captained by the Tilly "can't believe she is still getting a game" Lucas-Rodd.
So what does that tell you? A 'hack player' as captain was on a par with us. Wonder why? Player exodus perhaps?
Spin doctoring? You’re having a laugh 🤣
The point of referencing Mimi’s comments is that, unlike Breann, she knew exactly why players left.
As for apples and oranges, think about the population of Queensland and the women’s footy participation rate. A “state of origin” team with an extremely limited talent pool!
Brisbane lost 16 players mainly because of the AFL’s desire to expand the comp. We lost 7 for the same reasons, despite Breann’s naïve comments.
Spin doctoring? You’re having a laugh 🤣
The point of referencing Mimi’s comments is that, unlike Breann, she knew exactly why players left.
As for apples and oranges, think about the population of Queensland and the women’s footy participation rate. A “state of origin” team with an extremely limited talent pool!
Brisbane lost 16 players mainly because of the AFL’s desire to expand the comp. We lost 7 for the same reasons, despite Breann’s naïve comments.
Remind me, who did Brisbane lose?
Who did we lose?
Guaranteed our 7 has more talent than their 16.
The way the competition was set up,
The way the expansion was handled,
The lack of history and tradition,
The initial movement of players leading to a lack of bonding,
The less than fully professional nature of the competition,
...all meant that there was always going to be a large number of players changing clubs
We can't look at this competition and think that an AFLW team can mirror its AFL counterpart with over 100 years of history and tradition.
When a young male player comes to Carlton he's surrounded by a group of experienced players. Those players were influenced by a group that came before them and so on... back to formation.
What does the young female player experience...pretty much, so far, a lack of stability and an everchanging player group.
A male player may move for extra money, or opportunity.
A female player may be influenced, and move, because...a friend moves, it's a team she supported as a youngster.
What the competition needs is ...'Time'
Now the teams are sorted, and all in line, expect the movement of players to settle.
As the wages increase, players spend more time together, they bond, they develop a culture and a history, and the competition becomes more professional...the reasons for movements will change.
But don't expect that to happen in a year or two, it will get better, but it's probably a 'next generation' ideal.
What the competition needs is ...'Time'
Personally, my conviction remains that the AFLW needs to develop it's own game style and tactics that suit the player physiology. At the moment it's still full of competitors that want to copy the men, and that is never going to work long term because it consigns AFLW to be a B-Grade version of AFL. If minority politics win and it goes the AFL imitation way it's long term fate is sealed and aligned to competitions like the VFL.
In my opinion the AFLW needs to look towards Gaelic footy and develop a much more frenetic style of game that is less dependant on physicality, collisions and tackling with more emphasis on speed of ball movement and swarming tactics.
Secondly, it has to start appealing to a wider subset of the segment it represents, at the moment it's a niche product largely supported and sponsored by niche sectors. That also has to change, if it doesn't then it's going to place another artificial cap on the potential for broad AFLW growth.
The way the competition was set up,
The way the expansion was handled,
The lack of history and tradition,
The initial movement of players leading to a lack of bonding,
The less than fully professional nature of the competition,
...all meant that there was always going to be a large number of players changing clubs
We can't look at this competition and think that an AFLW team can mirror its AFL counterpart with over 100 years of history and tradition.
When a young male player comes to Carlton he's surrounded by a group of experienced players. Those players were influenced by a group that came before them and so on... back to formation.
What does the young female player experience...pretty much, so far, a lack of stability and an everchanging player group.
A male player may move for extra money, or opportunity.
A female player may be influenced, and move, because...a friend moves, it's a team she supported as a youngster.
What the competition needs is ...'Time'
Now the teams are sorted, and all in line, expect the movement of players to settle.
As the wages increase, players spend more time together, they bond, they develop a culture and a history, and the competition becomes more professional...the reasons for movements will change.
But don't expect that to happen in a year or two, it will get better, but it's probably a 'next generation' ideal.
Thats my point though Lods.
If you know why players are going, then you can put things in place to prevent that eventuality. Some of this is purely asking the question. Groups usually become tight, and then you don't want to leave your mates to play with others. In Taylah Harris case, she helped pioneer the game through the initial bulldogs and demons matches, that raised the bar so to speak, so that was always going to be a bouncing ball.
What else can we do, to prevent these things from occurring? Can we put something in place? From all reports, Harf was doing a decent job, and the ladies were growing in leadership ability on the field. In 2020, we went to a prelim, which was cancelled due to covid. In our semi final against Brisbane here is the leadership group:
Coach: Daniel Harford
Captain(s): Kerryn Harrington, Katie Loynes
Leadership Group: Alison Downie, Sarah Hosking, Nicola Stevens
All of them are gone. Is this common? Are we alone? In that semi final, we belted Brisbane, 44 to 15, and were going to face off against North Melbourne who narrowly beat Collingwood by 2 points before the match was cancelled. North's leadership group contained:
Coach: Scott Gowans
Captain: Emma Kearney
Leadership Group:Jasmine Garner, Emma King, Brittany Gibson (delisted at the end of 2022 season).
They all still appear to be there except the coach has gone to coach Sydney.
The thing is, the players were already starting to change colours before this. Breanna Davey left us to become part of the leadership group at Collingwood as an example, and she was a loss on the field, that was capable of being covered but not that well initially.
Thats my point though Lods.
If you know why players are going, then you can put things in place to prevent that eventuality. Some of this is purely asking the question. Groups usually become tight, and then you don't want to leave your mates to play with others. In Taylah Harris case, she helped pioneer the game through the initial bulldogs and demons matches, that raised the bar so to speak, so that was always going to be a bouncing ball.
What else can we do, to prevent these things from occurring? Can we put something in place? From all reports, Harf was doing a decent job, and the ladies were growing in leadership ability on the field. In 2020, we went to a prelim, which was cancelled due to covid. In our semi final against Brisbane here is the leadership group:
Coach: Daniel Harford
Captain(s): Kerryn Harrington, Katie Loynes
Leadership Group: Alison Downie, Sarah Hosking, Nicola Stevens
All of them are gone. Is this common? Are we alone? In that semi final, we belted Brisbane, 44 to 15, and were going to face off against North Melbourne who narrowly beat Collingwood by 2 points before the match was cancelled. North's leadership group contained:
Coach: Scott Gowans
Captain: Emma Kearney
Leadership Group:Jasmine Garner, Emma King, Brittany Gibson (delisted at the end of 2022 season).
They all still appear to be there except the coach has gone to coach Sydney.
The thing is, the players were already starting to change colours before this. Breanna Davey left us to become part of the leadership group at Collingwood as an example, and she was a loss on the field, that was capable of being covered but not that well initially.
Kez is still our captain!
Katie Loynes and Alison Downie have retired.
Katie Loynes and Alison Downie have retired.
...after being shipped off elsewhere.
Stevens and Sarah Hosking have left of their own accord.
1 out of 6 ain't bad?
Personally, my conviction remains that the AFLW needs to develop it's own game style and tactics that suit the player physiology. At the moment it's still full of competitors that want to copy the men, and that is never going to work long term because it consigns AFLW to be a B-Grade version of AFL. If minority politics win and it goes the AFL imitation way it's long term fate is sealed and aligned to competitions like the VFL.
In my opinion the AFLW needs to look towards Gaelic footy and develop a much more frenetic style of game that is less dependant on physicality, collisions and tackling with more emphasis on speed of ball movement and swarming tactics.
Secondly, it has to start appealing to a wider subset of the segment it represents, at the moment it's a niche product largely supported and sponsored by niche sectors. That also has to change, if it doesn't then it's going to place another artificial cap on the potential for broad AFLW growth.
Firstly, you keep spruiking this alternate game style. You've suggested this multiple times.
It is!
There is a different number of players on the ground.
There are different rules with the ball going over the boundary.
There are different rules with length of game, size of ball, number of rotations, numbers on the bench etc etc.
Secondly,
The number of girls playing the game now, at junior levels, compared to 10 years ago is night and day.
Wait for these kids to get to AFL level, the quality will improve the sponsors will come.
Prespakis didn't get off when she played for us, what a surprise.