Carlton Supporters Club

Olympians do it all the time on less, the lower wage is a bullcrap argument that doesn't stack up.

The female cricketers play more games, travel more, play more games, spend more time away form home and do it virtually al year long for less money than some o the AFLW girls.

The lack of money argument is a con.

Olympians train for years for the pinnacle participating in meets that last a few weeks along the way.  Not sure how that compares to uprooting across the country for a 3 month season and knowing that each match you miss is as important as the end goal of the once in 4 year Olympic games where sponsorship will outweigh anything the girls get paid.  The Olympians although frugal will get way more than afl women do if they qualify.  Even standardised and using some of the girls misrepresents your argument because first year draftees don't earn that much.

Do all afl players earn a million dollars a year? Nope.  2% do.

Olympians train for years for the pinnacle participating in meets that last a few weeks along the way.  Not sure how that compares to uprooting across the country for a 3 month season and knowing that each match you miss is as important as the end goal of the once in 4 year Olympic games where sponsorship will outweigh anything the girls get paid.

They can fast track the whole thing by throwing some extra money at it, or they can let it develop naturally over a period of time.

I tend to favour the latter approach.
Let the competition develop naturally, bring in some equalisation strategies as necessary...but don't rush the thing, and try and create a parellel competition with the men's competition in a few short years.
Salaries can gradually increase to cover initiatives that create a more equal competition.

Now in the early stages that may mean a few years of an unbalanced competition that favours certain teams but over time these will sort themselves out.
The thing is...Get the basics right. You're than building on a strong foundation rather than a knee jerk approach.

I'm just curious of the current level of interest.
I tried to find crowd numbers for the current round, (or any round) but couldn't see any.
Is there a growing level of interest, or has the expansion shenanigans turned a few people off?

I have tried to watch the AFLW but the standard of the game just frustrates me to the point I have to switch it off. Too many players with poor skills and as LP suggested it has a part time look about it and it needs more money thrown at it to attract better athletes who can improve the quality of play.
Won't be popular or politically correct with my next comments but ...
When the men's game is naturally used as a yardstick to measure the women's game it's very hard just like in cricket, basketball etc to get enthusiastic about watching anything else but the higher standard male competition.
I want to like the AFLW but it's got a long long way to go...

EB I'm no aficionado by any stretch on these but to me eye, I think woman's cricket, basketball and soccer for that matter are very watchable. Again my opinion only and no offence to the elderly but AFLW looks like old retirement village people trying to play AFL. Its slow, poor skilled, it's just terrible.

So athletes train for years and leave home base to compete once every four years for just a few weeks, ultimately getting a small fortune from sponsors regardless of results, while the AFLW girls sacrifice months on end on the road as travelling paupers facing death at every challenge!

Have I missed some key aspect of your perspective?

Walker must really love AFLW!

They can fast track the whole thing by throwing some extra money at it, or they can let it develop naturally over a period of time.

I tend to favour the latter approach.
Let the competition develop naturally, bring in some equalisation strategies as necessary...but don't rush the thing, and try and create a parellel competition with the men's competition in a few short years.
Salaries can gradually increase to cover initiatives that create a more equal competition.

Now in the early stages that may mean a few years of an unbalanced competition that favours certain teams but over time these will sort themselves out.
The thing is...Get the basics right. You're than building on a strong foundation rather than a knee jerk approach.

I'm just curious of the current level of interest.
I tried to find crowd numbers for the current round, (or any round) but couldn't see any.
Is there a growing level of interest, or has the expansion shenanigans turned a few people off?

If you want equalisation, you need to ditch the zoned drafting.
That is the biggest drawback of an even comp.
The only reason its currently zoned is because the money isn't big enough to get players to relocate.
Increase the wages to the point where players can and will relocate and then you are halfway there to an equal comp.

I’m not sure that it’s as simple as that.  Players like our skipper have a career and it will be many years before playing AFLW footy trumps her career and many others.

Zoned drafting is inequitable and is holding the competition back.  Unfortunately, the alternative will exclude many players.  Like many AFL initiatives, the outcomes are often counter-intuitive.

I’m not sure that it’s as simple as that.  Players like our skipper have a career and it will be many years before playing AFLW footy trumps her career and many others.

Zoned drafting is inequitable and is holding the competition back.  Unfortunately, the alternative will exclude many players.  Like many AFL initiatives, the outcomes are often counter-intuitive.