By Kellie Scott
Women’s Aussie Rules is going legit in 2017 and it’s hard to predict how it will stack up against the men’s game.
But that’s not worth pondering according to women involved in the sport, who say it’s time to up the ante and let the men play catch-up instead.
Last month the AFL announced eight clubs would be given licenses to field women’s teams in the inaugural season.
Talk to fans and most are keen to see the new national league in action, but there are critics who claim the girls haven’t got the goods for an exciting game.
Others are concerned about whether it will go the distance.
So we asked those that would know: What does it need to survive?
‘Let’s set our own direction’
Melbourne Football Club women’s football manager and former player Debbie Lee said the national league wasn’t about matching the men’s game, but exceeding it.
“We want to see what the girls can create … let’s not try to make it the men’s game, let’s set our own direction,” Lee told the ABC.
“We have the basis of the male game … but let’s take that and be innovative and take it to the next level.”
She said there was plenty of room for change from how the clubs interacted with fans to what the competition was called.
“Some of our ideals and traditions in male football, it’s not as progressive as it should be … let’s let the men’s game catch up to the women’s game,” Lee said.
“[We need to consider] how to attract a whole wide range of audience from little girls and boys to a new community — that’s a really exciting opportunity for the industry.”
Top Comments
As an avid afl fan, i cant wait to see what 2017 brings
Im so glad the one day if she chooses my daughter could play afl as a career not just a hobby
Its going to be slower and softer so it will have to be a lot cheaper to take your family along otherwise it can't compete with the men's league, the catch is if its cheaper then it will struggle to pay the players what they deserve and will continue to be a drain on the AFL. Would love it if they could make it work but I can't see families spending $100 to go and see a match instead a men's league match for the same money on a regular basis, if it doesn't attract the crowd's it won't attract the sponsorship dollars, and if it doesn't get sponsorship it won't get advertising and therefore won't get television coverage. The question is how many of you would grab a hundred dollar note and drag your families out on a cold possibly wet day/night to go and watch a match?.
Cricket is also "slow" and "soft", and they don't seem to have a problem drawing a crowd.
Hopefully people will give it a fair chance.
Yeah I was ok with this until she ran her mouth about not matching the men's game but exceeding it. Sure, let her line up this Saturday against a men's team then and give her the chance to shine! I'd feel the same way about any new player acting like that regardless of gender.