TOPIC:

The Afl are doing a disservice to the woman's game by shoving it down our throat.Its going to take a decade before it becomes watchable on TV.Remember they have been playing women's international cricket for around 30 years.Which is far more advanced than women's AFL.

A couple of comments in response to other views expressed in this thread:

1. Even though women’s football has been played in Australia for many years, there hasn’t been the infrastructure in the junior women grades until a few years back with the result that most girls have given away football once they get into their teens. They have not been encouraged to continue in the game and there was often few pathways for them to continue in the game . For example, my son played football with a girl in the team when he was in Auskick and the grades up to 12’s and she was by far the best player in the team. She then gave it away after 12 because she was not allowed to play in the boys team and there was no equivalent female team at her age group. Only one example I know but I’m sure other girls would have been in the same boat. The result of this lack of junior pathways is that many women take up the game when they are adults without the benefit of having this junior coaching which has a massive negative impact on their skills. With the exposure of the AFLW, we will have the dual benefit of encouraging a bigger pool of junior girls to take up the game along with better pathways and coaching. These factors will eventually lead to a real increase in standard but as Jack Spratt said it will take time to make up for the shortcomings of the past system.

2. There obviously is a market for the AFLW as I was in a crowd of 10,000 at Fremantle Oval last year which is 4 times the attendance for an average men’s WAFL game. The crowds don’t seem to have been put off by the ‘standard’ as the crowds are still turning out in droves this year and 50000 tickets have been sold for the game at the stadium this weekend.

3. To the biological/genetic argument put forward I would say this. Show me the scientific evidence or research that women are physically incapable of reaching an elite level in Australian Rules Football just like they have in other team sports such as Hockey, Soccer, cricket and Lacrosse amongst others. If you can’t produce this evidence then all you are putting forward is an opinion dressed up as a fact. My opinion is that this argument is a load of crap.

4. Finally to those who are moaning and whinging about having AFLW shoved down your throat, I have news for you, the AFL is not holding a gun to your head. You have a perfect right to vote with your feet and turn off your TV when it comes on. This leaves it to those of us who will follow its progress with interest. The bottom line is that we live in a society that promotes equality and if women want to play our wonderful game they should be given every chance to do so at a high a level as possible

Come on Mike the crowd figures we all know are not realistic when paying 0-$2 to get in! 90% want to get a look at the new stadium, that's all. Its Just like West Perth giving away free tickets to their International round and getting a "big" crowd number.
Worst thing for the AFL is 50K watching a rubbish product that might convince them never to bother again for a long while.
These are not sexist or misogynist views either, they are just cop out Greenie type statements claiming sexism etc whenever scrutinising something a woman does.
But you are right if you don't want to watch it then turn off which is exactly what I will do because it is rubbish. The hype and money spent on it is way too far disproportionate to the quality of the product. Other women's sports, ones that are actually elite deserve more exposure than what the AFLW is getting.

SD I have not turnned a bloody second of the thing on; the trouble is, as you know, Foxtel advertisers it during the cricket.

Swandog wrote: Come on Mike the crowd figures we all know are not realistic when paying 0-$2 to get in! 90% want to get a look at the new stadium, that's all. Its Just like West Perth giving away free tickets to their International round and getting a "big" crowd number.
Worst thing for the AFL is 50K watching a rubbish product that might convince them never to bother again for a long while.
These are not sexist or misogynist views either, they are just cop out Greenie type statements claiming sexism etc whenever scrutinising something a woman does.
But you are right if you don't want to watch it then turn off which is exactly what I will do because it is rubbish. The hype and money spent on it is way too far disproportionate to the quality of the product. Other women's sports, ones that are actually elite deserve more exposure than what the AFLW is getting.

Well said SD...and the other response I make to mike is that women are physically unable to compete with men in global sports or any sports for that matter at the elite level and it doesn't matter whether you're talking about soccer, athletics, tennis, basketball, hockey or whatever...so why anyone other than friends and relatives would pay good money to watch this crap is beyond me. That's not a criticism of the women having a go as it's not their fault they are physically not as strong as men, it's more a crack at the AFL for promoting this stuff by throwing money likes it's going out of fashion and suggesting it's an elite competition. I'd love to have a crystal ball and see where the women's comp will be in five or ten years. If it improves then good on them but I can't see that happening any time soon.

mikeh wrote: A couple of comments in response to other views expressed in this thread:

1. Even though women’s football has been played in Australia for many years, there hasn’t been the infrastructure in the junior women grades until a few years back with the result that most girls have given away football once they get into their teens. They have not been encouraged to continue in the game and there was often few pathways for them to continue in the game . For example, my son played football with a girl in the team when he was in Auskick and the grades up to 12’s and she was by far the best player in the team. She then gave it away after 12 because she was not allowed to play in the boys team and there was no equivalent female team at her age group. Only one example I know but I’m sure other girls would have been in the same boat. The result of this lack of junior pathways is that many women take up the game when they are adults without the benefit of having this junior coaching which has a massive negative impact on their skills. With the exposure of the AFLW, we will have the dual benefit of encouraging a bigger pool of junior girls to take up the game along with better pathways and coaching. These factors will eventually lead to a real increase in standard but as Jack Spratt said it will take time to make up for the shortcomings of the past system.

2. There obviously is a market for the AFLW as I was in a crowd of 10,000 at Fremantle Oval last year which is 4 times the attendance for an average men’s WAFL game. The crowds don’t seem to have been put off by the ‘standard’ as the crowds are still turning out in droves this year and 50000 tickets have been sold for the game at the stadium this weekend.

3. To the biological/genetic argument put forward I would say this. Show me the scientific evidence or research that women are physically incapable of reaching an elite level in Australian Rules Football just like they have in other team sports such as Hockey, Soccer, cricket and Lacrosse amongst others. If you can’t produce this evidence then all you are putting forward is an opinion dressed up as a fact. My opinion is that this argument is a load of crap.

4. Finally to those who are moaning and whinging about having AFLW shoved down your throat, I have news for you, the AFL is not holding a gun to your head. You have a perfect right to vote with your feet and turn off your TV when it comes on. This leaves it to those of us who will follow its progress with interest. The bottom line is that we live in a society that promotes equality and if women want to play our wonderful game they should be given every chance to do so at a high a level as possible

Well said Mike - I completely agree.

Bloke-ism will die a long and hard death on OzFooty.

BC wrote:

Swandog wrote: Come on Mike the crowd figures we all know are not realistic when paying 0-$2 to get in! 90% want to get a look at the new stadium, that's all. Its Just like West Perth giving away free tickets to their International round and getting a "big" crowd number.
Worst thing for the AFL is 50K watching a rubbish product that might convince them never to bother again for a long while.
These are not sexist or misogynist views either, they are just cop out Greenie type statements claiming sexism etc whenever scrutinising something a woman does.
But you are right if you don't want to watch it then turn off which is exactly what I will do because it is rubbish. The hype and money spent on it is way too far disproportionate to the quality of the product. Other women's sports, ones that are actually elite deserve more exposure than what the AFLW is getting.

Well said SD...and the other response I make to mike is that women are physically unable to compete with men in global sports or any sports for that matter at the elite level and it doesn't matter whether you're talking about soccer, athletics, tennis, basketball, hockey or whatever...so why anyone other than friends and relatives would pay good money to watch this crap is beyond me. That's not a criticism of the women having a go as it's not their fault they are physically not as strong as men, it's more a crack at the AFL for promoting this stuff by throwing money likes it's going out of fashion and suggesting it's an elite competition. I'd love to have a crystal ball and see where the women's comp will be in five or ten years. If it improves then good on them but I can't see that happening any time soon.

I don't think anyone would deny that men have a physical advantage over women in footy BC. Although I must admit that when I look at some of those women in the game like that Adelaide forward I certainly wouldnt like to run into her! We are not talking about women competing with men or a comparison between the mens and womens game. It is about giving girls the opportunity to play in their junior years and then developing the skills to be able to play at the elite level. With the bigger pool of players and better coaching, the standard of AFLW is bound to improve greatly over the next 5 - 10 years. Lets see what happens.

you can always ignore it, nobody is forcing you to watch it or read about it..
its achieved its bigger aim and that is to get more girls involved in junior and senior level football due to the exposure.

So it looks like the SJW's and change Australia Day mob have got their sticky fingers into AFL house, I'm quite surprised they didn't allow that transgender person to play AFLW this year only a matter of time though.

mikeh wrote:

BC wrote:

Swandog wrote: Come on Mike the crowd figures we all know are not realistic when paying 0-$2 to get in! 90% want to get a look at the new stadium, that's all. Its Just like West Perth giving away free tickets to their International round and getting a "big" crowd number.
Worst thing for the AFL is 50K watching a rubbish product that might convince them never to bother again for a long while.
These are not sexist or misogynist views either, they are just cop out Greenie type statements claiming sexism etc whenever scrutinising something a woman does.
But you are right if you don't want to watch it then turn off which is exactly what I will do because it is rubbish. The hype and money spent on it is way too far disproportionate to the quality of the product. Other women's sports, ones that are actually elite deserve more exposure than what the AFLW is getting.

Well said SD...and the other response I make to mike is that women are physically unable to compete with men in global sports or any sports for that matter at the elite level and it doesn't matter whether you're talking about soccer, athletics, tennis, basketball, hockey or whatever...so why anyone other than friends and relatives would pay good money to watch this crap is beyond me. That's not a criticism of the women having a go as it's not their fault they are physically not as strong as men, it's more a crack at the AFL for promoting this stuff by throwing money likes it's going out of fashion and suggesting it's an elite competition. I'd love to have a crystal ball and see where the women's comp will be in five or ten years. If it improves then good on them but I can't see that happening any time soon.

I don't think anyone would deny that men have a physical advantage over women in footy BC. Although I must admit that when I look at some of those women in the game like that Adelaide forward I certainly wouldnt like to run into her! We are not talking about women competing with men or a comparison between the mens and womens game. It is about giving girls the opportunity to play in their junior years and then developing the skills to be able to play at the elite level. With the bigger pool of players and better coaching, the standard of AFLW is bound to improve greatly over the next 5 - 10 years. Lets see what happens.

I don't have problem with giving the girls an opportunity, but as a/man says and I agree 100%, why doesn't the AFL pump money into the second tier women's comp with teams that are affiliated with WAFL, VFL and SANFL sides and the like? That way the women aren't being thrust onto the national stage and leaving themselves and their comp open to criticism which it certainly is at the moment and not just by posters on here. Surely that would reach far more potential players and raise the overall participation rates and maybe at some point in the future when the standard and interest from the footy public goes up, an elite national competition could be looked at. Christ, the WAFL was going for almost 100 years before joining a national comp and these sheilas have been going at community level for just a few. The AFL is expecting far too much far too soon from the women.