TOPIC:

I can see both sides of the story on this one.
Yes it is great that women are playing the game and also outdoors getting some fresh air and keeping fit.
Some may even become parents down the track and with their own experience/background in the game could potentially push their offspring into football rather than the multitude of alternatives available these days.
But now lets face it at this time of the year the general sports fanatics are gagging for the footy season to start with the cricket season virtually done and dusted, nbl almost completed, the z-league soccer interest well and truly bust, now the aflw with some lets just say "over the top" free promotion/marketing and coverage not to mention the free admission have had a free kick (and a 50m penalty) so to speak.
Having attended a few of the Swans Districts womens games including some of their GF's I can tell you it certainly hasnt translated by way of attendances to the WAWFL but there has been an explosion of interest in the playing side so it is not all bad I guess?

I don't have a problem with women playing AFL football but obviously a lot of cash is being thrown at it to fast track the AFLW. What that shows is if the AFL wanted to they could easily help the lower tier comps such as the WAFL to lift the standard and make those comps thriving competitions but they instead turn their backs on them and are happy to see them fail. Instead they focus on the u/19 levels where the next crop of AFL stars are going to come from.

They dictate how and where they want to see growth in the game and sadly they don't see the potential in thriving lower tier state leagues.

Beasley Hutton wrote: I can see both sides of the story on this one.
Yes it is great that women are playing the game and also outdoors getting some fresh air and keeping fit.
Some may even become parents down the track and with their own experience/background in the game could potentially push their offspring into football rather than the multitude of alternatives available these days.
But now lets face it at this time of the year the general sports fanatics are gagging for the footy season to start with the cricket season virtually done and dusted, nbl almost completed, the z-league soccer interest well and truly bust, now the aflw with some lets just say "over the top" free promotion/marketing and coverage not to mention the free admission have had a free kick (and a 50m penalty) so to speak.
Having attended a few of the Swans Districts womens games including some of their GF's I can tell you it certainly hasnt translated by way of attendances to the WAWFL but there has been an explosion of interest in the playing side so it is not all bad I guess?

BH, interesting comment regarding the current women and their influence long term on their kids taking up footy. At the moment a lot of Mums are not keen on Footy or rugby as they see it as too violent and steer their kids to soccer/hockey and the like. If these footy mums and the mums that support them look to push their kids, both girls and boys into the great Australian game, the participation number will rise back up above soccer once again and that can only be positive for all levels of the game..

UNKA2 wrote: So the 52,000 sellout, how'd that go?????????????

It didn't - 13,000 didn't bother turning up - either that or it was BS from the start, to me it looked half empty more like 30,000.

The hype will die away and we will be left with the reality of a very poor quality product. I gave away umpiring senior wormens footy as I could not see any discernible difference in the skills from year to year and found it a chore to umpire.

Secondly the WAWFL allowed all the best players to transfer to the same two clubs year after year which caused many teams to drop out of the league division and only field a side in reserves. The league grand finals for as long as I can remember have been between these same two sides. How can that be good for developing the game at a local level.

I had heard during last season that the WAFC were going to replace the WAFL reserves with a womens game and the reserves play at another venue. Just another nail in the coffin for the WAFL. But I guess it is worth a go as we struggle to get many to game these days.so i can see their logic although people will not pay to see a crap product. You thought the AFLW is low skill try going to a local womens game, its like watching U/12s.

Cheers Major...it's good to get input from someone who has actually been involved in the local women's comp which I might add I personally don't have a problem with. It's when the AFL promotes and spends big $ on a national competition which is pretty ordinary in standard when second tier leagues such as the WAFL are struggling that I get pissed off.

anchorman wrote:

Bazza wrote:

UNKA2 wrote: So the 52,000 sellout, how'd that go?????????????

It didn't - 13,000 didn't bother turning up - either that or it was BS from the start, to me it looked half empty more like 30,000.

Take your head out fellas, it will become very smelly in there.
There were 52,000 tickets sold.It is a vast stadium , so they tell me.People moving about with freedon, unlike it was at Subi.
Yep maybe they didn't get the 52,000 that bought tickets, but a crowd of over 41,000 isn't bad for a game of any sort.
As Peter Norman said some where, stop living in the past, get over it. THEY SOLD 52,000 TICKETS.
That equates to over a$100, 000 going to a charity.
Wouldn't the WAFL just love to be able to draw a crowd like that,even at $2 a ticket.

Lets be realistic Anchorman the majority only went for two reasons, one to check out the new stadium for cheap and second to actually see what womens footy is like. Result many will never go again.

BC wrote: Cheers Major...it's good to get input from someone who has actually been involved in the local women's comp which I might add I personally don't have a problem with. It's when the AFL promotes and spends big $ on a national competition which is pretty ordinary in standard when second tier leagues such as the WAFL are struggling that I get pissed off.

Totally agree BC having played Ammos for many years and now umpiring since retiring from playing i can see the lack of funding for grass roots footy has gotten worse. Although there is a big shake up possibly on the way for umpiring in Perth leagues this year with a new umpires manager appointed by the WAFC and a new development system. Watch this space

BC wrote: Cheers Major...it's good to get input from someone who has actually been involved in the local women's comp which I might add I personally don't have a problem with. It's when the AFL promotes and spends big $ on a national competition which is pretty ordinary in standard when second tier leagues such as the WAFL are struggling that I get pissed off.

Exactly my thoughts. And way the AFL have handled it is only leading to greater animosity against the concept by long standing leagues around the country like the WAFL that are struggling.
Instead of forcing on the public it should be allowed to grow in an organic way, not via massive subsidised Stalinist like promotion.

Spot on Baz...I work with a bloke who has coached junior footy for years as he loves watching the young kids come through....he's really pissed off with the whole AFLW concept and the amount of money being shovelled into it when half the junior clubs around the place are struggling to buy new jumpers and footy's for the kids.