The Lack of Respect for the AFLW

March 19th 2019

Liam O'Grady

Where do we begin the fact that this week’s finals is 1st v 6th and 5th v 2nd or the fact that the team with the worst percentage is playing finals or the fact that the Grand Final is a Sunday so we have a empty time slot of Saturday afternoon for no reason or the fact that instead of the final fixture getting released right after the home and away season ended we have to wait for the next day.

 

This is the first official final series in the three season of the AFLW with the last two just going straight into the Grand Final  and every team has something to play for Adelaide can be the first team to win 2 AFLW premiership making them the best Women’s teams, Carlton (34) have a chance to tie with Essendon (35) with the most overall premierships AFL/AFL, Reserves, Under 19’s, Women’s and Night premierships. Fremantle can win their first ever premiership if you do not count their back to back with Peel Thunder in 16/17. Geelong could add another trophy to their cabinet.  So why is this such a mess

 

When the AFL announced they are doing a conference system people where not happy because the feeling was it didn’t give the females the respect they deserve. Now we are heading into a final series that realistically should be last week’s fixture Adelaide v Melbourne and Fremantle V North Melbourne, because that’s what people want the best 4 teams playing off in the finals not the 5th and 6th best teams.

 

Another lack of respect moment is the fact that only 2 games a week is on free to air TV restricting the exposure of the game to people.

 

The fact that the Grand Final is played on a Sunday is just wrong plain wrong instead of a Saturday afternoon dedicated to the Ladies it is lumped between North Melbourne v Brisbane at 1:10pm, Hawthorn v Western Bulldogs 3:20pm and Gold Coast v Fremantle 4:40pm (EDT) making what’s meant to be the biggest game in the AFLW just another Sunday game.  

 

The original plan for the AFLW was a 2020 start but they decided to push it forward to 2017 thinking about it now they should of held on until 2020 because they have absolutely no idea what they are doing and they are disrespecting every woman who plays this great game