AFLW officials hope face-to-face access to players, kick-to-kick after the siren and entertaining football within a community setting will spark an upswing in attendances for the 10th season of the competition beginning on Thursday, and that overlap with two full men’s rounds will focus and not dilute engagement of clubs’ fans.
But behind the scenes the AFL is pursuing a radical overhaul of the women’s competition that would strip some teams of the rights to host matches at their traditional training bases, as head office eyes government assistance to help develop Goldilocks venues in Melbourne – those with the right size and amenities to suit the AFLW.
