As the AFLW enters its 18-club era, the record-breaking numbers could speak for themselves: There were 48,000 AFLW members in season six, more than 1 million people attending matches since the league's inception, and 600,000 women and girls now playing footy across Australia.
However — while the ever-tumbling records are evidence of the investment and commitment from players, coaches, and administrators — when it comes to the AFLW those raw numbers are only part of the story.
Fans have taken a surprising approach to supporting the AFLW, eschewing the traditional rules of fandom that stipulate devotion to one club, and finding joy in a footy league that is both familiar and different in all the important ways.
