I didn’t think it was possible when Nicole Livingstone was in charge of the AFLW, but somehow and bizarrely, Laura Kane and Emma Moore have made the game and the product worse.
Before this week, I had no idea who was the successor was to Livingstone, before being reminded in an article that it was in fact Emma Moore.
In case you’re like me, and need a refresher on who exactly that is, Emma Moore was appointed back in April, started in July and came from NAB, where she had been a business strategy executive.
I don’t think you judge success based on media appearances, but up until last weekend, we hadn’t heard from Moore publicly since the launch of the AFLW season, so that’s been nine or so weeks, give or take.
In an article from CODE Sports, both Moore and AFL executive general manager Laura Kane revealed that they had not categorically ruled out the return of the compressed fixture for next year. The same compressed fixture that has seen teams play four games in a window of 13-15 days, run players ragged and seen more key players pick up significant injury than we have seen in recent seasons.
Keep in mind, this is the same Laura Kane that suggested mid-year the game was in good shape, when in reality, no one in their right mind has been more confused about the direction the game is going, and that’s just in the men’s side of things.
Over in the AFLW, the confusion and angst that’s been caused by the pig-headed higher ups has been magnified tenfold.
The AFL seem to want to dangle the carrot out to fans who turn up by rewarding them with more games for next season if they do turn up. And in doing so, opt to schedule games in ludicrous time slots in locations that people have to make efforts to get to.
5:05 pm in Footscray? Yeah sure, if you can beat the traffic crossing through the West Gate by every Joe and Jane Blow making a living.
What about 5:05 in Frankston? Are you not entertained? Give me a break.
I suppose we got the culmination in how bad the compressed fixture a couple of weeks ago with the Bulldogs and Essendon – especially the Bulldogs, looked lackadaisical, unwilling to move the ball and were sloppy at times when they did.
Opting to park the bus with two or, at times, three behind the ball, especially when going with the breeze, is an insult to the fans who pay to watch the game.
In years gone past, maybe Tamara Hyett would’ve copped the full brunt of the blame for what was a completely inept performance. But I don’t blame her, I don’t blame the players either – I blame the league!
Clearly the Dogs were out on their feet after playing four games in 14 days. Once again, the league has let the Bulldogs down.
But it’s not just them, I feel for the battling sides like Carlton, Collingwood – and at times, Sydney and Geelong have had momentum, important players and energy sapped through because of the condensed fixture
And if you want further proof of just how far-fetched the compressed fixture is, another article from CODE was published 24 hours later, with the AFLW players were ‘categorically’ not in favour, citing its impact on performance and fatigue.
You don’t need statistics or numbers to support this, anyone watching the game could see condensed fixturing
Can you imagine the scenes if the AFL ignored this and went ahead with it? It’s not beyond the realms, especially with a dodo like Laura Kane in charge.
Whilst on scheduling, this year needs to see the end of starting the season on the eve of the finals. Especially in a ten-week home and away season, it already does a good job of compromising attendance numbers with the men’s finals series taking shape. I can guarantee you nine out of ten people will choose the Finals over an AFLW home and away game – that’s the unfortunate reality of the situation.
Why can’t we follow the NRLW’s model of starting the season in July and run it until October? It still gives the league the ‘open air’ it should be getting in the games that matter most.
Even if, as Craig Starcevich says, they host the Grand Final traditionally in November, we still have at least three months to fill, and that’ll mean a start time
I don’t see any reason why AFLW games can’t work in tandem with the men’s competition—it gives them the chance to play in the better stadiums in the country, and it’ll give footy fans, in general, in to get an early seat to watch the game and take in some AFLW action.
Onto my next point – list spots.
It’s a topic barely anyone in the competition will talk about – people will err at the thought of adding list spots to sides, because already, the gulf in talent between a player like Ebony Marinoff and the 30th picked player in Adelaide’s list – let’s say for the sake of the article it’s Lily Tarlinton – is a chasm.
Even at a side like the Gold Coast – the difference in talent and importance in the team between Charlie Rowbottom and someone like Taya Oliver is gargantuan.
Melbourne and Collingwood have had to rely on top-up players this year – last year, Western Bulldogs and Richmond had to call upon top-up players due to a large injury list.
Surely it has to be time to give more list spots to teams.
I state this whilst understanding of the notion that the league expanding way too quickly – I agree with this. As you can well and truly see, the talent pool stretches thin enough as it is, and that’s before you go down to state level, where some sides are scraping for the best of the local leagues.
I truly understand the commentary surrounding it, and adding another five players in each list probably means the standard of the product might take another hit, but what it also does is provide opportunity to another five players to train in elite facilities and the opportunity to practice hard. How many of those success stories have we seen over the last nine AFLW seasons.
It means the chances of unearthing another great player become a little bit greater.
The amount of vitriol this competition cops from on social media – largely blokes – is abhorrent, but the decisions made by likes of Kane and Moore do this league no favours whatsoever. Maybe it’s time the higher-ups stop slapping their own backside for whatever they thought was a good job, and have a listen to the players and the supporters.
‘Build it and they will come’ was what was said years ago when the competition was still in its infancy, but right now, the builds have been half-assed and it is reflected through crowd attendance and the lack of thought put into expansion.
Emma Moore, Laura Kane, and the AFL have a lot of work to do to make the AFLW the best product it can be.
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