There are emerging reports this afternoon that senior figures at AFL House has become aware that the AFLW season is set to begin in less than a week’s time.

A source at AFL headquarters said a senior executive stumbled across the news by accident while scrolling through Twitter on Saturday night.

“It was certainly news to them, and they were quick to notify those on the executive committee, who at first thought the tweet was a mistake,” said the source.

On early Sunday morning, a phone hook-up between key AFL executives was organised and by noon had confirmed that rumours the AFLW was about to start were true.

A source who was on the call said the AFL’s marketing department was especially surprised, with one member of the department saying “I’d had a nagging feeling we’d forgotten something but assumed it was just the fact we didn’t have to roll out an expensive and unsuccessful marketing campaign for AFLX this year.”

AFLW CEO Nicole Livingstone was reportedly the only one on the call that was aware the season was soon to start but admitted she too was a bit surprised it was so soon and promised to ‘do some media about it at some point.’

When approached for comment about the start of the AFLW, an AFL spokesperson said, “the AFL remains fully committed to the AFLW and we have a large marketing campaign promoting the current season being finalised, ready to be rolled out in May.”

Richmond will play Carlton on Friday 7 February at Ikon Park at 7:45pm. Entry is free.

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