AFLW CEO Nicole Livingstone insists no decisions have been made on the composition of the 2019 season, amid public uproar over the possibility of the AFL staging only six regular-season matches between 10 teams. Livingstone said Tuesday’s initial AFLW committee meeting had canvassed a wide range of options including a controversial “conference system”, and that conversations among committee members were “robust” and included a diversity of points of view.

However, Livingstone cited the ultimate goal as the AFLW having “clean air” in the summer sporting landscape – suggesting the AFL is unlikely to favour a longer season. The CEO said a complimentary window for women’s football would give the game the attention it deserves and indicated the AFL’s unwillingness for AFLW to compete with cricket, tennis and the men’s game.

Asked if there was something to be said for backing AFLW to draw the audiences the AFL desires, Livingstone said: “In terms of backing women’s sport against men’s sport, I would love to say that the metrics suggest we can go head-to-head with men and beat them, but I know [during] our first round of the 2018 season, the Big Bash was into its semi-final, [and] it rated 1.8 million. We didn’t rate that… we struggle to get a foothold against men’s sport.”

Livingstone said she hoped a decision on the fixture, and the start and end dates of the 2019 season would be made by October, with the committee due to meet again in September.

Earlier, Victorian of the Year Susan Alberti labelled the AFL’s handling of the AFLW competition as “crazy”.



Alberti has long been an advocate for women’s football, propping up the Victorian league with donations of more than $100,000 prior to the inauguration of AFLW, and lobbying for the introduction of a national league.

“I think it’s disgusting what’s happened,” Alberti said. “We’ve just gone back another 100 years. This is crazy. We’re either serious about this league or we’re not, we’re going to put resources into it or we’re not. You’ve got to invest to make this thing happen.”

The pioneer of women’s football said the AFL appeared on the verge of “closing the competition down after just two years of participation”.

“You cannot turn a profit around in two years. The men have been around 150-odd years... It’s an absolute insult for women. These young girls are coming through the system aspiring to be footballers... get serious, or pull the plug.”

Going forward, Alberti said she was concerned about how AFLW CEO Nicole Livingstone – with just “two staff” – could effectively manage women’s Australian rules football with nearly half a million girls and women playing nationwide. Alberti, who sat on the initial advisory group for the AFLW competition, was also worried that the composition of the newly-formed AFLW committee was “purely football”.

“I wonder if they have the nous going forward [to manage this],” she said. “It’s very narrow-minded and short-sighted what is being proposed – and I worry that women won’t have a strong voice.

“This is bigger than football. This is a cultural change... it translates to women in business, acceptance of more women in different fields and endeavours. It’s about more than just money – it’s about respect for women.”



Alberti said one viable option was for the AFL men’s season to be shortened to make way for a longer women’s season. “The men are crying out for a shorter season, so this is an ideal opportunity to slot in more games, put more resources into women’s football.

“I live in a real world where it’s about making a profit, I acknowledge that, but it doesn’t happen in five minutes. You’ve got to invest to produce and I don’t believe they’re investing the way they should.

“Channel Seven were rubbing their hands together with glee after the first season with how good it was – and we have to promote it a lot more than what we’re doing.”

Among other issues covered by the AFLW committee on Tuesday, Livingstone said the AFL would trial four new rule changes during VFLW and Under-18 matches.

They include kick-ins from an extended goal square, boundary umpire throw-ins being brought in by 10m and legal kicks being reduced from 15 to 10 metres and last disposal awarded between the 50m arcs. These are in addition to existing trials of centre stoppage setups including the 6-6-6 or 5-6-5 formations.

Livingstone said that the AFL’s intent behind the rule changes was to make AFLW “more free flowing”.

“We have two seasons of data analytics, and a snapshot of how we may be able we may be able to assist the game,” she said. “The rationale is about trying to improve the game, and giving the girls the best opportunity to showcase their skills. Some of the data has suggested that it is a game that might need some assistance with some rule adjustments.”