Do you think AFLW will last?

[dillo_09]

Its over for me. Couldnt get into it and I found the ONLY thing that was keeping me interested is that there was a game of football being played and one of the teams was Collingwood FC.

The game is slow,
Low scoring is boring - imagine the scores in the depths of winter on wet grounds. Numerous quaters & halves with none, one or two goals!
Disjointed - players are not as fit as they should be (Yes I know they are amateurs) and yet to grasp game plans or be able to execute.
Poorly umpired - its like the umpires are umpiring under 10's and just letting 99% of the mistakes that would normally be given a free kick let go.
Low skilled. Compared to the elite men, I know its not apples & apples but still its painful to watch. Better skills in local footy makes it easier to watch than the women.
I actually think 16 a side is detrimental to the game - 18 players allows link up play (especially with the shorter kicks as the girls cant kick over 40m) and reduces the amount of running they do meaning the girls can run out a game better.
Combine with unlimited interchanges and 8 on the bench meaning players will run out the game better.
They need smaller grounds - even with 18, shorten the ground and encourage the coaches to coach an open game - maybe zones of 2f+2b inside each forward 40m arc. From what I can see this happens anyway because they dont have the endurance of the elite men.
Then again , maybe smaller grounds will allow 16 a side to work better??

And as someone above said, if you are getting welfare handouts from the AFL you shouldnt be spending it on AFLW teams.

I am not sure if I am happy that we are spending money and allocating resources to the AFLW and Netball when 99.9% of our supporters are mainly interested in the Mens AFL Premierships.
We say, like all clubs, that we exist to win premierships. Whilst all these other things are nice, how does all this stuff help us win them???

[GoWoodsmen]

[King Monkey]

I've posted these thoughts elsewhere, but far more relevant in this thread here and as a further discussion point to Culprit's excellent post on the first page.

[Bruce Gonsalves]

To pull on a Collingwood jumper in the past and represent the Football Club meant that you earned that right and you became a 'Collingwood hero'. Unfortunately these girls have not earned that right.

[Damien]

[swoop42]

In my opinion our brand isn't Collingwood.

Our brand is Collingwood men's football side and it's a brand built upon 125 years of joy, heartache, passion and hardship.

Far from expanding our brand like some believe I see our foray into women's football and netball only diluting it.

I find it ironic that Ed once talked about turning Collingwood into another Manchester United and yet the worlds most famous football side still resists the call to field a women's team in the elite women's competition.

As for Damien's question, well the AFL wont let it fail.

[qldmagpie67]

Will it survive YES the afl won't let it fail it's a era of new age thinking and supported in principal from the highest echelons of power in this country.
I watched both our games thus far and have been surprised at how poorly we have performed overall. I don't have high expectations of the game of woman's afl so I will never be disappointed but any team wearing our famous jersey should at a minimum give a good account of themselves.
As others have said it will take many years for the game to reach any level skill wise. Boys can start playing and being coached from around 7-8yrs of age. Give girls the same opportunities and it will improve the spectacle over time.
It will never rival men's football but it will have a place in society no matter how small

[Stevo75]

I voted yes. Purely on numbers available to play and the desire by the AFL to make it work. We need to keep in mind though they are all just starting out in new teams so it will take time for teams to gel and play attractive football.
Interesting perspective on the poor teams having sides I hadn't thought about that? Does seem like a double standard?
I've watched a couple of games and while the girls give their all, it's not a great spectacle. Agree the media is just trying to make it something it isn't and they are taking advantage of a football starved public. This thred may not have even existed if the Collingwood ladies had won both their games?

[uncanny]

I'm surprised there's any doubt about the women's comp lasting.
Of course it will.
Remember that most of the girls playing have had a very interrupted preparation in their formative years of footy. Most had to stop playing when they turned 14. Imagine how much better the standard will be when their pathway is uninterrupted. Remember that over 20% of Aussie rules participants is already over 20% female. It's going to grow faster now there's a women's comp on tv. The standard is only going to get better as is the length of the season longer. Most of us hanker for curtain raiser games like days of old. How about the women filling that role in the season proper. Or after the men's game for that matter (not for night games I'll grant you that)
So yeah even though we haven't won a game yet I'm glad we're their having a crack and will be for the long haul.

[uncanny]

Hey Swoop
Just because Man U and Hawthorn don't have women's sides doesn't mean it's a dumb idea. The brand isn't diluted with women's sides involved, just broadened. What difference will it make in the middle of the season or in the finals if and when we make it when we are barracking for the pies? Not a skerrick. We'll be just as ardent in our support of the 125 yo side as we always have been. Why would it be diluted or weaker? Why is it a dumb idea just because Man U or Hawthorn haven't haven't done it? The only way we are going to overtake Hawks is to come up with ideas like this and make them work, not just follow what they do or don't do something because they aren't.
btw the Hawks are fostering women footballers and plan to field a side sometime soon when the opportunity arises...

[neil]

Long term it will be very significant
Think how many boys played football and as adults are supporters
Every girl who plays is one less who will support soccer or bum sniffing as adults

Plus a great many will be Collingwood supporters

Remember nearly half of all people who go to games are women

[Member 7167]

The competition will continue but it does not and will not continue to maintain the current level of hype.

I wish the girls well and I think it adds to our club but I personally have little interest.

[RudeBoy]

Those playing it will enjoy it, but as a spectator sport it will fail because the standard of football is, and will continue to be substandard. It's actually embarrassingly bad. As such, it's promotion on TV is damaging the brand of women's sports.

[think positive]

[jackcass]