Players warn AFL not to mess with AFLW season
Related Story: 'Gimmicky tournament': AFL players slam 'lack of vision' for women's league
High-profile AFL Women's player Lauren Arnell says the AFL should take notice of the "pretty strong" message it has been sent, slamming the possibility of reducing the number of home-and-away matches next year.
The AFLW will expand from eight to 10 teams in 2019 — North Melbourne and Geelong have been added — with the general feeling having been that the competition would stick with its current system of the clubs playing each other once during the premiership.
The first two AFLW seasons consisted of seven rounds, beginning in February, with the top two teams on the ladder contesting the grand final.
But the AFL is considering reducing the home-and-away premiership to six rounds, before the finals are held across two weeks.
This would maintain the eight-week window in which the AFLW has already been contested in its first two seasons.
Melbourne captain Daisy Pearce, the face of the AFLW since it was established, suggested such a format would result in a "gimmicky tournament", a comment backed up by Arnell.
Arnell believes the AFL will be wise to gauge the reaction from players and supporters to the possibility of reducing home-and-away rounds.
"The strong feedback, not only from social media but obviously Daisy's comments as well, and other players is pretty strong," she told Grandstand.
Arnell, who will play for Brisbane next season after being an AFLW foundation player with Carlton, says the competition is balanced better when the clubs play each other at least once.
"At least we knew playing each other once," she said.
"So when you do have such a short season … you at least take from that and say 'Well, we've had a good crack at each team'.
"I think with six games … the comments Daisy has made is the general consensus across all the players."
Arnell says it will be difficult for clubs to develop any rhythm in their season across six rounds, citing the example of Essendon in this year's AFL season.
The Bombers won only two of their opening six matches but have fought back to sit only a win outside the top eight and remain a finals contender.
"If you have a six-week season … no team plays their best footy after six games," she said.
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan says no decision has been made about the AFLW fixtures for next season, while describing the competition as a "huge priority" for the league.
The idea of reducing the number of home-and-away rounds also drew the ire of Collingwood AFLW player and Olympic hockey representative Georgie Parker, and former Western Bulldogs vice-president Susan Alberti.
External Link: @georgieparker tweets External Link: @SusanAlberti tweets: So so disappointed the AFLW season is being cut short to six games. In one word insulting!
The newly formed AFL Women's competition committee, which includes Arnell, will meet for the first time on Tuesday.
The fixture list is set to be released in late October.
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