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AFLW: Blood, sweat and tears

Roar Rookie
5th February, 2017
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Collingwood will once again get the AFLW season underway. (AAP Image/Joe Castro)
Roar Rookie
5th February, 2017
1

At the end of the work week, there’s nothing better than clocking off and getting home to Friday night footy, especially Round 1 after a long summer of pretending you’re a cricket fan.

Last Friday, February 3, history was created. Women’s AFL football begun.

Initially, I had the mind-set that the game was going to be as boring as watching Pakistan get rolled by Australia in the summer Test series. In the opening contest of the game, my mind was changed.

I wasn’t expecting the women to attack the footy as fearlessly as they did, bouncing up after every hard knock. Every game was brutal and competitive, nothing was left out on the field.

The women did not disappoint the 50,000 supporters that went to watch games over the weekend. Instead, the ones who were left disappointed were the people turned away by Gillon McLachlan due to Ikon Park being at full capacity.

Although there were plenty of turnovers, miskicks and points, what many need to understand is that it is only Round 1 of a brand new game, and for some it was their first game ever.

As skills further improve and develop, higher scores and more goals will come. But I liked that the games were flashbacks of the past.

Played at training venues and iconic stadiums such as Optus Oval, allowing fans to have a kick on the oval at full time, footy being end-to-end and every kick going to a one-on-one contest rather than backwards.

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What I do find quite incredible is the fact that every female player is juggling football with another occupation. Each woman has a story, whether it be Adelaide’s co-captain Erin Phillips who plays for Dallas in the WNBA to Melbourne’s skipper Daisy Pearce, a midwife at the Box Hill Hospital.

But now they are also given the chance to light up a football oval every weekend.

daisy-pearce-melbourne-demons-afl-womens-tall

With change comes opportunity – an opportunity for women to be able to play at the highest level against the best footballers in the country and have access to a high-quality coaching team to further enhance skills.

The competition is only going to get better. I draw comparisons with the KFC Big Bash, which was low-scoring and lacking in talent in its first couple of years. Fast-track to the 2016/17 season and the pool of talent and entertainment makes it one of the most-watched sporting events in the country.

I will admit, that when I first heard that it was confirmed there would be an AFLW season, I was in disbelief that it would ever work.

But I was wrong.

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Glued to my television until the final siren.

It was a privilege to be a part of history, to witness the creation of AFLW. It really was the perfect weekend.

Being the brother of a younger sister, I hope the new generation of female heroes who she can look up to and idolise motivate her and other young girls around the country to strive and reach for the stars.

My mind is now filled with nothing but what the league can be in the future.

AFLW is here to stay, so girls, lace up.

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