This Sunday at Etihad Stadium, the Western Bulldogs will battle the Melbourne Demons in what is sure to be a great contest.
But Ryan Griffin, Nathan Jones, Tom Liberatore, Jack Viney, Luke Dahlhaus and James Frawley will not be playing.
This match will showcase the best female footballers in the land. This is the biggest game of the year for women who play footy purely because they love it, not for money.
Still, you’d be a fool to underestimate the talent that these women possess. The skill level will shock many who have never watched a game of female football, but certainly won’t surprise those who have watched games before.
There will be bumps and tackles, and the game will be just as brutal as the AFL game to follow it.
This will be the second instalment of what I’m sure will be an annual event for many years to come. Last year’s inaugural match saw the Demons get a hard-fought win by 32 points. It was a huge success, with a crowd of about 7,000 people turning up to the MCG to witness history.
Unfortunately, the scheduling is not as favourable this year, with the game starting at 10:10am on a Sunday morning, but I’m sure there will still be a great turnout.
The teams were able to retain players they selected in last year’s draft and select new players in the 2014 Draft, which was held in May.
This match is not just any match, it gives the best female footballers in Australia the opportunity to shine and prove to the doubters that women’s football is well worth investing time and money in.
The AFL has long been Australia’s game, and it is great that the women who also make this game so great get the recognition and opportunity they deserve.
There will always be people who simply reject the notion that women can play football, but it is initiatives like this by the AFL, Western Bulldogs and Melbourne that help get the word out to the general public that female football exists and is thriving.
If you want to reject female football and act as if it does not exist, that is your decision. But if you truly love the game of AFL, do yourself a favour and watch this match. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.
Good luck to all the women involved.
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