I will debase myself in women’s eyes by saying first that never in my youth did I meet a woman who wanted to play football. Most found it disgusting and beneath their young dignity to enjoy it.
The world has changed in a very real way. The rise of women regardless of ceilings and discrimination is a credit to them. I never realised as a young bloke how misogynistic my developing world was. The post-Second World War period was a paternalistic time – I am sure Robert Menzies liked it that way. Women – our mothers, aunties, and the stranger on a tram – could be branded with a lack of knowledge, an inability to understand the simplest of science. If you wrap all that up in verbal humiliation, I suggest you have seen and heard what I have.
Like perhaps a lot of men, I didn’t think women could cut it as footballers. Perhaps the thickness of my skull is not as has been suggested, because I watched the Collingwood-Melbourne game and I was very impressed.
No offence to the undefeated Collingwood team, but I must say I was more impressed with the Melbourne team’s efforts under the pressure of inaccuracy.
Don’t get me wrong, I am a Collingwood supporter in all that competes, and both teams set a good standard.
The players themselves must take the most credit for this. I know they have good coaches, facilities and encouragement, but they have a commitment that impresses. The pressure, aggression and courage surprised me.
I watched some games when they first started, and whether I draw abuse or not I will say I thought too many ran like girls. To be specific, their balance wasn’t there, and their skills and their movement of the ball as a team was suspect.
What a difference today makes. The balance when moving with the ball is there. The kicking is of a higher standard. The aggression and hardness at the ball are first class. There is a lot to be admired and to be proud of, even if not all has improved.
The marking overhead still seems tentative and foreign. I suggest this is because it’s not something that can be drawn on when developing it. I remember my time at school when it was a daily occurrence to kick end to end or throw a ball down against a wall for a pack to form and a mark taken. Years of fooling around in this way get the eye in, the timing right and a methodical approach to taking the ball at the highest you can. I think it will come.
Handballing a footy can be a difficult thing to learn. Physically the hand even in a fist still can be a bony experience. Include the eye-hand coordination required and doing it under pressure is something that any adult cross-code player has trouble with.
So where will this end? Like it or not, choose to be a misogynist if you must, the AFLW has begun and proven that women can play football. Women can play football.
There will be a time when a woman will play against the men. She will do so because she has committed to it with physicality and with courage, timing and natural ability to do so. It’s only a matter of time.
Mooty
Roar Rookie
Laura Davies, alas the big chunky one remains unwed I believe
IDeals22
Roar Rookie
Really? And so they should get huge crowds to watch this "superior spectacle" shouldn't they.
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
*face palm* :laughing:
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I like watching them but it's purely from sexist reasons that l do.
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
I remember when that big hitting Pommie golfer, forget her name, lined up in a men's golf tournament. Didn't even go close to making the cut, and she and Webb dominated for years. Why does everyone that doesn't agree with people spouting about women's sport get labelled a mysoginist? Isn't that actually sexism? Mate, when they have games when teams kick more than 1 goal I'll start to take notice, surely a bit of truth in the reporting the actual standard of the game instead of total PC reporting such as this will help the girls get to where they want to be, they've said this themselves. I wish them well, but the standard of the game is 10 years away from being watchable, which is fine, things take time.
Republican
Guest
As stated on a previous thread, I much prefer watching the women exponents of our code than the more physical but compromised spectacle that has devolved as the AFL. That men are generally stronger does not render respective women's comps inferior, in fact I would say they are often a superior 'product' in terms of skills set and spectacle.
IDeals22
Roar Rookie
The standard of the bottom half of the players needs to be significantly improved to be an acceptable spectacle. Some players are very good but some are dreadful and the gap in ability is akin to what we see in school sports. What I see when i watch women's football is some elite talent surrounded by some who are miles away from a pass mark.
Greg
Roar Rookie
Gidday Minz. I am in my 70's, and I am serious about never having met a woman in my youth who wanted to play football. I appreciate all the comments by the way. When the AFLW started I was curious but doubtful. It was easy to see the faults and lack of balance etc. But the improvement has been a revelation. If they keep improving at this rate then they will produce an elite footballer in the future. I am sure of it because that's a natural outcome in human endeavour. The world didn't begin when Helen Reddy sang 'I am Woman' it simply made a turn in history. The world you see today began in a minor way previous to the 'Pill' and since that advent, the power of feminism is being felt in every facet of life. Ask your Granny, football and God forbid boxing was never considered ladylike so short a time ago.
Minz
Guest
Deadset, how old are you if you never met a woman who wanted to play football or is a huge football fan 150? I have a photo of a woman's football team from the 1930s... I also spent my lunchtimes in the 80s playing kick to kick with the boys, and the poor guys never stood a chance in the marking contests.
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
I think the womens' tackling has been brutal since day 1. The field play is much improved, as has the goal kicking. I also think the overhead marking has improved around, just not sitting on someone's shoulders. Not too many women get airborne. This is perhaps as you say, a lack of schoolyard practice. It also might be a lack of opportunity with the way the game is played and coached in the modern era. An innovative coach might take them trampolining to give them that feeling of weightlessness. And at train encourage the big marks with the marking pad thingy ( I used to practice over an upright wool bale, worked a treat ) There have been some good marks in AFLW but no genuine speccy yet. I'm in solidarity with the boys here. They will not compete with the men in open competition because it is a physical impossibility.
Naughty's Headband
Roar Rookie
Haha, yes very funny Dad.
2dogz
Roar Rookie
Wass your master happy with the result?
Steven Harris
There’s been WNBA in its current form for more than 20 years at least 4 generations of athletes and there still isn’t a woman even remotely talented enough to be selected in the NBA..and this is a sport without full-bodied contact like AFL.Maybe some trannie might be able to,and just to add the WNBA has never posted a profit over 20 seasons and is still being subsidised by the NBA.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
You are in cloud cuckoo land if you think that women will compete with men. Or else physiology is a bunkum science.
Naughty's Headband
Roar Rookie
Women will never compete against men. They're just not physically capable. I played a practice match for my masters team against a women's team a couple of years ago and they had to change the rules at quarter time so the women could tackle and the men couldn't; we were up by about 9 goals halfway through the first quarter. And this is men in their 50's! We were just physically far too strong and we could kick the ball much further. It's no contest, and it never will be.