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AFL Victoria holding on AFL women's squad extensions

  • Feb 9, 2017
  • 3 min read

AFL Victoria has gotten on the front foot in response to a proposed change to the AFL Women’s format, with AFL Victoria Women's Academy coach Darren Flanigan saying a list expansion would be feasible but is not yet on the cards.

The official 2017 squad limit across the eight teams was ruled by the AFL at 27 players (Fremantle and Greater Western Sydney were each permitted an extra selection following season-ending ACL injuries to marquee players Renee Forth and Kiara Bowers), giving little room for injuries and suspension. With many players having gone from their state-based competitions in 2016 straight into their AFL training, only to ramp up the workload further for the two-month season, injuries are inevitable in the maiden season.

Currently, clubs can replace injured players with ‘top-up’ selections temporarily or permanently, depending on the injury. These are players who were not drafted but are available for selection for the clubs from the state in which they nominated back in October. In November, Collingwood selected promising youngster Georgia Walker after free agent Kendra Heil suffered her second ACL injury in as many seasons while Carlton recently temporarily upgraded Eastern Devils player Tahni Nestor as Bendigo recruit Hayley Trevean recovers from a foot injury.

However, both Collingwood and Carlton can consider themselves lucky they aren’t in Melbourne’s shoes. The Demons went into Round 1 selection night missing injured players Pepa Randall and Brooke Patterson and then lost Stephanie De Bortoli to a season-ending Achilles injury in the last training session before their clash with Brisbane. Throw in the absence of Richelle Cranston, suspended for a week after her first quarter clash with Brisbane’s Jamie Stanton, and suddenly coach Michael Stinear has just 23 available players for Saturday night’s must-win clash with Collingwood.

Flanigan has thrown his support behind the top-up player policy, warning that extending the squad limit could result in players receiving limited opportunity to play at the highest level.

“There’s definitely enough talent but our concern is with girls not playing,” says Flanigan. “Talking to Georgia Walker and Tahni Nestor, they’ve really enjoyed being involved even in the one or two training sessions.”

Flanigan says the VFL Academy sessions, designed to develop a state-wide pool of ready-made AFL players, will provide a healthy future for AFL Women’s.

“We’re confident with the Academy girls,” says Flanigan. “Between the Academy and the Under 18 competitions we’ll see a lot of those girls in VFL this season and hopefully pushing into the AFL.”

Whilst the top-up player policy will prevent the farcical scenario of a side hitting the field a player short, it is a less than ideal situation for both club and player.

Can you imagine the hassle for a coach preparing a player – physically and tactically – to fit into a side at such short notice? Or the pressure on the player to fit in so suddenly?

And that’s before we address the special experience that the player misses out on between the joy of draft selection, the solidarity of working with their teammates and the exciting build towards the season.

“I believe 30 is a good number,” says Carlton List Manager Graham Burgen. “That way they can learn your structure and system. When a top-up player comes in they have no idea as to your set ups, which makes it hard for them.”

 
 
 

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