‘Players deserve better’: Why AFLW needs a ‘reset’ ahead of Season 10 amid call for ‘10-year plan’ to be developed

The AFLW needs a significant “reset” ahead of its 10th season, according to Fox Footy broadcaster Kelli Underwood, who’s urged league headquarters to develop a bold 10-year plan for the competition and put players back at the top of the priority list.

Underwood’s comments come in the back-end of the AFLW’s mid-season cluster, which this season has featured games played across all days of the week, except Monday, to accommodate a longer season.

But the crammed nature of the season has put players and teams under the pump, with a lengthy injury toll forcing some clubs to dip into a ‘top-up’ pool to field a full side.

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Speaking to foxfooty.com.au on Wednesday, Underwood – the host of new Fox Footy panel show AFLW on Fox – said a deep and comprehensive review of its women’s competition was required.

“I think as time goes on, it becomes more and more clear and obvious that October and November is just too hard,” Underwood told foxfooty.com.au.

“People at clubland that I speak to are exhausted, everyone working in the game that have worked men’s are ready for a break, clubs are asking a lot of their employees and the players deserve better than what the situation is at the moment.

“I really think it’s time for a rethink, a reset heading into Season 10 next year. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the AFL saying: ‘We’ve experimented and it didn’t work.’ That’s what they did in January and February, they started there and I understood why – and it didn’t work. Now they’ve done this for a few years.”

Underwood said the competition should start earlier in the year, adding the AFL needed to develop a long-term strategy that included bold goals.

“I’d love to see a 10-year plan. I’d love to see: ‘This is what it’s going to look like, this is what we’ve seen overseas,’” she said.

“There’s growing support – and I think it makes sense – for the AFLW to start at the men’s bye in the mid-season. Eventually, I’d love to see it start in Gather Round where all the men are in one city and the women take over the other cities. But given that it’s only 11, maybe up to 12 games, next year, start in that mid-season bye section.

“And then they need to feature double-headers with men’s. You look back at how the Women’s Big Bash was born, that’s how it gained momentum. It’s cheaper for broadcasters because you’re at the same venue, you get more eyeballs on and eventually you might get 10,000 to 20,000 rocking up at half-time for a women’s game to see.

Underwood pointed to her experience in December last year where the English Premier League and Women’s Super League worked “hand-in-hand” – something the AFL should aspire for.

“I attended a women’s game at the Emirates between Chelsea and Arsenal while the men’s team played out of town that weekend,” she said. “So while Chelsea men’s and the Arsenal men’s played out of town, 56,000 attended the women’s game at the Emirates for Sam Kerr playing against Steph Catley.

“It was the equivalent of, say, Carlton men’s playing at the Gabba on a Thursday night and then Collingwood men’s playing in Adelaide on a Sunday and getting a massive crowd attending a women’s Carlton-Collingwood game at Marvel.

Underwood said a short-term solution would be to cut the number of venues AFLW games are played at.

“There’s something like 27 venues this year – and in the windiest month of the year in Melbourne, these conditions are always challenging,” she said.

“The AFL own Marvel and I’d love to see them use Marvel more often, for things like triple-headers. If there’s no men’s game on a Sunday afternoon, put three in a row.

“I know the AFL wants to saturate the media market 12 months of the year, but I think your players are your most important commodity, so give them better stadiums and venues.”

Underwood this Sunday night will co-host AFLW On Fox with Lauren Wood, with the star duo to be joined again by dual All-Australian and Fox Footy commentator Ruby Schleicher. Other guests expected to feature on the show include former Carlton AFLW coach Daniel Harford, star Bombers co-captain Bonnie Toogood and former player Kirby Bentley.

“It’s so much fun to be able to create more content about AFLW,” Underwood said.

“I love being involved, the players aren’t afraid to show their personalities and to say what they think – which I think is why I love it, because it’s a bit refreshing in modern day-sport.

“AFLW on Fox is every Sunday night after the final siren. I would say it’s a combination of Bounce and First Crack: It’s fun, but we address the big issues as well. You won’t find us doing dares like Jason (Dunstall) and ‘Gazey’ (Andrew Gaze) – and we’re probably not as serious as ‘Kingy’ (David King) – but we’re the middle ground.”

She said AFLW has “changed everything” when it comes to women in broadcasting, while also lauding the coverage of NRLW and the WBBL in recent years.

“A few years ago, just to get a foot in the door was tough and if you did, you could not afford to make mistakes. But the flow-on effect from this competition is that media companies are taking women more seriously on our TVs and radios,” Underwood said.

“Women are no longer there because of what they look like. It’s because of what they’re talking about. I love working at Fox Footy and Fox Sports and I’m proud that we’ve been able to introduce these players through and teach them about broadcasting – and they’ve been able to hit that fine balance of not being too critical, but also have this brilliant analysis. I think it’s really changed the way sports broadcasting in this country has evolved.”

Watch AFLW on Fox every Sunday following the last AFLW game of the round, live and exclusive on Fox Footy, available to stream on Kayo Sports and watch on Foxtel.