2019 AFL Women's season

The 2019 AFL Women's season was the third season of the elite women's Australian rules football competition. Ten teams competed in the league, two more than the previous season, all of which are associated with existing Australian Football League (AFL) clubs. To accommodate the extra teams a conference system was implemented.

2019 AFL Women's season
Teams10
PremiersAdelaide
(2nd premiership)
Minor premiersAdelaide
(1st minor premiership)
Matches played38
Attendance251,792 (6,626 per match)
Highest attendance53,034 (grand final, Adelaide vs. Carlton)
Leading goalkickerStevie-Lee Thompson (Adelaide)
(13 goals)
Best and fairestErin Phillips
Adelaide (19 votes)

The first game was played on the 2nd of February and the season concluded with the 2019 AFL Women's Grand Final between Adelaide and Carlton on the 31st of March. Adelaide won by a margin of 45 to win their second premiership.

Reforms

New teams

Two new teams, Geelong and North Melbourne, joined the competition, bringing the total number of teams to ten. The North Melbourne team has a strong Tasmanian focus; some players are based in Tasmania and some home games were held in the state. The introduction of the new teams is the first stage of a two-year expansion that will take the league to fourteen teams for the 2020 season.[1]

Expansion of AFL Women's
Club Entry in 2017 Entry in 2019/20
Placed
bid
Granted
entry
Placed
bid
Granted entry
2019 2020
AdelaideYesYesN/A
Brisbane LionsYesYesN/A
CarltonYesYesN/A
CollingwoodYesYesN/A
EssendonNoN/AYesNoNo
FremantleYesYesN/A
GeelongYesNoYesYesN/A
Gold CoastNoN/AYesNoYes
Greater Western SydneyYesYesN/A
HawthornNoN/AYesNoNo
MelbourneYesYesN/A
North MelbourneYesNoYesYesN/A
Port AdelaideNoN/ANoN/A
RichmondYesNoYesNoYes
St KildaYesNoYesNoYes
SydneyNoN/ANoN/A
West CoastYesNoYesNoYes
Western BulldogsYesYesN/A

Conferences

Despite the introduction of new teams, the league retained a seven-round home-and-away season. This was achieved by splitting the competition into two conferences. Each team play four games against their fellow conference members and three "cross-over" matches against teams from the other conference.[2] Conference membership was based on the final ladder positions of the 2018 season.[2]

The finals series was expanded to include preliminary finals for the first time; the two teams who finish the highest in each conference at the end of the home-and-away season qualified for the preliminary finals. The winners of these games played in the AFL Women's Grand Final.[3] The make-up of the conferences, along with the fixture, was released in October 2018.[4]

The conference system proved controversial as the teams in Conference A consistently outplayed the teams on Conference B, resulting in the first, second, fifth and sixth best overall teams making the finals.[5][6][7]

Rule changes

There were 11 rule changes brought in for the 2019 AFLW season (three AFLW specific).

  • Boundary throw ins brought in by 10m (AFLW only)
  • Last touch rule only applies outside of the 50s (AFLW only)
  • Runners allowed on the field during live play (AFLW only)
  • 5-6-5 formation mandated at centre bounces
  • The woman on the mark must stand further back after kick ins after a behind (from 5m to 10m), and the player doesn't need to kick to herself before playing on[8]
  • After defenders have a free kick within nine metres of their goal, the woman on the mark stands in line with the top of the goal square
  • Players can't set up behind the umpire at centre bounces
  • Play on is allowed for 50m penalties
  • Players can kick across their body after taking a mark after the siren.
  • A player can place her hands on the back of her opponent to protect marking space (see Push in the back)
  • A ruck who takes direct possession of the ball from a bounce, throw-up or boundary throw-in will no longer be regarded as having had prior opportunity.[9]

Premiership season

The full fixture and make-up of the conferences was released on 26 October 2018.[4][10]

  • All starting times are local.

Round 1

Round 1
Saturday, 2 February (6:40 pm) Geelong 3.6 (24) def. Collingwood 3.5 (23) GMHBA Stadium (crowd: 18,429) Report
Saturday, 2 February (8:10 pm) Adelaide 1.11 (17) def. by Western Bulldogs 2.6 (18) Norwood Oval (crowd: 7,830) Report
Sunday, 3 February (1:05 pm) North Melbourne 7.10 (52) def. Carlton 2.4 (16) North Hobart Oval (crowd: 4,896) Report
Sunday, 3 February (3:05 pm) Melbourne 8.7 (55) def. by Fremantle 9.5 (59) Casey Fields (crowd: 1,800) Report
Sunday, 3 February (4:05 pm) Brisbane 4.5 (29) def. Greater Western Sydney 4.3 (27) Moreton Bay Sports Complex (crowd: 2,850) Report

Round 2

Round 2
Friday, 8 February (7:15 pm) Greater Western Sydney 2.11 (23) def. by North Melbourne 7.6 (48) Drummoyne Oval (crowd: 1,365) Report
Saturday, 9 February (4:45 pm) Collingwood 1.3 (9) def. by Melbourne 3.8 (26) Victoria Park (crowd: 7,228) Report
Saturday, 9 February (7:15 pm) Western Bulldogs 5.4 (34) def. Geelong 2.4 (16) VU Whitten Oval (crowd: 8,612) Report
Sunday, 10 February (4:05 pm) Carlton 7.2 (44) def. by Adelaide 9.3 (57) Ikon Park (crowd: 3,150) Report
Sunday, 10 February (3:05 pm) Fremantle 10.7 (67) def. Brisbane 6.4 (40) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 6,007) Report

Round 3

Round 3
Friday, 15 February (7:15 pm) North Melbourne 8.5 (53) def. Western Bulldogs 3.4 (22) University of Tasmania Stadium (crowd: 3,123) Report
Saturday, 16 February (4:45 pm) Greater Western Sydney 5.6 (36) def. by Carlton 10.5 (65) Blacktown ISP Oval (crowd: 3,823) Report
Saturday, 16 February (4:15 pm) Fremantle 7.9 (51) def. Collingwood 2.6 (18) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 5,443) Report
Sunday, 17 February (2:05 pm) Adelaide 10.6 (66) def. Geelong 6.1 (37) Norwood Oval (crowd: 4,433) Report
Sunday, 17 February (3:35 pm) Brisbane 3.3 (21) def. by Melbourne 9.6 (60) Hickey Park (crowd: 5,453) Report

Round 4

Round 4
Saturday, 23 February (4:45 pm) Geelong 2.7 (19) def. Carlton 1.8 (14) GMHBA Stadium (crowd: 7,060) Report
Saturday, 23 February (7:15 pm) Western Bulldogs 2.5 (17) def. by Brisbane 7.7 (49) VU Whitten Oval (crowd: 6,541) Report
Saturday, 23 February (8:05 pm) Adelaide 9.11 (65) def. Fremantle 3.5 (23) TIO Stadium (crowd: 1,734) Report
Sunday, 24 February (2:05 pm) Collingwood 4.3 (27) def. by Greater Western Sydney 5.6 (36) Morwell Recreation Reserve (crowd: 1,743) Report
Sunday, 24 February (4:05 pm) Melbourne 5.4 (34) def. by North Melbourne 6.2 (38) Casey Fields (crowd: 4,227) Report

Round 5

Round 5
Saturday, 2 March (3:45 pm) Brisbane 1.2 (8) def. by Geelong 5.5 (35) Moreton Bay Central Sports Complex (crowd: 2,800) Report
Saturday, 2 March (7:15 pm) Carlton 4.10 (34) def. Collingwood 4.5 (29) Ikon Park (crowd: 3,215) Report
Sunday, 3 March (2:05 pm) Greater Western Sydney 2.6 (18) def. by Melbourne 8.9 (57) Blacktown ISP Oval (crowd: 1,576) Report
Sunday, 3 March (4:05 pm) North Melbourne 4.5 (29) def. by Adelaide 10.4 (64) Avalon Airport Oval (crowd: 2,107) Report
Sunday, 3 March (3:05 pm) Fremantle 8.4 (52) def. Western Bulldogs 5.4 (34) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 4,785) Report

Round 6

Round 6
Saturday, 9 March (2:35 pm) Geelong 2.1 (13) def. by Fremantle 6.13 (49) GMHBA Stadium (crowd: 4,125) Report
Saturday, 9 March (4:45 pm) Collingwood 5.1 (31) def. by North Melbourne 7.11 (53) Marvel Stadium (crowd: 10,612) Report
Saturday, 9 March (7:15 pm) Western Bulldogs 6.2 (38) def. by Melbourne 5.9 (39) Marvel Stadium (crowd: 10,612) Report
Sunday, 10 March (1:35 pm) Adelaide 9.5 (59) def. Greater Western Sydney 4.3 (27) Unley Oval (crowd: 7,725) Report
Sunday, 10 March (4:05 pm) Carlton 6.7 (43) def. Brisbane 4.3 (27) Ikon Park (crowd: 2,900) Report

Round 7

Round 7
Friday, 15 March (7:15 pm) Greater Western Sydney 6.5 (41) def. Geelong 1.4 (10) UNSW Canberra Oval (crowd: 4,524) Report
Saturday, 16 March (4:45 pm) Melbourne 1.2 (8) def. by Adelaide 10.8 (68) Casey Fields (crowd: 2,239) Report
Saturday, 16 March (4:15 pm) Fremantle 7.10 (52) def. North Melbourne 4.1 (25) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 6,386) Report
Sunday, 17 March (2:05 pm) Collingwood 3.7 (25) def. Brisbane 2.7 (19) Victoria Park (crowd: 2,030) Report
Sunday, 17 March (4:05 pm) Western Bulldogs 5.8 (38) def. by Carlton 6.5 (41) VU Whitten Oval (crowd: 9,609) Report

Ladders

Ladder progression

  • Numbers highlighted in green indicates the team finished the round inside the top 2.

Win/Loss table

ColourResult
GreenWin
RedLoss
BlueDraw

Bold – Home game
X – Bye
Opponent for round listed above margin
This table can be sorted by margin, winners are represented in the first half of each column, and losers are represented in the second half of each column once sorted

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 PF GF Ladder
Adelaide WB
1
Car
13
Gee
29
Fre
42
NM
35
GWS
32
Melb
60
Gee
66
Car
45
A1
Brisbane GWS
2
Fre
27
Melb
39
WB
32
Gee
27
Carl
16
Coll
6
X X B4
Carlton NM
36
Adel
13
GWS
29
Geel
5
Coll
5
BL
16
WB
3
Fre
36
Ade
45
B1
Collingwood Geel
1
Melb
17
Fre
33
GWS
9
Carl
5
NM
22
BL
6
X X B5
Fremantle Melb
4
BL
27
Coll
33
Adel
42
WB
18
Gee
36
NM
27
Carl
36
X A2
Geelong Coll
1
WB
18
Adel
29
Carl
5
BL
27
Fre
36
GWS
31
Adel
66
X B2
Greater Western Sydney BL
2
NM
25
Carl
29
Coll
9
Melb
39
Adel
32
Geel
31
X X B3
Melbourne Fre
4
Col
17
BL
39
NM
4
GWS
39
WB
1
Adel
60
X X A4
North Melbourne Carl
36
GWS
25
WB
31
Melb
4
Adel
35
Coll
22
Fre
27
X X A3
Western Bulldogs Adel
1
Geel
18
NM
31
BL
32
Fre
18
Melb
1
Carl
3
X X A5

Finals series

 
Preliminary FinalsGrand Final
 
      
 
March 24, Adelaide Oval
 
 
Adelaide11.7 (73)
 
March 31, Adelaide Oval
 
Geelong1.1 (7)
 
Adelaide10.3 (63)
 
March 23, Ikon Park
 
Carlton2.6 (18)
 
Carlton9.10 (64)
 
 
Fremantle4.4 (28)
 

Preliminary finals

Preliminary finals
Saturday, 23 March (2.45 pm) Carlton 9.10 (64) def. Fremantle 4.4 (28) Ikon Park (crowd: 7,146) Report
Sunday, 24 March (12.40 pm) Adelaide 11.7 (73) def. Geelong 1.1 (7) Adelaide Oval (crowd: 13,429) Report

Grand final

Grand final
Sunday, 31 March (12:30 pm) Adelaide 10.3 (63) def. Carlton 2.6 (18) Adelaide Oval (crowd: 53,034) Report

Attendances

By club

2019 AFL Women's attendances
Club Total Games Avg. per game Home total Home games Home avg.
Adelaide 29,21874,17421,72245,431
Brisbane 24,55564,0937,07723,539
Carlton 34,65374,9509,26533,088
Collingwood 48,70076,95721,61345,403
Fremantle 30,28074,32622,62145,655
Geelong 47,18367,86429,61439,871
Greater Western Sydney 23,14773,30711,27942,820
Melbourne 31,90074,5578,26632,755
North Melbourne 32,71674,67410,12633,375
Western Bulldogs 51,11277,30235,37448,844

By ground

2019 ground attendances
Ground Total Games Avg. per game
Avalon Airport Stadium 2,10712,107
Blacktown ISP Oval 5,39022,695
Casey Fields 8,26632,755
Drummoyne Oval 1,36511,365
Fremantle Oval 22,62145,655
Hickey Park 4,22714,227
GMHBA Stadium 29,61439,871
Ikon Park 9,26533,088
Marvel Stadium 10,612110,612
Moreton Bay Sports Complex 2,85012,850
Morwell Recreation Reserve 1,74311,743
North Hobart Oval 4,89614,896
Norwood Oval 12,26326,132
TIO Stadium 1,73411,734
Unley Oval 7,72517,725
UNSW Canberra Oval 4,52414,524
University of Tasmania Stadium 3,12313,123
Victoria Park 9,25824,629
VU Whitten Oval 27,76238,254

Awards

Best and fairest

Club Award name Player Ref.
Adelaide Club Champion Erin Phillips [20]
Brisbane Best and fairest Ally Anderson [21]
Carlton Best and fairest Brianna Davey [22]
Madison Prespakis
Collingwood Best and fairest Jaimee Lambert [23]
Fremantle Fairest and best Kiara Bowers [20]
Geelong Best and fairest Meg McDonald [20]
Greater Western Sydney Gabrielle Trainor Medal Rebecca Beeson [20]
Melbourne Best and fairest Karen Paxman [20]
North Melbourne Best and fairest Jenna Bruton [20]
Western Bulldogs Best and fairest Monique Conti [24]

AFLW leading goalkicker

  • Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the player led the season's goal kicking tally at the end of that round.

Source: https://www.afl.com.au/womens/matches/stats

Club leadership

Club Coach Captain(s) Vice-captain(s) Leadership group Ref
Adelaide Matthew Clarke Erin Phillips, Chelsea Randall Courtney Cramey, Angela Foley [25]
Brisbane Craig Starcevich Leah Kaslar Kate Lutkins, Sam Virgo, Emma Zielke [26]
Carlton Daniel Harford Brianna Davey Katie Loynes Shae Audley, Kerryn Harrington, Sarah Hosking, Darcy Vescio [27]
Collingwood Wayne Siekman Steph Chiocci Ashleigh Brazill, Emma Grant Brittany Bonnici, Sarah D'Arcy, Chloe Molloy [28]
Fremantle Trent Cooper Kara Donnellan Ebony Antonio, Kiara Bowers, Evangeline Gooch, Gabby O'Sullivan [29]
Geelong Paul Hood Melissa Hickey Rebecca Goring Richelle Cranston, Renee Garing, Aasta O'Connor, Anna Teague [30]
Greater Western Sydney Alan McConnell Amanda Farrugia Alicia Eva Christina Bernardi, Jessica Dal Pos, Tanya Hetherington, Emma Swanson [31]
Melbourne Mick Stinear Elise O'Dea
Shelley Scott
Sarah Lampard, Karen Paxman [32]
North Melbourne Scott Gowans Emma Kearney Brittany Gibson, Jess Duffin Kaitlyn Ashmore, Emma King [33]
Western Bulldogs Paul Groves Ellie Blackburn, Katie Brennan Nicole Callinan, Isabel Huntington, Kristy Lamb, Hannah Scott [34]
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See also

References

  1. "AFLW: Tasmania-North Melbourne and Geelong win licenses to field teams in 2019". ABC News. 27 September 2017.
  2. "AFLW introduces US-style conferences but teams still won't play every other team". ABC News. 7 September 2018.
  3. Black, Sarah (7 September 2018). "AFLW 2019: How the conference system works - AFL.com.au". afl.com.au. Australian Football League.
  4. "AFLW fixture: A club-by-club breakdown of who plays who". AFL.com.au. 26 October 2018.
  5. Fenwick, Kirby (17 March 2019). "Inadequacies of AFLW conference system laid bare on final weekend | Kirby Fenwick" via www.theguardian.com.
  6. O'Halloran, Kate (18 February 2019). "The four AFLW controversies you need to get across". ABC News.
  7. "AFLW 2019, AFLW Conferences, AFLW coaches divided over conference fiasco". 17 March 2019.
  8. Sarah Black (6 February 2019). "AFLW Insight: New season, new rules". AFLW.
  9. caitlin-arnold (8 November 2018). "2019 AFLW New Rules". AFLNSWACT.
  10. "AFLW fixture: Cats kick off new season". AFL.com.au. 26 October 2018.
  11. "Phillips crowned AFLW's best for a second time". AFL Media. Telstra Media. 2 April 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  12. "AFLW: Crows forward Stevie-Lee Thompson takes out Leading Goalkicker". Adelaide FC. Telstra Media. 2 April 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  13. Filippo, Cristian (2 April 2019). "Prespakis named 2019 NAB AFLW Rising Star". Carlton FC. Telstra Media. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  14. Black, Sarah (31 March 2019). "Phillips wins best afield medal in GF despite tearing ACL in third term". AFL Media. Telstra Media. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  15. "The winners of the AFLW goal and mark of the yea". AFL Media. Telstra Media. 2 April 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  16. "SUPERSTAR ERIN SCOOPS MVP AWARD TOO..." The Women's Game. 1 April 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  17. Black, Sarah (19 March 2019). "Superstar Crow named AFLW coaches' champion player". AFL Media. Telstra Media. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  18. Navaratnam, Dinny (2 April 2019). "Five Crows, four Roos headline All Australian team". AFL Media. Telstra Media. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  19. "Collingwood women's team looking for new coach after Wayne Siekman's contract not renewed". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. 4 April 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  20. "B&F wrap: Cat wins despite foot fracture". Black. Sarah. 6 April 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  21. "Anderson crowned Best and Fairest". Brisbane FC. Telstra Media. 12 April 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  22. Filippo, Cristian (11 April 2019). "Davey, Prespakis share ultimate prize". Carlton FC. Telstra Media. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  23. Mullan, Alanaa (9 April 2019). "AFLW: Lambert wins best and fairest". Collingwood FC. Telstra Media. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  24. "Dual sports star wins Bulldogs' AFLW best and fairest". AFL Media. Telstra Media. 5 April 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  25. "AFLW: 2019 captains announced". Adelaide. Telstra Media. 20 January 2019.
  26. "Leah Kaslar elected AFLW Captain". Brisbane Lions. Telstra Media. 13 December 2018.
  27. "AFLW leadership group announced". Carlton. Telstra Media. 16 January 2019.
  28. Lechucki, Meagan (14 December 2018). "Captain Chiocci to continue in 2019". Collingwood. Telstra Media. Archived from the original on 19 April 2019. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  29. "AFLW: New faces feature in leadership group". Fremantle. Telstra Media. 7 December 2018.
  30. Collings, Tom (13 December 2018). "Hickey named Geelong's inaugural AFLW Captain". Geelong. Telstra Media.
  31. "Farrugia to Lead the GIANTS in 2019". Greater Western Sydney. Telstra Media. 21 January 2019.
  32. Matthews, Bruce (19 December 2018). "AFLW: Dees announce co-captains to replace Daisy". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media.
  33. Black, Sarah (2 November 2018). "AFLW: Superstar recruit named Roos' inaugural captain". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media.
  34. "Brennan, Blackburn to lead in 2019". Western Bulldogs. Telstra Media. 16 January 2019.
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