Round 14 of the 2013 Toyota AFL Premiership Season is celebrating the women who make the game great. Those who play it and watch it. Those who work in it. Those who wear their footy jumpers to every formal occasion. Those who know all the words to only one song. The larrikins, diehards and footy tipping experts. Round 14 is AFL Women’s Round!
AFL NSW/ACT General Manager Tom Harley said this year’s Women’s Round gives the football community on all levels the opportunity to recognise women who are involved in the game as expert footy fans, journalists, administrators or players.
"Women play a vital role in the football industry, and we could benefit from more of their involvement across the board," he said.
"Whether as fans, players, broadcasters or coaches – the perspective and diversity of thought that women bring to the sport should be recognised and valued every day.
"I think there will be significant positive change in our game that stems from increased female involvement."
Nationally, the highlight of the round will be the inaugural AFL Women’s Exhibition game that will be played as a curtain-raiser on the MCG at 5.10pm, Saturday June 29. An initiative of the Melbourne Football Club, the match between Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs will be the first time AFL clubs have competed in an AFL sanctioned women’s match.
Teams will be playing for the Hampson - Hardeman Cup which recognises Barb Hampson and Lisa Hardeman who were pioneers in the development the first National Women’s Championships more than fifteen years ago; contested between Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia and the ACT. Now NSW, Queensland, Tasmania and Arafura have joined, reflecting the truly national participation in female football.
The teams were selected at the historic first Women’s Draft conducted on May 15, with two NSW players drafted to the Melbourne Demons.
Stand-out NSW state player Courtney Gum, from UNSW-ES Stingrays, was selected at pick 25; while Sydney Uni defender Jennifer Lew was selected with pick 35. Gum was recently named in the 2013 All Australian side following the 2013 AFL National Women’s Championships held in Cairns.
The thirteenth championships included eight teams across two divisions. Victoria won Division One defeating Western Australia while the ACT defeated the South Australia to win Division Two.
With the highest number of female Auskickers in the country, record numbers of schoolgirl participants and a growing Youth Girls participation base, the future of female football in NSW and the ACT is looking bright.
Our talented females continue to shine at the highest level completing the pathway that our youngest Auskickers are only just starting.
Key Women in Football stats
• 136,133 female participants – including NAB AFL Auskick, club and AFL 9s
• 12,019 female NAB AFL Auskick participants
• 35 per cent of club members are female
• 5500 coaches
• 2000 umpires
• 35 per cent of Australian football volunteers are women
