http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-06-15/eight-teams-named-for-inaugural-womens-league

TRADITIONAL heavyweights Carlton and Collingwood join Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs as the Victorian contingent in the first year of the AFL national women's league.

Game-changer: Football history is made at the MCG

Fremantle has edged out West Coast in the battle of the west to be the Perth-based team in the eight-club inaugural competition.

Adelaide, Brisbane Lions and Greater Western Sydney are the other non-Victorian clubs to compete in the eight-week season in February-March next year.

 

The other AFL club applicants, Richmond, Geelong, North Melbourne and St Kilda, along with the Eagles, have been granted provisional licences to be part of an expanded women's league in 2018, depending on development of the game in their areas.

 

Full statement from the AFL and Mike Fitzpatrick's speech

Next season's women's competition will feature six home-and-away rounds, with the top four playing two semi-finals and a Grand Final.

The women's Grand Final could be played in the week between the end of the NAB Challenge and the start of the AFL season, or as a curtain-raiser to the AFL season opener at the MCG on either a Thursday or Saturday night.

The eight women's teams granted licences to compete in 2017

• Adelaide
• Brisbane Lions
• Carlton
• Collingwood
• Fremantle
• Greater Western Sydney
• Melbourne
• Western Bulldogs

Melbourne captain Daisy Pearce was among a group of top-line players at the launch, including Tayla Harris, Brianna Davey, Lauren Arnell, Sabrina Frederick-Traub and Darcy Vescio. They're expected to be marquee signings for the competing clubs.

"It's great to have the opportunity to play an elite sport out on an elite arena in a professional environment. But more so, to look around today and see those little girls who will grow up knowing that's something they can achieve is amazing,'' Pearce said.

Club representatives with Gillon McLachlan and Mike FItzpatrick at Wednesday's launch

Pearce said the summer pre-season training and games in the heat wouldn't be a major problem.

"It will be pretty warm, but we would normally be in pre-season training at that time of the year anyway. And I think the quarters may be a tad shorter for that reason,'' she said.

"I have to take myself out of the bubble and realise what an amazing revolution this is. I work at Melbourne and play every weekend and sometimes you have to reflect on how enormous this is.

"It's the biggest code and the biggest sporting body in the country and certainly here it's a big part of the culture of Melbourne and to now have the opportunity to play this sport means a lot to girls."

A group of emerging players at the launch included Abbie McKay, 15-year-old daughter of Carlton's football operations manager and premiership defender Andrew McKay.

"She has got the talent, it's whether she has the mindset to want to do it,'' McKay said.

"This day has been a long time coming. The number of women and girls playing football has doubled over the last five years,'' AFL commission chairman Mike Fitzpatrick said at the launch near the city-end goals of the MCG on Wednesday morning.

"Our CEO Gillon McLachlan calls it a revolution and it is. A fully fledged national competition with the best women players will grace AFL grounds, wearing AFL jumpers and representing passionate AFL tribes.

"On behalf of the AFL Commission, I want to express our deep gratitude to those who continue to help grow and develop women's football at all levels. 

"The establishment of a national women's league will provide a platform to inspire young girls to reach for the stars and provide another avenue for Australian Rules fans to enjoy. Our game will never be the same.''

So, when is the draft?  How many of our previous squad members do we get to keep?  Are there going to be foundation players for each side who will be involved prior to the draft? 

2 marquee players for each club who are exempt from the draft. One of ours will be Daisy, not sure about the other

Demons links to women's footy go back to the 60's 

  On 21/06/2016 at 01:25, Mickey said:

2 marquee players for each club who are exempt from the draft. One of ours will be Daisy, not sure about the other

I'd back Ellie Blackburn to be the other.  Two top-line midfielders would go a long way to building a quality side.  Plus I'm pretty sure she's been with us from the start. 

I'm guessing Tayla will be a marquee signing for Brissie and Sabrina for Freo. Bummer they won't play for us, both are guns, but great that they'll lead their respective teams

The Hemons and the Shemons.

  On 24/06/2016 at 06:16, Redbeard said:

I'm guessing Tayla will be a marquee signing for Brissie and Sabrina for Freo. Bummer they won't play for us, both are guns, but great that they'll lead their respective teams

Tayla's already signed on with Brisbane to be their first Marquee player.  I guess we can't blame her given she lives there.  Pity though.  She's turning into a hell of a player. 

  On 24/06/2016 at 16:14, RalphiusMaximus said:

Tayla's already signed on with Brisbane to be their first Marquee player.  I guess we can't blame her given she lives there.  Pity though.  She's turning into a hell of a player. 

Don't think that's quite right.

Clubs nominate who they want as their marque players and the AFL makes the call. Daisy is extremely likely to be ours, Tayla is likely to be Brisbanes. But she isn't signed up as theirs yet. I think Brisbane got told they couldn't sign her yet, even though they tried to say she was. She is currently working for Brisbane I thought... But she can't be signed up as a player.

  On 25/06/2016 at 09:55, Ouch! said:

Don't think that's quite right.

Clubs nominate who they want as their marque players and the AFL makes the call. Daisy is extremely likely to be ours, Tayla is likely to be Brisbanes. But she isn't signed up as theirs yet. I think Brisbane got told they couldn't sign her yet, even though they tried to say she was. She is currently working for Brisbane I thought... But she can't be signed up as a player.

Sounds about right.  The AFL making things harder for everybody.  There was an article a few weeks ago talking about the whole mess which said that they couldn't claim her until they had officially been granted the license.  I assumed that now they had it the deal was done, but I can't confirm that. 

  On 24/06/2016 at 16:14, RalphiusMaximus said:

Tayla's already signed on with Brisbane to be their first Marquee player.  I guess we can't blame her given she lives there.  Pity though.  She's turning into a hell of a player. 

So you wouldn't blame Hogan if he headed back home?

I would. I don't forgive players as easily. Leave and you are the enemy. Even Frawley and Scully - who we largely cashed out for.

  On 25/06/2016 at 13:19, KingDingAling said:

So you wouldn't blame Hogan if he headed back home?

I would. I don't forgive players as easily. Leave and you are the enemy. Even Frawley and Scully - who we largely cashed out for.

Completely different situation.  Hogan has lived here in Melbourne for years now.  Harris has flown down a few times to do training camps and play exhibition matches.  She is not officially part of our list.  She has also been playing for the Brisbane side in their matches this year. 

  On 25/06/2016 at 13:19, KingDingAling said:

So you wouldn't blame Hogan if he headed back home?

I would. I don't forgive players as easily. Leave and you are the enemy. Even Frawley and Scully - who we largely cashed out for.

It's a very different situation. For one given she lives there and the new state of play with the womens game this gives players a lot of uncertainty around their jobs. At least her being in the same zone as where she lives gives her the chance to retain some sort of normality. There's also a fairly large difference between the cash that will be thrown at Jesse at the end of his contract.

That said as long as we get Daisey, the rest can sort themselves out.

  On 28/06/2016 at 18:56, Pates said:

It's a very different situation. For one given she lives there and the new state of play with the womens game this gives players a lot of uncertainty around their jobs. At least her being in the same zone as where she lives gives her the chance to retain some sort of normality. There's also a fairly large difference between the cash that will be thrown at Jesse at the end of his contract.

And the significant annual salary Tayla is now receiving courtesy of AFLQ certainly made a difference. Tayla spoke glowingly about her time playing for Melbourne. It's a shame we couldn't keep her but she's doing some very important development work in Queensland and the family factor is significant. Brisbane were also trying to bring Katie Brennan back home as their second marquee signing. As I understand it, she's decided to stay with a Victorian team. I assume that means she'll stay with the Western Bulldogs. Hope Melbourne is being really proactive with it's attempts to get the very best second marquee signing to complement Daisy.

This one hurts.

Cowan has been head-hunted by Freo, a huge hit to our women's footy team, imo.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/melbournes-michelle-cowan-leaves-demons-for-fremantle-20160701-gpw8hz.html

  On 01/07/2016 at 03:57, Demon Disciple said:

This one hurts.

Cowan has been head-hunted by Freo, a huge hit to our women's footy team, imo.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/melbournes-michelle-cowan-leaves-demons-for-fremantle-20160701-gpw8hz.html

Yeah, this sucks.  She was great value to the club. 

Today's the day we find out who the marquee players are. Daisy will be one... who will be the other I wonder?

Emma Blackburn

  On 27/07/2016 at 00:58, John Dee said:

Emma Blackburn

Was actually Melissa Hickey, 31 y.o defender

I understand Pearce getting one of our spots, but a 31 year old as the other marquee signing??? Melbourne have missed the boat here while the other clubs have locked in the rest of the super talented and younger marquee players on their lists for the next 10 years, we'll be lucky to get more than about 3 or 4 out of Hickey. Would have gone for Sabrina Frederick-Traub the 20 year old key position player, personally. 

Came here to say the same thing. 

Should have jumped on one of the younger girls for the long term. 

I was thinking the same, but then I remembered:

1. Defence wins big games, getting a star CHB can't be that bad an idea right?

2. She started playing at 24, no reason why she couldn't play to 35+, maybe even 40+ given female athletes in a number of sports have proven to be very resilient. Experience also wins big games.

3. The marquee system wasn't necessarily created on a first come first served basis. If we got the best player with 1 of our marquees we probably weren't getting the best with the other.

4. Culture is vital, especially with a new league and new teams. Hickey seems really smart. Having possibly the 2 best leaders could be vital. We don't have the advantage of a coach, facilities or money. Our one advantage over other sides is we already have a winning culture and a team that's use to success. If Hickey is a vital part of that - and experienced key defenders usually are - then she's worth keeping.

5. Who really knows how teams will fill out the rest of their teams? Who really knows just how good the best players are now and whether in 5 years the development going in to all the teenagers right now will make the current group of 22 year olds look dreadful when they are in their prime?

Receievd an invitation yesterday to become a foundation member of the Womens supporters club.250 smackers and I think I

will do it to show support

  On 27/07/2016 at 08:12, deanox said:

Came here to say the same thing. 

Should have jumped on one of the younger girls for the long term. 

I just jumped on to say the same. We were always going to take Pearce but at 28 years old then taking our second marquee as a 31 year old makes no sense.

  On 29/07/2016 at 03:20, jackaub said:

Receievd an invitation yesterday to become a foundation member of the Womens supporters club.250 smackers and I think I

will do it to show support

I did do it. I'm unexplainably excited by this concept and competition and its future. Anyone else on here joined/joining me?

And leucopogon, deanox and engine, I call "Too soon!" on tainting the women with MFCSS, or whatever it was you were doing there...