On 14/09/2023 at 05:57, Katrina Dee Fan said:

I just had a call from Wendy at AFL, good news, the ban is being overturned at Casey Fields.  She told me she and Nicole Livingstone just got out of a meeting with MFC, who were true to their word to fight this ban on our behalf, and they're announcing overturning for Casey Fields at this stage only.  I'd like to think I played a role in this!!

Great to hear! Thanks for speaking up on this. And I'm glad to hear the club fought for the fans. And that the AFL listened!

I'm going to be sitting on this, just to stick it up the AFL.

  On 14/09/2023 at 05:57, Katrina Dee Fan said:

I just had a call from Wendy at AFL, good news, the ban is being overturned at Casey Fields.  She told me she and Nicole Livingstone just got out of a meeting with MFC, who were true to their word to fight this ban on our behalf, and they're announcing overturning for Casey Fields at this stage only.  I'd like to think I played a role in this!!

good work Katrina. 

and well done MFC for fighting this nonsense.

Absurd. Can you imagine pro wrestling without chairs in the ring?

  On 13/09/2023 at 23:32, Katrina Dee Fan said:

What are everyone's thoughts on this?  

When I've been out at Casey, I feel is was necessary to have a seat.

Many sat on the ground.

The people in chairs set themsevles at the back of the groundee's.

I found the people who stood did it a few times infront of the seated and those on the ground.

Let the people work it out.

They aren't getting enough patrons to make a difference as yet.

Well, now, overturned chairs aren't going to be very comfortable but it is an in-principle victory, and inevitable given the original decision didn't have a leg to stand on.

Did the discussion go all the way to the chairperson?

 

  On 14/09/2023 at 04:04, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

Honestly, I think the best solution to this is to play AFLW games as curtain raisers and/or straight after the men's games on the main AFL grounds.

There's now 18 AFLW games and having them play to the same audiences as the men's would be great.  It's a big commitment for people to attend x2 separate competitions when they play at different days/times & venues.

Ever since they got rid of the reserves, the pre-game entertainment at AFL games has sucked.  Conversely I always loved watching the end of the reserves games and I'm sure I'd likewise enjoy watching the AFLW games, if not more.

(I know I know... nostalgia) I used to drive up from Portland (4.5 hours) to the MCG perhaps twice a year, with my father to watch, some fine work by Lovett, Tingay and  Stretch.. anyway, watching Darren Cuthbertson in the curtain raiser was often the highlight of the trip!

Bring em' back!

  On 14/09/2023 at 05:55, Katrina Dee Fan said:

I could not disagree more.  The crowds that go to AFLW are a very different crowd to AFL.  Many fans attend AFLW over AFL because it is a totally different crowd.  Last Thursday's behaviour by Collingwood supporters is a clear cut example of the kind of behaviour that AFLW fans seek to avoid.  The players also don't want to play second fiddle to the men, they certainly do not want to be regarded as "the reserves" competition.  There are a lot of AFL supporters who treat AFLW as second rate, and still mock, degrade, etc the competition, fans and players. Why would you want to subject AFLW players and fans to that?

 

Katrina I get where you are comming from but I think you have at least partly misinterpreted where I'm coming from and actually show some biases of your own.  I don't think I stated that they should be regarded as the reserves teams.

I've been a big supporter of the rise of the women's competition and my suggestion was more so based on them getting to play at venues and an audience equal to the men's competition.  I look at the second tier ground and small crowds the AFLW play at and think they deserve better and to play on a stage equal to that of the men's team.

There's a bit of elitism in the assertion of different crowds too and I also don't think it's the solution to the issue.  If there unacceptable crowd behavior at the men's AFL games, then that's the issue that needs to be addressed, not insulating the AFLW games from the mass support they should get more exposure to.

 

P.S. I've never been to watch a Casey game since they cut out the reserves competition, but I don't regard them as unequal or second rate and I'd also gladly have them play more of those games at the major AFL venues, but would prefer they gave that oppertunity to the AFLW comp.

Edited September 14, 20231 yr by Rodney (Balls) Grinter

  On 14/09/2023 at 08:33, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

I don't think I stated that they should be regarded as the reserves teams.

 

Can't speak for Katrina, but I know I get a bit twitchy at the idea of a women's game being a "curtain raiser" for the men's. I think that has a connotation of being less than though I know you don't mean it like that at all. Double headers for sure though. I really liked it when the AFLW practice matches last year were aligned with men's H&A games for double headers.  I think every team should play one double-header early in the season. The problem is that the overlap is with finals so can't be fixtured in advance or to match up teams. And it seems they're (finally) set down this time of year for the season, so they'll want to stick with that for a while.

  On 14/09/2023 at 08:56, Dees_In_October said:

Can't speak for Katrina, but I know I get a bit twitchy at the idea of a women's game being a "curtain raiser" for the men's. I think that has a connotation of being less than though I know you don't mean it like that at all. Double headers for sure though. I really liked it when the AFLW practice matches last year were aligned with men's H&A games for double headers.  I think every team should play one double-header early in the season. The problem is that the overlap is with finals so can't be fixtured in advance or to match up teams. And it seems they're (finally) set down this time of year for the season, so they'll want to stick with that for a while.

Thanks that's a better way of expressing it.  If you look at my original post I stated and/or after the men's game, because I did want to avoid the connotation of being just a 'curtain raiser' but probably didn't do that so well.

To be honest, I'd like the opportunity to more conviently watch more the women's games live at the ground.

Buying a club membership should get you membership to both teams.

Getting more exposure via game attendances and hopefully corresponding rise in TV ratings should also booster the justification for more and/or equal pay for the women's players too.

Edited September 14, 20231 yr by Rodney (Balls) Grinter

  On 14/09/2023 at 09:07, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

Thanks that's a better way of expressing it.  If you look at my original post I stated and/or after the men's game, because I did want to avoid the connotation of being just a 'curtain raiser' but probably didn't do that so well.

To be honest, I'd like the opportunity to more conviently watch more the women's games live at the ground.

Buying a club membership should get you membership to both teams.

Getting more exposure via game attendances and hopefully corresponding rise in TV ratings should also booster the justification for more and/or equal pay for the women's players too.

I heard Bob Murphy on a podcast earlier this week and he was asked what's the one thing he'd add to the league. He said representative football, which I think would be a good way to do what you're getting at. Round 1 men's H&A, have a double header with a women's representative game with the top 42 players from around the country. Would get eyes on a good standard of footy, easier to fixture. I reckon there's plenty of people who tuned in during Season 1 of AFLW and never again.

Agree that Casey is pretty inconvenient for most. Ikon is better, so I'm glad we're playing some home games there.

I might be a bit late, but…

I ban on chairs?

I won’t stand for it!

Seems all in the past now, fortunately.  After collecting my drink bottle as my "fulfilment item" from the members tent today a nice young man came up to me and asked if, as an AFLW member, I would like a deck chair.  I thanked him but said as a creature of habit I'd go and stand in my usual position. 😁