AFL fans call out glaring detail in post marking 2023 season: 'Long way to go'

Fans are furious over a 2023 year-in-summary post from the AFL's official X account after it featured as many singers in the edit as AFLW players. AFL's media team shared a photo montage of some of the sport's biggest moments this year to celebrate the AFL and AFLW seasons.

Featuring in the collage most prominently are Collingwood's men's premiership-winning team and Lachie Neale's Brownlow Medal triumph. Lance Franklin's farewell around the SCG, Harry Sheezel as the Rising Star winner, and Charlie Curnow, who took out the Coleman Medal, also appear in prominent positions.

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Even rock band KISS who performed at the men's grand final and Robbie Williams, Harry Styles, Matildas star Sam Kerr and actress Sydney Sweeney had their pictures included. But fans quickly noted only three AFLW players made the photo montage and they are all in non-prominent positions.

Retiring AFLW star Erin Phillips has a spot at the top of the image, while Brisbane Lions premiership-winning midfielder Sophie Conway is hidden away in the bottom left corner, raising the premiership cup. AFLW's best and fairest winner Monique Conti also has a spot in the bottom right corner.

Two-time AFLW premiership coach Craig Starcevich, who led the Lions to the 2023 AFLW title, was outraged. “From where I sit, it appears we still have a long way to go. This will make some uncomfortable, but we need to keep fighting for a much fairer representation of AFLW, the nation’s biggest women’s sport,” Starvevich wrote in a tweet to X which was later removed.

Other social media users also voiced their outrage at the picture and noted that there were as many singers featured as there were AFLW players. Others also made note that more than half of the women who were included in the photo montage didn't even play in the AFLW.

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Collingwood fans furious about AFL's front cover decision

The AFL also copped flack from Collingwood fans for its decision to have Brisbane Lions star Lachie Neale on the cover of the yearly AFL Record Season Guide book. Neale was a somewhat controversial but deserving Brownlow Medallist, polling 31 votes ahead of the Bulldogs' Marcus Bontempelli (29) and Collingwood’s Nick Daicos (28).

As a result of winning the premier individual AFL honour, he earned the right to be the cover boy for the AFL's statistical bible. But Pies fans were unhappy that he made the front page, despite the fact the winner of the Brownlow has always appeared on the front of the next iteration of the book.

Upon announcing the book was available for pre-order, the AFL received a multitude of comments from angry Collingwood fans who believed a player from their team deserved to be the cover star. "Runners-up edition: When does the premiership edition come out?" one fan asked, while others slammed the AFL for not thinking through their decision.

However, AAP journalist Oliver Caffrey pointed out that Collingwood's own Nathan Buckley featured on the cover of the 2004 edition despite having lost the previous year’s Grand Final. The same could be said for Dane Swan who was on the cover in 2012 after losing the Grand Final to Geelong. "The comments on this thread can’t be for real?" Caffrey commented.

New AFL Record editor Ashley Browne also chipped in saying there are plenty of Collingwood players pictured when you turn the page. "To all the Collingwood fans having a meltdown, the Brownlow medallist always features on the cover. Plenty of great Magpies content once you turn the page," he tweeted.

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