'Great stuff, geniuses': AFL under fire over AFLW finals fixture
AFL bosses are again under fire for its treatment of the AFLW season – this time for its scheduling of the showpiece grand final.
The preliminary finals were confirmed on Monday, with Carlton’s match against Fremantle scheduled for a 2.45pm AEDT start at Princes Park on Saturday afternoon.
Adelaide will then host Geelong 1.10pm AEDT on Sunday at Adelaide Oval – the first AFLW match to be staged at the stadium.
Both preliminary finals will overlap with AFL games but none with the four clubs’ respective men’s teams.
The AFL also announced the grand final would take place on Sunday, March 31, with the venue and time to be confirmed after this weekend’s matches.
The grand final host will be the club with the most premiership points, or highest percentage if their points are the same.
However, moving the game to Sunday has directed more criticism towards the governing body.
The AFL fixture has no games scheduled for the early afternoon on March 30, a decision seemingly made last year to allow the women’s grand final to stand alone.
But league chiefs backflipped on that plan on Monday.
“To allow at least seven days’ preparation for each team between the preliminary finals and the grand final, the AFLW grand final will be played on Sunday, March 31,” AFL executive Travis Auld said.
The decider is now likely to clash with three men’s games scheduled for March 31 – unless it is scheduled for the evening on what is a school night around the country.
Had the grand final been pencilled in for Saturday, it may have been forced to fit in around an AFL game as a double-header.
Potential host grounds Adelaide Oval and Perth Stadium will be used by Port Adelaide and West Coast on the afternoon and evening respectively.
A day grand final could overlap with two games in Melbourne: North Melbourne host Brisbane at Docklands and Hawthorn and the Bulldogs at the MCG.
Gold Coast play Fremantle on the glitter strip in the twilight AFL fixture, with a standalone night grand final starting at around 7.30pm AEDT a strong possibility.
The scheduling was criticised by footy fans disappointed with the AFLW taking a back seat to the AFL:
So, there were no AFL matches scheduled on the Saturday afternoon of Round 2 to allow clear air for the AFLW Grand Final.
Now, the AFL schedules the AFLW GF for the Sunday?!🤦♂️
In order to give AFLW sole ownership of timeslot, the GF now needs to be either 10AM or 7:30PM Sunday
— Shane McInnes (@shanemcinnes) March 18, 2019
So as it stands we've got a very quiet Saturday afternoon in Round 2, with no AFL til late arvo.
AFLW GF on the Sunday. https://t.co/6ZhJCohzGd— Matt Thompson (@MattThompson) March 18, 2019
The league deliberately kept Saturday arvo of the men's round 2 clear for the AFLW Grand Final and then they just shove it to the Sunday instead? Cool. Great stuff, geniuses. https://t.co/4y0pOY2tMH
— Cam Tyeson (@camtyeson) March 18, 2019
Grand Final being played on the Sunday despite a distinct timeslot being carved out for it on the Saturday.
Left hand ain't talking to the right hand at HQ. https://t.co/guqfjeLKRT
— Andrew (@andrew_54) March 18, 2019
Sometimes, whenever I feel as though I'm too haphazard with organising my life, I look at how the AFL has bungled so much of their handling of #AFLW and feel better about myself.
— Joey Lynch (@joeylynchy) March 18, 2019
The whole AFLW fixturing needs rebuilding.The women deserve better than to be in the shadow of the AFL or playing a winter sport in the harshest possible summer weather.Unfair and ill thought.
— Glenn Hampson (@GlennHampson) March 18, 2019
AFL don't schedule any men's games next Saturday arvo so it's free for the AFLW grand Final….. AFLW scheduled GF for Sunday 🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️
Assumingly because they're guessing Crows will make it & host it & Port are playing at AO on Saturday at 4pm.
& I ain't going AO after a Port game 😂— Jess💖 (@jesswill_) March 18, 2019
I’m referring to the gap in the fixture on the Grand Final weekend, that the afl created by doubling up sat twighlight games. If the GF is Sunday, no footy Saturday afternoon.
Not a huge deal, just another example of HQ making it up as they go along.
— Daniel Kiley (@19thDan) March 18, 2019
with AAP