The 10-point plan to make AFLW bigger and better in 2025

AFLW is yet to find its groove in the sports calendar.

The league admits it is exploring all avenues for what the 2025 AFLW fixture looks like as it prepares to jump to 12 home and away matches.

Here are 10 ideas the AFL should consider when sitting down to map out the future of the competition.

1. Start the season in June

Have a complete weekend off for the men’s competition after Round 12 and give AFLW its own opening round weekend, with more clear air. Using 2024 as an example, AFLW would start on the weekend of June 6-9. Go big with games across four days Thursday-Sunday and showcase local derbies and marquee matches from the previous year’s finals. AFLW Round 2 would then run the same weekend as men’s Round 13, before the next 10 W home and away rounds run adjacent to AFL rounds 14-23. After the 12 weeks of AFLW, have a pre-finals bye to give the final round of the men’s competition (Round 24) a standalone weekend. Running the two seasons simultaneously also marries AFLW up with state leagues, allowing for players overlooked at selection the chance to impress in-season.

2. Make the most of men’s finals holes

Run the first week of AFLW finals on the weekend of the AFL pre-finals bye. Four high-quality games on their own weekend. The recent introduction of men’s finals starting on a Thursday has been a great decision, but the downside is how absent that Sunday feels. Repeat by playing AFLW preliminary finals on the Sunday of AFL semi-final weekend when the men’s games are held Friday and Saturday.

3. Night grand final

Stump up the cash for a massive music act and make the AFLW grand final a night-time spectacular. On AFL preliminary final weekend, play the AFLW decider on the Sunday night. This year it would’ve been Sunday, September 22. A 7.40pm AEST start in primetime would drag in more eyeballs and allow men’s state league competitions to have their moment in the sun in the afternoon earlier in the day. And the best part of holding the AFLW grand final in September? You’ll have access to any ground in the country, unlike November when cricket rules the roost.

4. Gather Round in July

Cash-in on the July school holidays and stage an inaugural AFLW Gather Round in south-east Queensland. Under this proposal, it would fall in Round 6 or 7. Tie it in with two high-drawing AFL games involving Brisbane and Gold Coast on the same weekend. Just picture two Victorian powerhouses (hello Collingwood, Carlton or Richmond) playing against the Lions and Suns that weekend. Families hitting Gold Coast and Brisbane in their droves get to watch two AFL and nine AFLW matches. Do a deal with the theme parks for tickets, give families free public transport with admission. A footy takeover for a weekend in Queensland. Hold AFLW games at a mix of venues including Brighton Homes Arena (Springfield), People First Stadium (Carrara), Fankhauser Reserve (Southport) and the Gabba. The average maximum in Gold Coast is 21c in July. Melbourne is 14c.

5. Double-headers with AFL games

It’s a no-brainer but playing AFL and AFLW seasons simultaneously allows for more double-ups on match-days. AFLW matches have been played before men’s matches before. But how about after? Just picture 45,000 people at Marvel Stadium for a Carlton-St Kilda AFL clash in say Round 18. Half an hour after the final siren, an AFLW match between the two clubs starts. Why sit in the traffic jam around Docklands for an hour or cram into a train when you can stay and watch another game? Keep the bars and food canteens open and allow people to stay and watch two more hours of live sport. The biggest AFLW crowd to date this season has been 6102 (Lions v Crows) and it would be easily eclipsed under this format.

6. Thursday night blockbusters

In 2024 the men’s season had 15 weeks of Thursday night matches. That will increase in 2025. It could be 18 weeks, it could be 20. When men’s Thursday stop, roll out AFLW Thursdays. People are in rhythm of watching Thursday night football so give them what they want. For weekends when there’s no men’s Thursday night matches, stage two AFLW games, back-to-back. Have a match starting on the east coast at 7pm local time (AEST) and when it finishes at 9pm, roll out a game in Perth. Have the Dockers and Eagles hosting a game each week on rotation starting at 7pm local. Two matches, four hours, wrapped up by 11pm AEST.

7. Wednesday night footy

For weeks when there’s two Thursday matches and a Friday night match, stage Wednesday night games. If you include the Friday match, it gives fixture flexibility with six teams to pick from each week to stage on a Wednesday night that would see teams playing off a five or six-day break. While the AFL and AFLW season would run simultaneously, having as many standalone games will be important.

8. Friday early match

Each week there must be a game that starts at 5.10pm AEST. Given AFLW is played in a two-hour window, it’ll be wrapped up by 7.10pm, giving a 30-minute break before the men’s Friday night match begins at 7.40pm. Could also be heavily weighted to be a double header with the AFL match. As Australia heads out for Friday night post-work functions, AFLW will be on the screens of every pub in Australia. Perfect.

9. Early Saturday and Sunday matches

A game starting at 11.45am on a Saturday and 11am on a Sunday would provide two games their own slot each week before the AFL matches. Yes, it’s early, but Test cricket starts at 10.30am each day. Standalone matches are the key.

10. Free to air Saturdays

Under the new broadcast agreement starting in 2025, the Seven Network will broadcast matches on Thursday, Friday and Sundays. Should the AFLW season start in July, make it a staple on the Seven Network on Saturday nights.