AFLW 2021 - 5 reasons why you should jump on the bandwagon

By Nat Edwards

After nearly three months without footy, it’s time to dig out your scarves and guernseys, put down your cricket bat and dust off the Sherrin. Why you ask Well, season five of the AFLW season is about to kick off, and if you haven’t already jumped on the bandwagon, then you are missing out.

Here are five reasons why you should dip your toe into the world of women’s footy.

1. FOOTY WITHDRAWALS

As Aussie sports fans, most of us love our cricket, but there’s only so much BBL and test cricket you can consume, before you’re crying out for Steve Smith to lay a bump on Mohammed Siraj as he’s running down the wicket. It’s been nearly three months since Dustin Martin basically won yet another flag for the Tigers, and we’ve all had to put up with those (smug) Richmond supporters swanning around town, basking in their premiership glory. Luckily for us in Victoria, most of them have been kept quiet thanks to mask rules, and we’ve been able to keep physically distanced from them at all times. But it’s often around this time of year, footy fans start to get the itch. March seems such a desperately long time away, and the pre-season competition only satisfies our hunger briefly. If only there was something else to sink our teeth into? But wait, there is! AFLW. These girls are tough. They’re talented. And heading into season five, the competition has come a long, long way from its inaugural season so before you turn up your nose at it, why not give it a chance?

2. STAR POWER

Heard of Erin Phillips? If you haven’t, don’t worry, you’re about to be schooled. You may know of her dad, Greg Phillips, who captained the Magpies to the 1992 SANFL premiership and won eight flags across 343 games for Port Adelaide. After years of being asked if he was disappointed he didn’t have a son to carry on the family footy lineage, Greg has had the last laugh. Erin has been the most dominant name in the competition since it began in 2017. With two AFLW MVP medals, two flags and two best on ground performances in her two Grand Final victories for Adelaide, she alone is reason enough to jump on the W-train. Phillips only managed two games in 2020 after rupturing her ACL in the 2019 premiership win, but will be back in full flight as the Crows kick off their campaign. But don’t be fooled, Phillips isn’t the only drawcard, with Maddy Prespakis, Elise O’Dea, Monique Conti, and Sabreena Duffy just a few of the names that are set to wow you at some stage this season.

3. LIVE. IN VICTORIA.

Come again? Yes. That’s right, LIVE top-flight footy in Victoria. No longer will you have to fist pump, rant and rave from the couch. Your neighbours will be much happier if you can resume your normal practice of doing this at a ground. Victorians have been starved of live sport for too long, and what could be better than watching your first game of footy in the flesh since March 2020?! Arch enemies Carlton and Collingwood kick off the 2021 season on January 28 at Ikon Park. If it wasn’t for COVID-19, there is no doubt it would be a sell-out crowd, like the one we saw five years ago, when these two arch-rivals faced off in the first ever AFLW game. The Blues are certainly premiership contenders in 2021, while the Pies should be there abouts come the business end of the season. If that’s not enough to entice you, check out the fixture here (https://womens.afl/matches/2021) to find something that floats your boat. $10 entry is a small price to pay to break that footy drought, so dig out your scarf, grab your footy and get down to a game. Oh, and if you can’t find your Sherrin you could always treat yourself to a shiny, new bronzed footy from the AFLW Super Soft team range.

4. REVAMPED FORMAT

If you weren’t a fan of the conference system that’s been in place for the past two AFLW seasons, then it’s good news for you. Just one, single ladder will be used for the nine-round 2021 season giving the competition much more equity. Add to that, a three-week finals series and this season is set to be the best yet. With no premier crowned in 2020 thanks to the pandemic, teams are hungrier than ever. Freo was undefeated last year and has unfinished business, as do Daniel Harford’s Carlton side. But with a full-strength Crows side looking ominous too, could they clinch a third flag in 5 years? One thing for sure is the competition is set to go to another level in 2021, and you won’t want to miss a minute.

5. JUST DO IT ALREADY!!!

AFLW is still not everybody’s cup of tea. For whatever reason the competition and the athletes who just love to go out and compete each week cop a fair bit of criticism. Love it or not, surely we can all agree that these women deserve our respect and kudos. Most of them have full-time jobs to earn a living, some have families and children to take care of as well, and somehow on top of all of that they find the time to train at an elite level and play the sport they love. For five years now the league has improved steadily to the point where we are now seeing women in the competition who have had a genuine football pathway since they were little tackers. In fact, there is now a new generation of kiddies starting primary school this year who have never known a time when the AFLW didn’t exist. When asked who their favourite footy player is, it’s becoming more and more common for boys and girls to answer, “Patrick Cripps and Darcy Vescio”. Now how can you not support that?