THIS IS OUR TIME
CATS’ NEW AFLW BID
GEELONG’S revamped bid for a team in the AFLW competition highlights what the club has done and is doing for women’s footy, not grand promises about what it will do.
The Cats yesterday submitted a compelling interactive submission for a 2019 licence — the club’s third official application to the AFL in the past year.
AFL clubs had until 4.30pm yesterday to lodge their bids for the right to field a team in 2019, to be judged by the league’s six-person assessment committee.
A minimum of two new sides will gain entry, but the final number will be determined by the strength of the applications, with a final decision expected to be made as early as the end of next month.
Geelong officials met AFL representatives Simon Lethlean and Josh Vanderloo this week.
Told by the AFL last year that a limited talent pool in the Geelong region was a major factor in being denied an initial licence, the Cats’ new pitch details the significant growth in female football in the region in the past 12 months.
Last year the Barwon region had 257 female Auskick participants, eight under-12 girls teams, no under-15 sides, 11 under-19 teams and one senior women’s football team.
This year, there are 364 Auskickers, 17 under-12 teams, 13 under-15 sides, 13 under-19 teams, three senior sides and a Geelong Falcons girls outfit, after a strong alignment with AFL Barwon.
“We’ve gone away and focused on growing participation and this year it’s been an outstanding success, working with the Geelong Falcons girls and the VFLW,” AFL Barwon region manager Lee Hartman said, adding the region could have up to 12 senior women’s football sides in a new local league next year.
Geelong’s bid spruiks the club’s amenities — currently no other AFLW club can offer an AFL ground to play on — as well as the initiative the club took by running its own women’s side in the VFLW this year.
Geelong believes it runs its VFLW program better than some clubs run their AFLW programs.
The Cats’ interactive bid shows a typical week in the life of the club’s players, staff and coaches.
Cats VFLW coach Paul Hood said the improvement in player development in just the first six months had been significant.
“It’s run in more detail than an AFLW program because it goes for twice as long,” Hood said. “From that point of view, we run it like the VFL men’s program (has) always been run.
“As we talk, there’s 20 girls in the gym right now at Simonds Stadium using the facilities, and they’re training on Tuesday and Friday, then playing, they’re brilliant.
“The girls have got full access to the place and everyone’s buzzing and it’s great to have them around. It’s a really vibrant place to be around, so we’re lucky.”
The submission also highlights the club’s ability to attract and develop new talent from rival sports, another key AFL benchmark.
Of its 40 VFLW players, about a quarter have come from non-football backgrounds including netball, basketball, tennis, gymnastics, ultimate frisbee and umpiring.
Port Adelaide and Sydney are the only two clubs that have not applied to join the 2019 competition.
Priority weighting is said to be afforded to provisional licence holders St Kilda, Geelong, North Melbourne, Richmond and West Coast.
Geelong previously applied for a licence last year when the initial bidding process opened, then resubmitted with St Kilda about two months ago when the AFL floated the idea of expansion next year.
“It’s been huge for the town,” Hood said. “Our players have gone out to some of the clubs and we know the hype is huge, so to give a local pathway (to the AFLW) for all those girls would be massive.
“We’re not in it to gain, we’re in it to provide a service.”