League aiming to repeat AFLW history

THE 2018 AFL Women’s season will kick off with another Friday night encounter between Carlton and Collingwood at Princes Park.

The league announced the draw for the second AFLW season yesterday, which will again feature seven home-andaway rounds with a grand final between the top two teams.

Fans were locked out of Princes Park when the two famous clubs played the inaugural AFLW match in February this year in front of an estimat- ed 24,500 supporters. “This year worked really well, we started really strongly and we were able to maintain that momentum throughout the season,” AFL fixturing chief Travis Auld said.

“If we can start the season with Carlton-Collingwood and a crowd similar to last time then it will be a great spectacle.”

Inaugural premier Adelaide will unfurl its flag at Norwood Oval on February 3 in a grand final rematch against Brisbane.

Melbourne will host Greater Western Sydney at Casey Fields and the Western Bulldogs will play Fremantle at Whitten Oval to complete the opening round.

The Dockers will host the Magpies in Round 2 in the first sporting event held at Perth’s new $1.6 billion stadium.

However fans will be charged admission, while entry to every other match will remain free.

As was the case this year, the AFLW grand final will be played on Saturday afternoon in Round 1 of the men’s season with a timeslot left vacant.

There had been a push to expand the finals to include two preliminaries but Auld said the league was mindful of the Australian Open tennis in Melbourne in January and the start of the men’s season.

“We had quite a healthy debate around when we start the season and, by default, when we finish it,” Auld said.

“There is some attraction to having a two-week finals series ... but if we pushed our grand final back a week it would be in Easter.” North Melbourne and Geelong will join the league in 2019 and Gold Coast, West Coast, Richmond and St Kilda will follow in 2020.

ROUND 1 AFLW FIXTURE Friday, February 2, 7.40pm Carl v Coll, Princes Park Saturday, February 3, 5.05pm Melbourne v GWS, Casey Fields Saturday, February 3, 6.45pm Adel v Brisbane, Norwood Oval Sunday, February 4, 4.35pm WB v Fremantle, Whitten Oval