AFLW players slam ‘ridiculous’ league requests

AFLW players have slammed the league over its “ridiculous” demands for clubs to adjust their tactics in the hope of producing higher-scoring games.

AFL football boss Steve Hocking has written to coaches asking them to make immediate changes after a lowscoring start to the women’s season.

A memo to coaches yester- day identified congestion around stoppages and defensive flooding as two key issues they should address.

Teams will be required to set up for centre bounces with five defenders, six midfielders and five forwards, preventing them putting extra bodies around the ball as commonly happens in the men’s competition.

A protected area will be introduced for other stoppages while forwards will be asked to hold their place rather than being drawn into congestion.

Brisbane forward Jessica Wuetschner yesterday labelled the modifications “ridiculous”.

“This is my view only but are they bloody serious?” Wuetschner posted on Twitter.

“We are out here to win, whatever it takes.

“If you ask me, I saw some pretty exciting stuff on the weekend and I think this is ridiculous. How many rule changes do you want? Is it even AFL anymore?”

AFL chief Gillon McLachlan on Tuesday said he was comfortable with the standard of play but wanted to see coaches take a more attacking mindset.

Friday night’s primetime season-opener between Carlton and Collingwood at a nearcapacity Princes Park proved particularly miserly.

No goals were scored in the entire second half as the Blues, who kept numbers back throughout the match, prevailed 3.4 (22) to 2.2 (14).

Melbourne and Greater Western Sydney shared in the highest-scoring and most entertaining match of the round with the Demons claiming a 7.3 (45) to 6.3 (39) victory.

Carlton skipper Brianna Davey insisted the Blues weren’t instructed to flood their defensive 50, instead suggesting nerves influenced the scoreline. But while players were conscious of the need for entertainment, Davey said winning games had to remain the priority.

“As players and as teams, we probably don’t really care what it looks like as long as we’re getting that win,” she said.

“We understand from a spectacle point of view, we want people to enjoy watching the game.

“We’ll continue to do that but at the same time ... we’re here to win games.”