Hawks’ ire at AFLW over snub

HAWTHORN says it has been excluded from the AFLW competition as punishment for not wanting to be part of the original eight-team league.

The Hawks and Essendon are desperate to be part of the rapidly rising women’s competition but are yet to be given any assurances by league headquarters about further expansion in 2023. Port Adelaide and Sydney also do not have an AFLW team.

Kennett said the Hawks’ continued pleas to be given an AFLW licence had fallen on deaf ears.

This was despite its solid balance sheet, a VFLW flag and plans to move into its world-class men’s and women’s Dingley facility in 2022.

The Hawks’ president said the long wait to be allowed into the AFLW would continue to hurt the club. “We are very disappointed we are not in the AFL, not only for our female [VFLW] players, but also our female membership,” Kennett said.

“I consider it to be gross discrimination against the four clubs that are not part of it.

“It puts us at a huge disadvantage in terms of our membership and sponsorship and our ability to participate fully in what is the AFL.

“We can afford an AFLW team, but what the AFL keeps coming back to me and saying is the former administration indicated they didn’t want to participate.

“I have said to them ever since I have been president the second time around that we do [want in].”

Hawthorn will again raise the issue with league bosses when they next meet over the next two months.

Any further AFLW expansion is unlikely until the next broadcast rights deal expires at the end of 2022.