Footballers could soon have championship and AFLW dilemma
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Leading ladies Gaelic footballers could be forced to decide between playing for their counties or AFLW next year as the Australian sport considers an early start.
There is a growing prospect that the two seasons will overlap in 2025 as the AFL considers an earlier start to its female competition, which will expand from 10 rounds to 12 next season.
This year’s AFLW season commenced on August 30, 26 days after the senior, intermediate and junior All-Ireland finals took place in Croke Park.
A number of the record 34 Irish players lining out in the AFLW this season, including Dublin pair Jennifer Dunne (Brisbane) and Sinead Goldrick (Melbourne), Armagh’s Blaithin Mackin (Melbourne) and Lauren McConville (Gold Coast Suns), played in the All-Ireland championship prior to heading Down Under.
However, they may now be unable to do both as the AFL look to bring forward the first round to earlier in the summer. AFL executive general manager of football Laura Kane said: “The other question is when do we start, and I think there are a couple of important decisions that we have to make – one being when do you play the AFLW grand final?
“A focus for us over the last year has been building rituals into the fixture and making sure that our fans know when their team will be playing. So yes, (an earlier start) is something that we’re definitely considering.”
This year, AFLW players received an increase in the average income from €27,940 to €36,440. That will jump to €49,800 in 2027. More 12-month contracts are expected to be issued to Irish players, the number of whom almost trebled in the AFLW this season from 2023.
The final round of AFLW games takes place this weekend with the top eight qualifying for the knock-out stages ahead of the Grand Final on November 30. Six are already through – North Melbourne, Hawthorn, Brisbane, Adelaide, Fremantle and Richmond.
Yet to lose a game, North Melbourne, who include Cork’s Erika O’Shea and Fermanagh’s Blaithín Bogue, and Hawthorn, featuring Aileen Gilroy (Mayo) and Áine McDonagh (Galway), head up the table.
Geelong Cats’ and Tipperary’s Aishling Moloney has already broken the record the highest number of goals in one season with 21. Last Saturday, she scored six and 19 of them have come in the last seven games.
Moloney’s club can qualify for the last-eight but must beat Adelaide Crows this weekend and hope results in two other games go their way.