2017 AFL Women's season

Inaugural season of the AFL Women's (AFLW) competition

The 2017 AFL Women's season was the inaugural season of the AFL Women's (AFLW) competition, the highest-level senior women's Australian rules football competition in Australia. The season ran from 3 February to 25 March, comprising a seven-round home-and-away season followed by a grand final contested by the top two clubs. Eight Australian Football League (AFL) clubs featured in the inaugural season: ‹See Tfd›Adelaide, Brisbane, ‹See Tfd›Carlton, ‹See Tfd›Collingwood, ‹See Tfd›Fremantle, ‹See Tfd›Greater Western Sydney, ‹See Tfd›Melbourne and the ‹See Tfd›Western Bulldogs.

Adelaide won the inaugural premiership, defeating Brisbane by six points in the 2017 AFL Women's Grand Final. Brisbane won the minor premiership by finishing atop the home-and-away ladder with a 6–0–1 win–loss–draw record. Adelaide's Erin Phillips won the AFL Women's best and fairest award as the league's best and fairest player, and Carlton's Darcy Vescio won the AFL Women's leading goalkicker award as the league's leading goalkicker.

Home-and-away season

Map of the grounds used during the 2017 AFLW season

Players contest the first ball-up at the inaugural AFLW match.

The full fixture was released on Friday 9 December 2016.^[1][2] Notable features of the draw include:

• ‹See Tfd›Carlton and ‹See Tfd›Collingwood featured in the league's first ever match,^[3] the match was initially scheduled to be held at Collingwood's home Olympic Park Oval, but was moved in January 2017 to the higher capacity Ikon Park due to higher than expected interest.^[4]
• ‹See Tfd›Adelaide, Carlton, ‹See Tfd›Fremantle and the ‹See Tfd›Western Bulldogs each had four home games, while all other clubs had three.^[5]
• Adelaide, ‹See Tfd›Greater Western Sydney and Fremantle each hosted matches at grounds outside of their home metropolitan area with trips to Darwin, Canberra and Mandurah respectively. Fremantle played their home game against Carlton at Domain Stadium, the home ground of the men's team, as part of a double-header which also included an AFL pre-season match between the same two clubs.^[5][6]
• The Western Bulldogs featured in the most free-to-air televised matches (four), Collingwood and ‹See Tfd›Melbourne had three each, Adelaide had two and all other clubs had only one.^[1]
• Many games were played in the late morning and late afternoon to avoid the summer heat, especially in Brisbane and Western Australia.^[7]
• All starting times are local.

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

Ladder

Source: AFL.com.au
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) percentage; 3) number of points for.
(P) Premiers

Progression by round

• Numbers highlighted in green indicates the team finished the round inside the top 2.
• Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the team finished in first place on the ladder in that round.
• Numbers highlighted in red indicates the team finished in last place on the ladder in that round.

Grand final

In the absence of a finals series, the two teams who finished the highest on the ladder at the end of the home and away season played in the AFL Women's Grand Final.^[12] Brisbane finished as the minor premiers and secured a spot in the grand final at the end of round six; ‹See Tfd›Adelaide's round seven win over ‹See Tfd›Collingwood saw them secure the second spot in the grand final over ‹See Tfd›Melbourne due to a higher percentage.^[13] It was confirmed in February by AFL Chief Executive Officer, Gillon McLachlan, that the team finishing highest on the ladder at the end of the season would earn the right to host the grand final in their home state.^[14] The match was originally planned to be held at the Gabba, however due to its ground surface being in a dangerous state, the grand final was moved to Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast as a curtain raiser to the Gold Coast versus Brisbane Lions AFL match.^[15]

Win–loss table

Attendances

Coach changes

Club leadership

Honours

Bec Goddard coached Adelaide in 2017, winning the inaugural AFLW premiership.

Erin Phillips won the league's best and fairest award for the season

Darcy Vescio was the AFLW's leading goalkicker for 2017

Ebony Marinoff was named the inaugural AFL Women's Rising Star winner

Awards

• The league best and fairest was awarded to Erin Phillips of ‹See Tfd›Adelaide, who polled fourteen votes.^[33]
• The leading goalkicker was awarded to Darcy Vescio of ‹See Tfd›Carlton, who kicked fourteen goals during the home and away season.^[34]
• The Rising Star was awarded to Ebony Marinoff of Adelaide.^[35]
• The best on ground in the AFLW Grand Final was awarded to Erin Phillips of Adelaide.^[36]
• The goal of the year was awarded to Erin Phillips of Adelaide.^[37]
• The mark of the year was awarded to Darcy Vescio of Carlton.^[38]
• The minor premiership was awarded to Brisbane.^[34]
• The wooden spoon was "awarded" to ‹See Tfd›Greater Western Sydney.^[39]
• AFLW Players Association awards^[40]
  • The most valuable player was awarded to Erin Phillips of Adelaide.
  • The most courageous player was awarded to Chelsea Randall of Adelaide.
  • The best captain was awarded to Daisy Pearce of ‹See Tfd›Melbourne.

Best and fairest

AFLW leading goalkicker

• Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the player led the season's goal kicking tally at the end of that round.

All-Australian team

The final All-Australian team was announced on 28 March. Grand finalists ‹See Tfd›Adelaide and Brisbane had the most representatives with five each, and every team had at least one representative.^[49] ‹See Tfd›Melbourne captain Daisy Pearce was announced as the All-Australian captain and Adelaide co-captain Erin Phillips was announced as the vice-captain.^[50]

State of Origin

In mid-July the AFL announced a State of Origin representative match would be held for AFL Women's players during the AFL season pre-finals bye.^[51] A team of players born in Victoria would play a single exhibition match against a team of players from the rest of Australia at Etihad Stadium on the evening of Saturday 2 September. Initial squads for the match were announced on 25 July including that ‹See Tfd›Melbourne AFLW football operations manager Debbie Lee would coach Victoria, while ‹See Tfd›Adelaide premiership coach Bec Goddard, would coach the Allies.^[52]

Squads

Result

See also

• 2016 AFL Women's draft

References

1. "2017 NAB AFL Women's Fixture". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
2. "Fixture revealed: Traditional rivals to kick off AFL Women's". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. 9 December 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
3. Wright, Patrick (9 December 2016). "AFL women's competition: Fixture released, all games to be broadcast on TV". ABC.com.au. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
4. Navaratnam, Dinny (23 January 2017). "Pies-Blues AFLW opener moved to Ikon Park". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
5. "Club-by-club analysis of the AFLW fixture". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. 10 December 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
6. Talent, Justin (7 December 2016). "2017 AFL PRE-SEASON GAMES REVEALED". SEN. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
7. Paxinos, Stathi (9 December 2016). "AFL Women's fixture: Pies, Blues to fire up historic first season". The Age. Fairfax. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
8. Bolt, Ashley (3 February 2017). "AFLW late mail: It's a lockout at Ikon Park". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
9. Ramsey, Michael (5 February 2017). "AFLW: What to make of the first round". ESPN.com.au. ESPN. Retrieved 5 February 2017. It was reportedly the highest crowd ever for a women's sporting event in Australia outside of the Olympic or Commonwealth Games.
10. "Collingwood v Melbourne AFLW match moved to Ikon Park". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. 8 February 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
11. Warren, Adrian (18 February 2017). "Giants eye super sports club status". ESPN.com. Around 4000 people attended
12. "Your ultimate guide to the inaugural AFL Women's competition including predictions, full fixture". Fox Sports (Australia). News Corp Australia. 2 February 2017. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
13. "AFL Women's Grand Final 2017: Brisbane Lions to host Adelaide Crows in inaugural AFLW season decider". Fox Sports (Australia). News Corp Australia. 19 March 2017. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
14. Hamilton, Andrew (11 February 2017). "AFLW, AFL Womens Grand Final: Adelaide is vying for the right to host the inaugural AFL Womens Grand Final". Fox Sports (Australia). News Corp Australia. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
15. Marson, Stephen (20 March 2017). "League confirms AFLW Grand Final to be played at Metricon Stadium". Zerohanger.com. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
16. Whiting, Michael (22 June 2016). "Coup for Lions as inaugural women's coach named". Australian Football League. Telstra.
17. Sewell, Eliza (29 June 2016). "Carlton poaches Western Bulldogs coach Damien Keeping as women's teams take shape". Herald Sun.
18. Lane, Samantha (1 July 2016). "Coach coup: Melbourne's loss, Docker gain with pioneer Michelle Cowan crossing to Freo". The Age.
19. Halloran, Jessica (23 July 2016). "Tim Schmidt to coach GWS Giants' women's team after playing career with Sydney Swans". The Daily Telegraph.
20. "Collingwood appoints Wayne Siekman as head coach of women's team". Herald Sun. 26 July 2016.
21. Harrington, Anna (23 August 2016). "Western Bulldogs appoint Paul Groves as inaugural women's team coach and football manager". Fox Sports.
22. Corrigan, Tom (24 August 2016). "Canberra's Bec Goddard to coach Adelaide Crows in women's inaugural AFL". The Sydney Morning Herald.
23. Morris, Tom; Harrington, Anna (15 September 2016). "Melbourne appoints dual TAC Cup premiership coach Michael Stinear as its women's team coach". Fox Sports.
24. "Ex-Lions coach takes over Giants' AFLW job". Australian Football League. Telstra. 21 July 2017.
25. "Erin Phillips, Chelsea Randall named inaugural Adelaide Crows captains". The Advertiser. News Corp Australia. 14 January 2017. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
26. "Emma Zielke named as Brisbane Lions' inaugural AFLW Captain". Lions.com.au. Telstra Media. 5 January 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
27. Cavanagh, Chris (16 January 2017). "Lauren Arnell named Carlton's inaugural AFLW captain". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
28. Sewell, Eliza (25 January 2017). "Black and white the right look for Collingwood's first AFLW captain Steph Chiocci". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 25 January 2017.
29. Miller, Dale (11 January 2017). "Donnellan a natural choice as first Freo leader". The West Australian. Seven West Media. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
30. Buckley, James (14 January 2017). "Amanda Farrugia named inaugural captain of GWS for AFL women's competition". Brisbane Times. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
31. Wood, Lauren (14 January 2017). "Melbourne AFLW star Daisy Pearce named the Demons' inaugural captain". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
32. Navaratnam, Dinny (30 January 2017). "Marquee Bulldog Katie Brennan named captain". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
33. Wood, Lauren (29 March 2017). "Adelaide star Erin Phillips wins first AFLW Best-and-Fairest award". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
34. Lane, Samantha (23 March 2017). "AFLW's brightest stars make highest grade". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
35. Chalkley-Rhoden, Stephanie (29 March 2017). "AFLW: From deli assistant to Rising Star, Adelaide Crows' Ebony Marinoff looks to future on and off field". ABC Online. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
36. Olle, Sarah (25 March 2017). "Erin Phillips turned heads with a best on ground performance in Adelaide's six-point grand final win". Fox Sports (Australia). News Corp Australia. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
37. Rucci, Michelangelo (28 March 2017). "Crows' Erin Phillips wins AFLW best and fairest". The Advertiser. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
38. Wood, Lauren (28 March 2017). "Carlton star Darcy Vescio wins AFLW goalkicking award, named in All-Australian side". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
39. Helmers, Caden (18 March 2017). "Western Bulldogs masterclass gifts GWS Giants inaugural AFL Women's wooden spoon". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
40. Wood, Lauren (27 March 2017). "Erin Phillips named the first AFL Women's AFLPA MVP after stellar season with Adelaide". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
41. Rucci, Michelangelo (29 March 2017). "AFLW star Erin Phillips wins Crows club champion award to complete perfect season". The Advertiser. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
42. "Emily Bates takes out inaugural Brisbane Lions Best & Fairest". Lions.com.au. Telstra Media. 31 March 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
43. "Davey crowned AFLW B&F". Carlton Media. Telstra Media. 27 April 2017. Archived from the original on 2 October 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
44. "Draftee defender named top AFLW Magpie". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. 29 March 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
45. "Dana Hooker, who gave birth less than a year ago, named top Docker in first AFLW season". The West Australian. Seven West Media. 21 April 2017. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
46. Cowan, Geordie (3 April 2017). "Darebin Falcons star Jessica Dal Pos claims GWS best and fairest after impressive AFLW season". Preston Leader. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
47. Burgan, Matt (2 April 2017). "Pearce wins club best and fairest". MelbourneFC.com.au. Telstra Media. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
48. "Joint winners in historic AFLW count". WesternBulldogs.com.au. Telstra Media. 18 May 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
49. Navaratnam, Dinny (28 March 2017). "Finalists dominate AFLW All Australian team". afl.com.au. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
50. Harrington, Anna (28 March 2017). "Daisy Pearce named captain of the inaugural AFLW All-Australian team, with Erin Phillips vice-captain". Fox Sports (Australia). News Corp Australia. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
51. Laughton, Max (15 July 2017). "State of Origin to return to footy with stand-alone women's match pitting Victoria against rest of Australia". Fox Sports. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
52. "Big names locked in for AFLW state of origin". AFL Media. Telstra Media. 25 July 2017. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
53. Cavanagh, Chris (2 September 2017). "Big V hands Allies State of Origin lesson". Herald Sun. News Corp. Retrieved 25 September 2017.

External links

• Official AFL Women's website