AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan regrets not sending Fremantle Dockers, North Melbourne into AFLW grand final

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan has admitted he regrets robbing Fremantle of the chance to compete in their maiden AFLW grand final following the abrupt cancellation of the season last year. Following a crowdless round six, the league decided to move immediately into a three-week finals series, expanding from six to eight teams, as the COVID-19 pandemic reached Australian shores. Fremantle were one of four teams, alongside North Melbourne, Melbourne, and Carlton, who remained in the premiership race following their 76-point semi-final victory against Gold Coast Suns. But the AFLW was abandoned within days and Fremantle’s undefeated season went unrewarded. With hindsight, McLachlan said one of his biggest regrets of an unprecedented 2020 season was not holding a grand final between conference leaders North Melbourne and Fremantle. MORE AFLW NEWS “The women were very invested, and they were keen to play a finals series,” McLachlan told Ashley Brown in soon-to-be-released book AFL 2020: A Season Like No Other. “We had a lot of other stuff going on at the time, but we should have, in retrospect, said we’re going straight to a Grand Final, despite all the noise that would have created.” The AFLW has declared crowning a 2021 premier a must despite the ongoing challenges of the pandemic. “Every time that we have been in front of the AFL Commission, they have been more than supportive about AFLW 2021,” AFLW boss Nicole Livingstone said. “Their commitment to ensuring that not only we see the season completed but that also we have a premier crowned this year is 100 per cent – more than 100 per cent, if that’s possible.” It comes as Perth AFLW fans snapped up thousands of tickets to round one of the season when Fremantle and West Coast tickets went on sale today. Entry to AFLW games has been free for the first four seasons, except for select games such as the inaugural Western Derby where tickets were needed to cover operational costs. But all games will be ticketed at $10 for the first time this season in a show of support for the growth of women’s sport. Nearly a quarter of the 8000 tickets available for Fremantle’s season-opener against GWS Giants on Saturday at Fremantle Oval were snapped up on day one while 700 of the 3000 tickets for West Coast’s clash with Adelaide on Saturday at Mineral Resources Park have sold. Richmond’s home game against the Brisbane Lions sold out in just over an hour, with only 1300 tickets available at Punt Road due to capacity restrictions. All tickets must be pre-purchased online and can’t be bought at the ground on game day. The AFLW launched their season today and named WA women’s football legend Charmaine Rogers as one of seven Community Cup Ambassadors. Described as the heart and soul of the Claremont Women’s Football Club, Rogers has contributed to the game as a player, coach, secretary, Club President, Club Board member, WAWFL President, WAWFL Board member and competition coordinator. Rogers will receive a $1,000 grant from the Women’s Football Fund to donate to the club of their choice and the opportunity to be involved in the 2021 NAB AFLW Finals Series.

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan regrets not sending Fremantle Dockers, North Melbourne into AFLW grand final

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