This year’s AFLW grand final will be held under lights in a primetime 7.45pm spot for the first time in the league’s history.
The AFL announced the timeslot for the November 30 grand final on Wednesday morning, with AFLW general manager Emma Moore and executive general manager Laura Kane describing it as an “exciting time” for the women’s game.
From left: AFLW general manager Emma Moore, AFLW great Erin Phillips and Laura Kane, the league’s executive general manager of football.Credit: AFL Photos
“This will enable more people to watch the biggest game on the AFLW calendar, exposing more people to our great game and an unforgettable atmosphere to close the season,” Moore said.
Kane said she had watched every game of the season and described it as an incredible year.
“We were up in every metric, crowd, broadcast numbers and games, and I think the growth that we all want to see and work so hard to see in W has been on display this year with some of the best football and some of the best emerging talent.”
Kane said growth was “our No.1 priority” and said players were excited to play at night.
Pre-match entertainment will be announced in coming weeks, with the venue to be confirmed after the preliminary finals. According to AFLW rules, the highest-ranked qualifier hosts the grand final.
Last week, two of the league’s stars said it didn’t matter to them if the grand final was held during the day or at night – as long as their teams made it.
“Hopefully, we get there, they’ll tell me where, and I’ll turn up,” Hawthorn forward Aine McDonagh said after the Hawks’ win over Richmond last Sunday.
Last year’s decider between the Kangaroos and the Lions was held at Ikon Park on a Sunday at 2.30pm – the latest start in the league’s history.
Hawks forward Aine McDonagh.Credit: AFL Photos
The AFL has previously explored the potential of a twilight or night grand final for the men’s competition, hosting the grand final under lights during the COVID-19 interrupted campaigns of 2020 and 2021.
Moore and Kane confirmed they had received and listened to feedback on this year’s controversial condensed fixture, and said changes would be implemented in 2025.
The AFLW fixture was condensed to fit its new 11-game home-and-away season into the same 10-week stretch, sparking concerns for heightened risks of injury. The fixture is expected to grow to 12 weeks next year.
“We had a lot of feedback from a lot of people, we listened to it, and there are things that will change next year as a result of that feedback,” Kane said.
“But we had some positivity … There were some players who said they preferred playing instead of training, but overall, we heard the feedback as a collective.”
The first qualifying final will be North Melbourne v Adelaide at IKON Park on Friday night, with Fremantle hosting Essendon on Saturday night in an elimination final, and the Hawthorn-Brisbane Lions qualifying final and Port Adelaide-Richmond elimination final on Sunday.
