Switch AFLW competition to the winter months

Australian Football is traditionally a winter sport.

It is not meant to be played under a blazing summer sun between January and March other than for a few practice games.

AFLW games should be played as curtain-raisers to the men's competition.

The AFL has eschewed this concept from the start, wanting to give the women "clear air" for fear of AFLW being denied mass exposure in competing with the men's games.

But with all AFL clubs having a women's team next year, it would be the perfect opportunity to make the switch.

Football supporters would be far more likely to engage if they knew they could watch their men's and women's teams compete at different times at the same venue, as well as produce better quality games to show on television.

Last weekend's games in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth were played in sweltering conditions, hardly ideal for good quality football.

Games being played on hard grounds has been presented as a major reason why there appears to be too many season-ending torn ACL injuries.

At least seven AFLW players have suffered season-ending knee injuries in the opening six rounds, with Bulldogs teenager Aurora Smith yet to be assessed after hurting her right knee on debut in their upset win over the Crows last Sunday.

Another two players tore their ACL during the pre-season.

Various other reasons, including a woman's physiology, have been floated, and it remains a mystery why it has happened so often.

COVID-19 has played havoc with the fixture this season, with games being moved and postponed, while players returning after having the virus often have faced a lingering physical struggle.

By forming a national women's competition, the AFL has achieved one major aim - the numbers of females playing and being interested in Australian Football have exploded at grassroots levels.

But with four new teams coming into the AFLW in 2023, the talent pool will be further diluted, making it difficult to lift the standard quickly.

In a 14-team competition, the handful of stars in each side already stand out, with the disparity between the most talented handful of players and the rest remaining much too large.

On a national stage, women's competitions such as netball and cricket are far superior and so they should be - females have competed in those sports for much longer than they have in Australian Football.

After watching several AFLW games this year, clearly the basic skills of kicking, marking and handball have improved, but there is a way to go.

It is rare to see a player have the confidence and skill to run and bounce the ball, while the most common criticism from day one is that not enough goals are kicked during the course of the game.

Being part-time footballers makes it tougher for them to improve their skills and fitness required to compete at an elite level.

In an ideal world, the women's pay rates would be far closer to the men and they would be full-time footballers, but it is hard to justify at this stage.

The AFL season is much longer and attracts bigger crowds and television audiences - with additional revenue and sponsorship as a result - than the AFLW.

The finals series starting next month should produce several classic contests and engender more interest in the AFLW.

Peter V'landys loves nothing better than raising the hackles of Victorians - and he has achieved his aim, with the recent announcement of a new race at Randwick straight after the Melbourne Cup.

V'landys says the Sydney event will complement the Flemington race that stops a nation, but clearly, the objective is to take some of the focus away from the Cup.

The NSW racing chief executive's grand plan has sent those south of the Murray River into a tailspin, with Victorians viewing this as further encroachment from NSW to try to cash in on their beloved and lucrative spring carnival.

The Big Dance will give the winners of 25 NSW Country Cup races the opportunity to chase total prizemoney of $2 million, far in excess of any other race at Flemington on the first Tuesday in November other than the Cup.

As much as Victorians hate to admit it, V'landys' entrepreneurial vision has benefited the national racing landscape and encouraged a younger demographic to become involved in the sport of kings, particularly in NSW.

For the past three years, Australia's richest race, The Everest, has been run at Randwick an hour before the prestigious Caulfield Cup and betting turnover nationally has increased on that day.

The Melbourne Cup has more than 160 years of history and tradition going for it, but the great race can always be improved.

V'landys is considered the best sporting administrator in the country.

His dual role as head of NSW racing and chairman of the Australian Rugby League Commission gives him enormous power.

He is not afraid to exercise this clout to keep rival sports and adversaries on their toes.

And, they should be prepared for many more battles because V'landys is not one to rest on his laurels.

With him around, it is never boring.

Has Howard Kotton got it right?

Email: howardkotton11@gmail.com; Twitter: @hpkotton59