2018 AFL Women's season

2018 AFL Women's season
Overview
Date2 February—24 March 2018
Teams8
PremiersWestern Bulldogs
1st premiership
Runners-upBrisbane
2nd runners-up result
Minor premiersWestern Bulldogs
1st minor premiership
Best and fairestEmma Kearney (Western Bulldogs)
14 votes
Leading goalkickerBrooke Lochland (Western Bulldogs)
12 goals
Attendance
Matches played29
Total attendance174,012 (6,000 per match)
Highest41,975 (round 2, Fremantle v Collingwood)
← 2017
2019 →

The 2018 AFL Women's season was the second season of the AFL Women's (AFLW) competition, the highest-level senior women's Australian rules football competition in Australia. The season featured eight clubs and ran from 2 February to 24 March, comprising a seven-round home-and-away season followed by a grand final contested by the top two clubs.

The Western Bulldogs won the premiership, defeating Brisbane by six points in the 2018 AFL Women's Grand Final. The Bulldogs also won the minor premiership by finishing atop the home-and-away ladder with a 5–2 win–loss record. The Bulldogs' Emma Kearney won the AFL Women's best and fairest award as the league's best and fairest player, and teammate Brooke Lochland won the AFL Women's leading goalkicker award as the league's leading goalkicker.

Rule changes

Three rules were changed heading into the 2018 season:[1][2]

  • A free kick is paid against a player who last touches the ball before it goes out of bounds under the following conditions,
  • A free kick will be awarded against a player who kicks or handballs the football over the boundary line without the football being touched by another player;
  • Except where a player who does not have possession stops the football being touched by an opposition player by shepherding the football across the boundary line where the football could have otherwise been touched.
  • If in doubt the umpires are instructed to throw the ball in.
  • The interchange has been reduced to five players from six players in 2017.
  • Time-on will occur during the last two minutes of each quarter.

Home-and-away season

Map of the grounds used during the 2018 AFLW season

The full fixture was released on Friday 27 October 2017.[3] Notable features of the draw include:

  • Unlike the previous season, there were no double-headers with men's preseason matches.[4]
  • Adelaide, Fremantle, Greater Western Sydney and Melbourne each played four home games, while the other four clubs played three.
  • Adelaide, Collingwood, GWS, and Melbourne each hosted matches at grounds outside of their home metropolitan area with trips to Darwin, Moe, Canberra and Alice Springs respectively.
  • Carlton and Collingwood featured in the most free-to-air televised matches (three), Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs had two each, while GWS and Fremantle had one each.
  • Many games were scheduled for the late afternoon to avoid the summer heat, especially in Brisbane and Western Australia.[5]
  • All starting times are local.

Round 1

Round 1
Friday, 2 February (7:40 pm) Carlton 3.4 (22) def. Collingwood 2.2 (14) Ikon Park (crowd: 19,852) Report
Saturday, 3 February (5:05 pm) Melbourne 7.3 (45) def. Greater Western Sydney 6.3 (39) Casey Fields (crowd: 5,100) Report
Saturday, 3 February (6:45 pm) Adelaide 3.1 (19) def. by Brisbane 4.7 (31) Norwood Oval (crowd: 11,120) Report
Sunday, 4 February (4:35 pm) Western Bulldogs 7.7 (49) def. Fremantle 3.5 (23) VU Whitten Oval (crowd: 8,500) Report

Round 2

Round 2
Friday, 9 February (7:05 pm) Greater Western Sydney 1.3 (9) def. by Carlton 3.12 (30) Drummoyne Oval (crowd: 4,952) Report
Saturday, 10 February (5:05 pm) Melbourne 8.8 (56) def. Adelaide 4.0 (24) Casey Fields (crowd: 3,800) Report
Saturday, 10 February (4:10 pm) Fremantle 6.4 (40) def. Collingwood 4.3 (27) Optus Stadium (crowd: 41,975) Report
Sunday, 11 February (3:35 pm) Brisbane 3.6 (24) def. by Western Bulldogs 5.3 (33) South Pine Sports Complex (crowd: 5,300) Report
  • The Fremantle vs Collingwood match was the first football event played at the newly-constructed Perth Stadium.[6] It was also the only ticketed match of the season and all 54,000 available tickets were sold in advance of the match.[7]

Round 3

Round 3
Saturday, 17 February (1:35 pm) Adelaide 6.5 (41) def. Western Bulldogs 5.4 (34) Norwood Oval (crowd: 4,900) Report
Saturday, 17 February (7:40 pm) Carlton 2.6 (18) def. by Brisbane 6.4 (40) Ikon Park (crowd: 6,200) Report
Sunday, 18 February (4:35 pm) Collingwood 5.5 (35) def. by Greater Western Sydney 7.6 (48) Olympic Park Oval (crowd: 3,600) Report
Sunday, 18 February (3:35 pm) Fremantle 6.0 (36) def. Melbourne 4.7 (31) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 3,125) Report

Round 4

Round 4
Friday, 23 February (7:05 pm) Western Bulldogs 12.14 (86) def. Carlton 2.1 (13) VU Whitten Oval (crowd: 8,987) Report
Saturday, 24 February (3:35 pm) Brisbane 3.4 (22) def. Fremantle 2.3 (15) South Pine Sports Complex (crowd: 1,500) Report
Saturday, 24 February (5:40 pm) Melbourne 3.6 (24) def. by Collingwood 9.4 (58) TIO Traeger Park (crowd: 2,000) Report
Sunday, 25 February (4:35 pm) Greater Western Sydney 2.7 (19) drew with Adelaide 2.7 (19) Blacktown International Sportspark (crowd: 2,409) Report
  • The Western Bulldogs' score of 12.14 (86) was, at the time, the highest score in a AFL Women's premiership match.[8]
  • Brooke Lochland's seven goals in the match against Carlton is the most of any AFL Women's player in a single match to date.[8]
  • Lauren Arnell kicked Carlton's entire score of 2.1 (13)[8]

Round 5

Round 5
Friday, 2 March (7:05 pm) Melbourne 4.10 (34) def. Brisbane 4.4 (28) Casey Fields (crowd: 2,100) Report
Saturday, 3 March (2:05 pm) Fremantle 3.3 (21) def. by Greater Western Sydney 6.3 (39) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 2,571) Report
Saturday, 3 March (6:40 pm) Adelaide 8.7 (55) def. Carlton 2.8 (20) Norwood Oval (crowd: 5,970) Report
Sunday, 4 March (2:35 pm) Collingwood 6.5 (41) def. by Western Bulldogs 7.7 (49) Ted Summerton Reserve (crowd: 2,700) Report

Round 6

Round 6
Friday, 9 March (5:35 pm) Adelaide 6.4 (40) def. Fremantle 5.6 (36) TIO Stadium (crowd: 2,159) Report
Saturday, 10 March (3:35 pm) Brisbane 5.9 (39) def. by Collingwood 8.5 (53) Moreton Bay Central Sports Complex (crowd: 2,600) Report
Saturday, 10 March (7:10 pm) Greater Western Sydney 7.4 (46) def. Western Bulldogs 4.4 (28) UNSW Canberra Oval (crowd: 4,146) Report
Sunday, 11 March (4:35 pm) Carlton 3.4 (22) def. by Melbourne 8.9 (57) Ikon Park (crowd: 6,300) Report

Round 7

Round 7
Friday, 16 March (7:05 pm) Greater Western Sydney 3.6 (24) def. by Brisbane 10.4 (64) Blacktown International Sportspark (crowd: 2,253) Report
Saturday, 17 March (2:05 pm) Fremantle 9.5 (59) def. Carlton 6.12 (48) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 2,751) Report
Saturday, 17 March (7:10 pm) Western Bulldogs 5.3 (33) def. Melbourne 4.7 (31) VU Whitten Oval (crowd: 7,593) Report
Sunday, 18 March (2:35 pm) Collingwood 8.5 (53) def. Adelaide 4.8 (32) Olympic Park Oval (crowd: 2,300) Report

Ladder

Pos Team Pld W L D PF PA PP Pts Qualification
1 Western Bulldogs (P) 7 5 2 0 312 219 142.5 20 Grand Final
2 Brisbane 7 4 3 0 248 196 126.5 16
3 Melbourne 7 4 3 0 278 240 115.8 16
4 Greater Western Sydney 7 3 3 1 224 242 92.6 14
5 Adelaide 7 3 3 1 230 249 92.4 14
6 Collingwood 7 3 4 0 281 254 110.6 12
7 Fremantle 7 3 4 0 230 256 89.8 12
8 Carlton 7 2 5 0 173 320 54.1 8
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.
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
 
1 Western Bulldogs 4 8 8 12 16 16 20
2 Brisbane 4 4 8 12 12 12 16
3 Melbourne 4 8 8 8 12 16 16
4 Greater Western Sydney 0 0 4 6 10 14 14
5 Adelaide 0 0 4 6 10 14 14
6 Collingwood 0 0 0 4 4 8 12
7 Fremantle 0 4 8 8 8 8 12
8 Carlton 4 8 8 8 8 8 8

Grand final

Main article: 2018 AFL Women's 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.[9]

Grand Final
Saturday, 24 March (12:35 pm) Western Bulldogs 4.3 (27) def. Brisbane 3.3 (21) Ikon Park (crowd: 7,083)

Win–loss table

+ Win Qualified for finals
- Loss X Bye
Draw Eliminated
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 GF Ladder
Adelaide BL
12 		Mel
32 		WB
7 		GWS
0 		Car
35 		Fre
4 		Col
21 		X 5
Brisbane Ade
12 		WB
9 		Car
22 		Fre
7 		Mel
6 		Col
14 		GWS
40 		WB
6 		2
Carlton Col
8 		GWS
21 		BL
22 		WB
73 		Ade
35 		Mel
35 		Fre
11 		X 8
Collingwood Car
8 		Fre
13 		GWS
13 		Mel
34 		WB
8 		BL
14 		Ade
21 		X 6
Fremantle WB
26 		Col
13 		Mel
5 		BL
7 		GWS
18 		Ade
4 		Car
11 		X 7
Greater Western Sydney Mel
6 		Car
21 		Col
13 		Ade
0 		Fre
18 		WB
18 		BL
40 		X 4
Melbourne GWS
6 		Ade
32 		Fre
5 		Col
34 		BL
6 		Car
35 		WB
2 		X 3
Western Bulldogs Fre
26 		BL
9 		Ade
7 		Car
73 		Col
8 		GWS
18 		Mel
2 		BL
6 		1

Attendances

By club

2018 AFL Women's attendances
Club Total Games Avg. per game Home total Home games Home avg.
Adelaide 32,658 7 4,665 24,149 4 6,037
Brisbane 31,073 7 4,439 9,400 3 3,133
Carlton 52,261 6 8,710 32,352 3 10,784
Collingwood 75,027 7 10,718 8,600 3 2,867
Fremantle 59,830 6 9,972 47,671 3 15,890
Greater Western Sydney 25,031 7 3,576 13,760 4 3,440
Melbourne 30,018 7 4,288 13,000 4 3,250
Western Bulldogs 42,126 7 6,018 25,080 3 8,360

By ground

2018 ground attendances
Ground Total Games Avg. per game
Blacktown International Sportspark 2,409 1 2,409
Casey Fields 11,000 3 3,667
Drummoyne Oval 4,952 1 4,952
Fremantle Oval 5,696 2 2,848
Ikon Park 32,352 3 10,784
Moreton Bay Central Sports Complex 2,600 1 2,600
Norwood Oval 21,990 3 7,330
Olympic Park Oval 5,900 2 2,950
Optus Stadium 41,975 1 41,975
South Pine Sports Complex 6,800 2 3,400
Ted Summerton Reserve 2,700 1 2,700
TIO Stadium 2,159 1 2,159
TIO Traeger Park 2,000 1 2,000
UNSW Canberra Oval 4,146 1 4,146
VU Whitten Oval 25,080 3 8,360

Awards

Best and fairest

Club Award name Player Ref.
Adelaide Club Champion Chelsea Randall [16]
Brisbane Best and fairest Kate Lutkins [17]
Carlton Best and fairest Katie Loynes [18]
Breann Moody
Collingwood Best and fairest Chloe Molloy [19]
Fremantle Fairest and best Ebony Antonio [20]
Greater Western Sydney Gabrielle Trainor Medal Alicia Eva [21]
Melbourne Best and fairest Daisy Pearce [22]
Western Bulldogs Susan Alberti Award Emma Kearney [23]

AFLW leading goalkicker

  • Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the player led the season's goal kicking tally at the end of that round.
  • Underlined numbers indicates the player did not play that round.
Player 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Total
1 Brooke Lochland 11 01 12 79 211 011 112 12
2 Jess Wuetschner 22 24 15 27 07 18 311 11
3 Christina Bernardi 00 22 02 13 14 37 29 9
Tegan Cunningham 11 23 25 05 16 39 09
5 Sabrina Frederick-Traub 00 00 00 00 33 14 48 8
Moana Hope 00 00 22 24 04 37 18
7 Phoebe McWilliams 33 14 26 06 17 07 07 7
Erin Phillips 00 00 44 04 04 37 07
Ruth Wallace 11 12 02 13 36 06 17
10 Katie Brennan 33 03 25 05 05 05 16 6
Kate Hore 11 01 01 12 13 25 16
Amy Lavell 22 13 14 04 04 04 26

Coach changes

Club Outgoing coach Manner of departure Date of vacancy Incoming coach Date of appointment
Carlton Damien Keeping Mutual termination[24] 20 March 2018 Daniel Harford[25] 23 April 2018
Adelaide Bec Goddard Resigned[26] 13 April 2018 Matthew Clarke[27] 23 May 2018
Fremantle Michelle Cowan Resigned[28] 19 April 2018 Trent Cooper[29] 7 June 2018

Club leadership

Club Coach Captain(s) Vice-captain(s) Leadership group Ref
Adelaide Bec Goddard Erin Phillips, Chelsea Randall Courtney Cramey, Ange Foley, Sally Riley [30]
Brisbane Craig Starcevich Emma Zielke Leah Kaslar Emily Bates, Sabrina Frederick-Traub, Kate Lutkins, Sharni Webb [31]
Carlton Damien Keeping
(Rds 1, 4–7) 		Brianna Davey Lauren Arnell, Sarah Hosking [32]
Nick Rutley
(Rds 2–3)
Collingwood Wayne Siekman Steph Chiocci Brittany Bonnici, Emma Grant Christina Bernardi, Ashleigh Brazill, Emma King [33]
Fremantle Michelle Cowan Kara Donnellan Kiara Bowers, Amy Lavell [34]
Greater Western Sydney Alan McConnell Amanda Farrugia Alicia Eva Jessica Dal Pos, Tanya Hetherington, Emma Swanson [35]
Melbourne Mick Stinear Daisy Pearce Melissa Hickey, Elise O'Dea [36]
Western Bulldogs Paul Groves Katie Brennan Ellie Blackburn, Nicole Callinan, Hannah Scott [37]

See also

References

  1. ^ Edwards, Nat (13 December 2017). "Last-touch rule confirmed for AFLW in 2018". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  2. ^ Olle, Sarah (14 December 2017). "Three new rules will take effect in the AFLW in 2018 — but they haven't all been received well". Fox Sports (Australia). News Corp Australia. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  3. ^ "AFLW fixture reveal: Massive R1 to open 2018". Australian Football League. 27 October 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  4. ^ Thompson, Matt; King, Travis (26 October 2017). "AFL releases fixture for JLT Community Series". afl.com.au. Australian Football League. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  5. ^ Paxinos, Stathi (9 December 2016). "AFL Women's fixture: Pies, Blues to fire up historic first season". The Age. Fairfax. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  6. ^ Black, Sarah (19 September 2017). "AFLW Dockers get first crack at Perth Stadium". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  7. ^ "AFL women's clash set to make history in Perth with record crowd at new stadium". WA Today. Fairfax Media. 9 February 2018. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
  8. ^ a b c Navaratnam, Dinny (23 February 2018). "Breakout Dog destroys Blues". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
  9. ^ "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.
  10. ^ a b c d e "Emma Kearney named AFLW best and fairest but future with Dogs unclear". the Guardian. Australian Associated Press. 27 March 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  11. ^ Cherny, Daniel (24 March 2018). "Grand final star Conti's juggling act continues". The Age. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  12. ^ Matthews, Bruce (17 March 2018). "AFLW match report: Bulldogs lock in GF spot". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  13. ^ a b c d "By Gum, Courtney wins major AFLW award - Nine Wide World of Sports". wwos.nine.com.au. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  14. ^ Wood, Lauren (27 March 2018). "AFLW All-Australian team 2018: Chelsea Randall captain, four Bulldogs named". Fox Sports. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  15. ^ Harrington, Anna (20 March 2018). "Carlton parts ways with AFLW coach Damien Keeping after the Blues claimed the wooden spoon". Fox Sports Australia. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  16. ^ Fjeldstad, Jesper (21 March 2018). "Co-captain Chelsea Randall was the clear club champion at the Adelaide Crows' awards night". The Advertiser. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  17. ^ Arnold, Rickie-Lee (23 March 2018). "Brisbane star Kate Lutkins is prepared to fight fire with fire if the AFLW Grand Final gets physical". The Courier-Mail. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
  18. ^ Landsberger, Sam (10 April 2018). "Katie Loynes and Breann Moody crowed joint Carlton AFLW best-and-fairest winners". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
  19. ^ "AFLW: First-year star takes out Magpies' B&F". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. 9 April 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
  20. ^ "Antonio wins Freo's Fairest and Best". fremantlefc.com.au. 6 April 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  21. ^ "Eva Claims 2018 Gabrielle Trainor Medal". GWSgiants.com.au. Telstra Media. 28 March 2018. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  22. ^ Burgan, Matt (28 March 2018). "Pearce claims second best and fairest". MelbourneFC.com.au. Telstra Media. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  23. ^ "Kearney wins second AFLW Best and Fairest". WesternBulldogs.com.au. Telstra Media. 29 March 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
  24. ^ "Club statement: Damien Keeping". Carlton. Telstra. 20 March 2018.
  25. ^ Morris, Tom (23 April 2018). "Daniel Harford appointed Carlton AFL women's coach for 2019 AFLW season". Fox Sports.
  26. ^ Lerner, Ronny (13 April 2018). "Goddard quits as Adelaide's AFLW coach to concentrate on police career". The Age.
  27. ^ Balmer, Matt (23 May 2018). "Adelaide appoint Matthew Clarke as new AFLW coach". Fox Sports.
  28. ^ Chadwick, Justin (19 April 2018). "Dockers coach Cowan quits AFLW post". The Age.
  29. ^ "AFLW: Trent Cooper named as Michelle Cowan's successor at Fremantle". Fox Sports. 7 June 2018.
  30. ^ "AFLW: Phillips, Randall to captain Crows in 2018". Collingwood. Telstra Media. 20 January 2018.
  31. ^ Fielding, Josie (17 January 2018). "Zielke re-elected as Captain". Brisbane. Telstra Media.
  32. ^ Ryan, Peter (12 January 2018). "Carlton name Brianna Davey, Lauren Arnell, Sarah Hosking to lead women's team". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  33. ^ Lechucki, Meagan (17 December 2017). "Emerging leaders to follow captain Chiocci". Collingwood. Telstra Media. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  34. ^ Black, Sarah (20 December 2017). "AFLW: Freo sticks with trusted skipper". AFL Media. Telstra Media. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  35. ^ Collins, Ben (19 January 2018). "AFLW: Boom Pies recruit gets key Giants role". AFL Media. Telstra Media. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  36. ^ Nobes, Caitlin (26 January 2018). "AFLW leaders named for 2018". AFL.com.au. Telstra. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  37. ^ "AFLW: Dogs keep faith with leadership quartet". AFL Media. Telstra Media. 26 January 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
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