2019 AFL Women's season

The 2019 AFL Women's season was the third season of the AFL Women's (AFLW) competition, the highest-level senior women's Australian rules football competition in Australia. The season featured ten clubs and ran from 2 February to 31 March, comprising a seven-round home-and-away season followed by a two-week finals series featuring the top two clubs from each conference. Australian Football League (AFL) clubs and featured for the first time in 2019.

won the premiership, defeating by 45 points in the 2019 AFL Women's Grand Final; it was Adelaide's second AFL Women's premiership. Adelaide's Erin Phillips won her second AFL Women's best and fairest award as the league's best and fairest player, and teammate Stevie-Lee Thompson won the AFL Women's leading goalkicker award as the league's leading goalkicker.

Reforms

New teams Two new teams, and , joined the competition, bringing the total number of teams to ten. The North Melbourne team has a strong Tasmanian focus; some players were based in Tasmania and some home games were held in the state. The introduction of the new teams was the first stage of a two-year expansion that took the league to fourteen teams for the 2020 season.

Conferences Despite the introduction of new teams, the league retained a seven-round home-and-away season. This was achieved by splitting the competition into two conferences. Each team play four games against their fellow conference members and three "cross-over" matches against teams from the other conference. Conference membership was based on the final ladder positions of the 2018 season.

The finals series was expanded to include preliminary finals for the first time; the two teams who finish the highest in each conference at the end of the home-and-away season qualified for the preliminary finals. The winners of these games played in the AFL Women's Grand Final. The make-up of the conferences, along with the fixture, was released in October 2018.

The conference system proved controversial as the teams in Conference A consistently outplayed the teams on Conference B, resulting in the first, second, fifth and sixth best overall teams making the finals. Due to the conference system, as of 2024, this remains the only season where the North Melbourne team did not make the finals (despite a 5-2 record).

Pool A Team Stadium(s) Capacity Whitten OvalMarvel Stadium 12,00056,347 Casey Fields 12,000 Norwood OvalTIO StadiumUnley Oval 22,00012,50010,000 Fremantle Oval 17,500 North Hobart OvalUTAS StadiumAvalon Airport Oval 18,00021,00010,000

Pool B Team Stadium(s) Capacity MBC Sports ComplexHickey Park 8,0004,000 Drummoyne OvalBlacktown ISP OvalUNSW Canberra Oval 6,00010,00016,000 Victoria ParkMorwell ReserveMarvel Stadium 15,00012,00056,347 Ikon Park 24,568 GMHBA Stadium 36,000

Rule changes

There were 11 rule changes brought in for the 2019 AFLW season (three AFLW specific).

Boundary throw ins brought in by 10m (AFLW only) Last touch rule only applies outside of the 50s (AFLW only) Runners allowed on the field during live play (AFLW only) 5-6-5 formation mandated at centre bounces The woman on the mark must stand further back after kick ins after a behind (from 5m to 10m), and the player doesn't need to kick to herself before playing on After defenders have a free kick within nine metres of their goal, the woman on the mark stands in line with the top of the goal square Players can't set up behind the umpire at centre bounces Play on is allowed for 50m penalties Players can kick across their body after taking a mark after the siren. A player can place her hands on the back of her opponent to protect marking space (see Push in the back) A ruck who takes direct possession of the ball from a bounce, throw-up or boundary throw-in will no longer be regarded as having had prior opportunity.

Home-and-away season The full fixture and make-up of the conferences was released on 26 October 2018. All starting times are local.

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

Ladders

Progression by round Numbers highlighted in green indicates the team finished the round inside the top 2.

Conference A Team1234567  1 0 4 8 12 16 20 24 2 4 8 12 12 16 20 24 3 4 8 12 16 16 20 20 4 0 4 8 8 12 16 165 4 8 8 8 8 8 8

Conference B Team1234567  1 0 0 4 4 8 12 162 4 4 4 8 12 12 123 0 0 0 4 4 4 84 4 4 4 8 8 8 85 0 0 0 0 0 0 4

Finals series

Preliminary finals

Grand final

Win–loss table

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 PF GF Ladder A1 XXB4 B1 XXB5 XA2 XB2 XXB3 XXA4 XXA3 XXA5

Attendances

By club + 2019 AFL Women's attendances Club Total Games Avg. per game Home total Home games Home avg. 29,218 7 4,174 21,722 4 5,431 24,555 6 4,093 7,077 2 3,539 34,653 7 4,950 9,265 3 3,088 48,700 7 6,957 21,613 4 5,403 30,280 7 4,326 22,621 4 5,655 47,183 6 7,864 29,614 3 9,871 23,147 7 3,307 11,279 4 2,820 31,900 7 4,557 8,266 3 2,755 32,716 7 4,674 10,126 3 3,375 51,112 7 7,302 35,374 4 8,844

By ground

+ 2019 ground attendances Ground Total Games Avg. per game Avalon Airport Stadium 2,107 1 2,107 Blacktown ISP Oval 5,390 2 2,695 Casey Fields 8,266 3 2,755 Drummoyne Oval 1,365 1 1,365 Fremantle Oval 22,621 4 5,655 Hickey Park 4,227 1 4,227 GMHBA Stadium 29,614 3 9,871 Ikon Park 9,265 3 3,088 Marvel Stadium 10,612 1 10,612 Moreton Bay Sports Complex 2,850 1 2,850 Morwell Recreation Reserve 1,743 1 1,743 North Hobart Oval 4,896 1 4,896 Norwood Oval 12,263 2 6,132 TIO Stadium 1,734 1 1,734 Unley Oval 7,725 1 7,725 UNSW Canberra Oval 4,524 1 4,524 University of Tasmania Stadium 3,123 1 3,123 Victoria Park 9,258 2 4,629 VU Whitten Oval 27,762 3 8,254

Awards The league best and fairest was awarded to Erin Phillips. The leading goalkicker was awarded to Stevie-Lee Thompson of , who kicked thirteen goals during the home and away season. The Rising Star was awarded to Maddy Prespakis. The best on ground in the AFL Women's Grand Final was awarded to Erin Phillips. The goal of the year was awarded to Ashley Sharp. The mark of the year was awarded to Tayla Harris. AFLW Players Association awards The most valuable player was awarded to Erin Phillips. The most courageous player was awarded to Chelsea Randall. The best captain was awarded to Brianna Davey. The best first year player was awarded to Maddy Prespakis. The AFLW Coaches Association champion player of the year was awarded to Erin Phillips. Erin Phillips was named the captain of the 2019 AFL Women's All-Australian team. The premiers had five players selected, with nine of the league's 10 clubs represented in the final team by at least one player. were the lowest ranked team overall, and thus could be said to have "won" the wooden spoon, though this is a contestable claim given the use of conferences.

Best and fairest

Club Award name PlayerRef. Club Champion Best and fairest Best and fairest Best and fairest Fairest and best Best and fairest Gabrielle Trainor Medal Best and fairest Best and fairest 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. Player1234567Total1Stevie-Lee Thompson044152729312113132Erin Phillips011342628190993Emma King22404371808088Mo Hope1011224151628Ashley Sharp2240404042628Tegan Cunningham1011213362808Gemma Houghton2130303252717Jess Wuetschner32505160617189Eloise Jones02213251617077Kellie Gibson0002213360617Danielle Ponter0000022242616Sabreena Duffy1230303250527Christina Bernardi1012303141527Tayla Harris0003303142617 Source: https://www.afl.com.au/womens/matches/stats

Coach changes Club Outgoing coach Manner of departure Date of vacancy Incoming coach Date of appointment Inaugural coach 24 October 2017 Inaugural coach 23 February 2018 Sacked 4 April 2019 4 June 2019 Resigned 17 June 2019 19 September 2019

Club leadership Club Coach Captain(s) Vice-captain(s) Leadership group Ref Matthew Clarke Erin Phillips, Chelsea Randall Courtney Cramey, Ange Foley Craig Starcevich Leah Kaslar Kate Lutkins, Sam Virgo, Emma Zielke Daniel Harford Brianna Davey Katie Loynes Shae Audley, Kerryn Harrington, Sarah Hosking, Darcy Vescio Wayne Siekman Steph Chiocci Ashleigh Brazill, Emma Grant Brittany Bonnici, Sarah D'Arcy, Chloe Molloy Trent Cooper Kara Donnellan Ebony Antonio, Kiara Bowers, Evangeline Gooch, Gabby O'Sullivan Paul Hood Melissa Hickey Rebecca Goring Richelle Cranston, Renee Garing, Aasta O'Connor, Anna Teague Alan McConnell Amanda Farrugia Alicia Eva Christina Bernardi, Jessica Dal Pos, Tanya Hetherington, Emma Swanson Mick Stinear Elise O'Dea Shelley Scott Sarah Lampard, Karen Paxman Scott Gowans Emma Kearney Brittany Gibson, Jess Duffin Kaitlyn Ashmore, Emma King Paul Groves Ellie Blackburn, Katie Brennan Nicole Callinan, Isabel Huntington, Kirsty Lamb, Hannah Scott

See also 2018 AFL Women's draft

References

External links Official AFL Women's website