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The League wants the AFLW’s Grand Final to be held on the last weekend of November every year to build consistency into the season
All 18 captains pose during the 2025 AFLW Captains Day at Marvel Stadium. Picture: AFL Photos
THE AFL is expected to draw a line in the sand with clubs on several key components of its AFLW season, most notably to cement the Grand Final date for the last weekend of November.
It’s understood the League last week moved to notify key club figures of its desire for the timing of its AFLW season on the calendar, as well as the format of the competition, to remain in place for the foreseeable future.
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Clubs believe the League wants the AFLW’s Grand Final to be held on the last weekend of November every year – similar to how the men’s Grand Final is always on the last Saturday in September – so fans and players can build tradition into the competition.
Key AFLW figures were briefed of the League’s stance at last Wednesday’s Competition Committee, with the AFL’s position still subject to a Commission meeting this Thursday.
Clubs believe the League is hopeful for increased stability and consistency within its burgeoning women’s competition as it prepares for its 10th season to begin next Thursday night.
Inaugural NAB AFLW players Darcy Vescio, Kaitlyn Ashmore, Jasmine Garner, Ebony Marinoff, Ellie Blackburn and Lily Mithen at Ikon Park launching the 2025 NAB AFLW Season. Picture: AFL Photos
A late-November Grand Final could still see the start of the AFLW season shift forward earlier, should the triggers in the recent Collective Bargaining Agreement be met to increase the length of the season to 14 rounds by 2027.
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The AFL’s position follows several members of the AFLW’s new Competition Committee, as well as from across the League, campaigning for more significant changes in recent weeks.
It’s understood ideas such as conferences and promotion-relegation were put forward to solve equalisation issues at last week’s Competition Committee, while others continued to argue for the season to be moved forward again to be further in line with the men’s competition.
But the League is also expected to retain the same format of competition – with an eight-team finals series – as part of its hope to build consistency for AFLW players and supporters.
The League has tinkered with several aspects of its AFLW competition across its first nine seasons, including mid-week footy as part of a condensed schedule last year and with differing start times and formats.
The AFLW moved to an August start date – with a late November Grand Final – for the first time in 2022, having initially run the season from January-February through to March-April.
Kangaroos players celebrate with the premiership cup after the AFLW Grand Final match between North Melbourne and Brisbane at Ikon Park on November 30, 2024. Picture: AFL Photos
It also shifted to an eight-team finals system that mirrors the men’s competition in 2021, having started with conferences and a four-team and then six-team finals system throughout the early parts of the AFLW competition.
The League has since expanded to include all 18 clubs in 2022 – with Hawthorn, Essendon, Sydney and Port Adelaide the last to join – with plans to introduce Tasmania as the 19th team ahead of its 2028 season.
The 2025 AFLW season begins next Thursday night when Carlton takes on Collingwood at Ikon Park, in a fixture that mirrors the first ever official women’s game back in 2017.