There’s a “ludicrous” AFLW fixturing issue that needs to be addressed.

Plus, one game on Sunday produced two genuine Mark of the Year contenders, while a key winning streak will come to an end this weekend.

A wrap of the best news and opinions from Fox Footy’s new show The W Debrief in AFLW Round 10 Talking Points!

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‘PROBABLY DON’T AGREE’: SKIPPER SPEAKS ON FIXTURE AS DEBATE ROLLS ON

Is the season being played at the right time of year, or should the fixture be moved — be it back to the summer or in line with the men’s season?

The debate continues as the AFL confirmed next season would run on the same timeline as last year.

It means Round 1 will commence from the week starting Monday August 10, and the grand final to take place on Saturday, November 28.

Herald Sun journalist Lauren Wood explained the AFL’s scheduling call, noting the popular opinion.

“There’s been much conjecture about whether this is the right time of year to be playing AFLW. Now, the AFL certainly thinks so — they have this week locked in the 2026 season to sit in this time slot again,” Wood began on Fox Footy’s W Debrief.

“So, the grand final to sit in the final week of November again, (and) start in that sort of couple of weeks before the men’s season ends.

“Now, you talk to everyone across the industry, everyone naturally has an opinion on this. Most of the people I’ve spoken to — players and club officials, and even people at AFL HQ — have been wondering whether this is the time for it, whether a return to summer should be a better option, whether it should be more in line with the men’s season.”

Carlton captain Abbie McKay shared her preference, speaking in favour of the concept of more AFLW-AFL double-headers to draw in bigger audiences.

“Yeah, I mean, look, I probably don’t agree with the summer side of things. I’d prefer this time slot over that summer period, but I probably am also a big believer in the double-header suggestion,” she told Fox Footy.

“I’d love double-headers with the men’s competition and (for the season to) kind of run throughout the men’s competition. I just feel like it’d draw more audience, a bit more engagement.

“People that probably didn’t mean to go but watched the last quarter (before the scheduled men’s fixture) and thought ‘oh, I’ll come back for the women’s game next week’.

“But I mean, we’ve got to back the AFL if they think it’s the right decision.”

Demons smash Swans at home in Melbourne | 02:01

Wood shared her stance and explained the “footy fatigue” aspect of why a tweak was needed, as well as an associated state-league issue.

“I, personally, would like to see it more in line with the men’s season, whether they’re at either end of the year,” Wood said.

“I think, particularly when we don’t have the state-league competitions feeding in, we’ve got players that are getting dropped and they can’t play themselves into form — I feel like it is getting potentially a little bit lost at this time of year.

“I think there is a lot of footy fatigue around. I think (for) people that are really interested in AFLW, that (interest) is always going to be there. Summer was always very taxing, because pre-season would always fall over Christmas time, it was very, very hot.

“But I think, Abbey, the suggestions of things like double-headers and more of that sort of drawing audience from all angles as you could do with footy … I think it could’ve been at least tried.”

Fox Footy commentator Kelli Underwood gave her thoughts, later labelling the late-November scheduling of the grand final “ludicrous” due to it clashing with the Ashes.

“Having been involved in the competition right from the start and seeing them try this, I don’t think January, February, March works as such,” she said.

“It’s interesting they mention the metrics, and they won’t broadcast obviously what the television ratings numbers are, but even just this weekend we had 4,000 (on Sunday) at Victoria Park, so that was the highest in five years. Arden Street had its biggest ever crowd, a record crowd yesterday which was about 3,300 I think … so, the crowds are there.

“I think there’s way too many grounds, but I would like to see (the season) moved forward a month, so you get an extra month crossover with the men — the problem with that is the only clean air that you get is a Thursday night and a Friday night before the men’s game starts. So, you’re talking 5.30pm to 8pm sort of time, otherwise the ratings fall away when you’re going head-to-head and the men take over.

“But I love October because there’s no other big sports on as such. Obviously, you’ve got your horse racing, but it doesn’t necessarily take away (from the women’s game). I would love to see the grand final on cup weekend (the first week of November).

“I think long weekend, lock it in at Marvel and just say ‘no matter what, it’s going to be there’ … I’d love to see it on a Sunday night. This year it’s sandwiched. The grand final, on November 29, is sandwiched between the opening two Ashes tests. That’s ludicrous. That’s way too late.”

AFLW Wrap: Lions and Tigers roar | 01:23

TWO TASTY MOTY CONTENDERS FROM PIES-TIGERS

We might have gotten a pair of genuine Mark of the Year contenders from the same game, and the panel of judges will have a torrid time making a final call if it comes down to the two.

Richmond’s narrow win over Collingwood on Sunday saw two absolute cracker grabs taken — both of which will surely come into calculations for the top prize come season’s end.

Tiger Sarah Hosking’s courageous mark will be hard to beat after bravely going back with the flight of the ball to take a stellar mark and thwart a Collingwood forward foray.

“She would have grown up watching the likes of Nick Riewoldt and Jonathan Brown doing their thing — incredible courage (going) back with the flight,” Wood said in reaction.

Abbie McKay added: “Oh absolutely. Very Sarah Hosking-esque, I would say. She’s a very courageous player, has no fear, so I’m not surprised she took that kind of mark.”

But Pies captain and Fox Footy’s own Ruby Schleicher also put her name forward for the gong, flying high for an impressive grab over two Tigers.

“She saw Sarah Hosking and said ‘I raise you’,” said Underwood.

But Blues sisters Abbie and Sophie McKay said it was Hosking’s mark that they’d pick out of the two.

Mason Cox to leave Collingwood! | 00:29

MAIDEN FINALS BIRTH LOOMS LARGE FOR SURGING RISER… BUT NOT BEFORE HUGE HEATCHECK

A sixth straight win for St Kilda on the weekend has suddenly catapulted them into an unlikely top four finish, with their most recent victory coming over Abbie McKay’s Carlton at the weekend.

It now leaves them with one foot in a finals campaign for the first time in their club’s history, led by coach Nick Dal Santo.

“Dal Santo has got them on a six-game winning streak, which is quite extraordinary — they came bursting out of the blocks, they beat the Crows in that opening round, had a bit of a lull, but a big smile on Nick Dal Santo’s face (now),” Underwood said.

McKay added: “Disappointing night (from a Carlton perspective), definitely. We had control of the ball for a lot of the game but unfortunately couldn’t score off the back of it.”

St Kilda now faces a massive challenge in North Melbourne on Sunday though, which has won a whopping 22-straight games.

It goes without saying the Kangaroos sit well on top of the ladder with an eye-watering percentage of 317.7. Only once has Darren Crocker’s side conceded more than five goals in a match this season, while they themselves have registered 50 or more points in every match.

Should the Saints fall to North Melbourne on Sunday, they’ll have one last chance to lock in a maiden finals birth against the Western Bulldogs, who themselves are hunting an unlikely top eight finish.