2020 AFL Women's season

The 2020 AFL Women's season was the fourth season of the elite women's Australian rules football competition. Fourteen teams competed in the league, four more than the previous season, all of which were associated with existing Australian Football League (AFL) clubs.

2020 AFL Women's season
Teams14
PremiersNo premier[1]
Minor premiersNo premier[1]
Matches played46
Attendance205,050 (4,458 per match)
Highest attendance35,185 (Round 2, West Coast vs. Fremantle)
Leading goalkickerCaitlin Greiser
(St Kilda)
(10 goals)
Best and fairestMadison Prespakis
Carlton (15 votes)

The season was disrupted, and later cancelled on 22 March 2020, due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic partway through the modified finals series, with no premiership being awarded.[1]

Background

New teams

Four new teams, Gold Coast, Richmond, St Kilda and West Coast, joined the competition, bringing the total number of teams to fourteen. This followed on from the inclusion of Geelong and North Melbourne in the previous season.[2]

Expansion of AFL Women's
Club Entry in 2017 Entry in 2019/20
Placed
bid
Granted
entry
Placed
bid
Granted entry
2019 2020
AdelaideYesYesN/A
Brisbane LionsYesYesN/A
CarltonYesYesN/A
CollingwoodYesYesN/A
EssendonNoN/AYesNoNo
FremantleYesYesN/A
GeelongYesNoYesYesN/A
Gold CoastNoN/AYesNoYes
Greater Western SydneyYesYesN/A
HawthornNoN/AYesNoNo
MelbourneYesYesN/A
North MelbourneYesNoYesYesN/A
Port AdelaideNoN/ANoN/A
RichmondYesNoYesNoYes
St KildaYesNoYesNoYes
SydneyNoN/ANoN/A
West CoastYesNoYesNoYes
Western BulldogsYesYesN/A

Collective bargaining agreement

Prior to the season commencing a collective bargaining agreement failed to pass the player's association, with only 70% agreeing, falling short of the required 75% threshold. One of the demands of the dissenters was to have a longer season, so that all the teams could play each other once.[3] The players later voted with a vote of 98% to agree to a revised agreement, which steadily increased the number of matches to be played over three years.[4]

Conference system

The conference system utilised in the previous season was retained for this season, though it was expanded to cater for the additional teams. Seven teams were placed in each of the two conferences, with teams playing all their intra-conference rivals once and two cross-over matches against teams from the other conference, resulting in an 8-round home and away season. The placing of the teams was determined by the AFL with competitiveness, list assessments and the previous season's results in mind.[5]

Impact of 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic

The 2020 season was disrupted and then brought to an early end by the COVID-19 pandemic, which was formally declared a pandemic on 11 March 2020, prior to Round 6. The pandemic had the following effects on the season:

  • All matches played from 14 March onwards were played to empty stadiums.[6]
  • The final two rounds of the home-and-away season were scratched and the finals brought forward by two weeks, being played based on ladder positions at the time.[7]
  • The finals series was expanded from six teams to eight. Under the original schedule, the top team in each conference was to advance directly to the preliminary finals while the second and third placed teams played off in semi-finals; but under the modified system, the fourth placed teams also qualified, and faced the first placed teams in semi-finals.[7] Partway through the finals series, it was announced that no premiership will be awarded after the Victorian government announced a shutdown of all non-essential operations on 22 March 2020.[1]

Premiership season

The originally scheduled eight-round fixture and make-up of the conferences was released on 29 October 2019.[8]

  • All starting times are Australian Eastern Time.[8]
  • Richmond home games originally scheduled at the Swinburne Centre, the club's home ground, were later moved to Ikon Park out of concerns for crowd capacity.[9]

Round 1

Round 1
Friday, 7 February (7:45 pm) Richmond 2.2 (14) def. by Carlton 6.12 (48) Ikon Park (crowd: 15,337) Report
Saturday, 8 February (1:10 pm) Greater Western Sydney 1.3 (9) def. Gold Coast 1.2 (8) Blacktown ISP Oval (crowd: 1,540) Report
Saturday, 8 February (3:10 pm) Melbourne 3.4 (22) def. North Melbourne 3.2 (20) Casey Fields (crowd: 3,500) Report
Saturday, 8 February (5:10 pm) Brisbane 5.4 (34) def. Adelaide 3.3 (21) Hickey Park (crowd: 3,002) Report
Sunday, 9 February (1:10 pm) Collingwood 5.8 (38) def. West Coast 1.5 (11) Victoria Park (crowd: 6,100) Report
Sunday, 9 February (3:10 pm) St Kilda 2.2 (14) def. by Western Bulldogs 6.3 (39) RSEA Park (crowd: 8,000) Report
Sunday, 9 February (5:10 pm) Fremantle 6.8 (44) def. Geelong 4.4 (28) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 5,509) Report
  • The match between Greater Western Sydney and Gold Coast, which was played in torrential rain, was the lowest scoring match in AFL history, in either the men's or women's competition, with the two teams scoring a combined score of only 2.5 (17). GWS's score of 1.3 (9) was the lowest winning score in history.[10]

Round 2

Round 2
Friday, 14 February (7:40 pm) Western Bulldogs 2.0 (12) def. by Melbourne 4.8 (32) VU Whitten Oval (crowd: 3,133) Report
Saturday, 15 February (3:10 pm) North Melbourne 6.1 (37) def. Greater Western Sydney 2.7 (19) UTAS Stadium (crowd: 2,102) Report
Saturday, 15 February (5:10 pm) Gold Coast 5.3 (33) def. Richmond 2.10 (22) Metricon Stadium (crowd: 7,071) Report
Saturday, 15 February (7:10 pm) West Coast 2.3 (15) def. by Fremantle 9.6 (60) Optus Stadium (crowd: 35,185) Report
Sunday, 16 February (1:10 pm) Geelong 3.2 (20) def. by Brisbane 6.3 (39) GMHBA Stadium (crowd: 5,567) Report
Sunday, 16 February (3:10 pm) Carlton 3.6 (24) def. by Collingwood 6.3 (39) Ikon Park (crowd: 7,529) Report
Sunday, 16 February (5:10 pm) Adelaide 6.4 (40) def. St Kilda 4.3 (27) Richmond Oval (crowd: 6,433) Report

Round 3

Round 3
Friday, 21 February (7:10 pm) St Kilda 3.1 (19) def. Melbourne 1.8 (14) RSEA Park (crowd: 4,012) Report
Saturday, 22 February (3:10 pm) Western Bulldogs 4.6 (30) def. by Carlton 8.3 (51) VU Whitten Oval (crowd: 8,259) Report
Saturday, 22 February (5:10 pm) Gold Coast 4.4 (28) drew with Brisbane 4.4 (28) Metricon Stadium (crowd: 4,223) Report
Saturday, 22 February (7:10 pm) Fremantle 5.3 (33) def. Collingwood 4.6 (30) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 5,636) Report
Sunday, 23 February (1:10 pm) Greater Western Sydney 6.6 (42) def. West Coast 2.2 (14) Blacktown ISP Oval (crowd: 1,980) Report
Sunday, 23 February (3:10 pm) Richmond 2.8 (20) def. by North Melbourne 12.4 (76) Ikon Park (crowd: 3,697) Report
Sunday, 23 February (5:10 pm) Geelong 6.2 (38) def. by Adelaide 8.1 (49) GMHBA Stadium (crowd: 3,195) Report

Round 4

Round 4
Friday, 28 February (5:40 pm) Collingwood 4.2 (26) def. by Melbourne 7.4 (46) Marvel Stadium (crowd: 21,528) Report
Saturday, 29 February (3:10 pm) Richmond 7.3 (45) def. by Geelong 10.7 (67) Queen Elizabeth Oval (crowd: 4,906) Report
Saturday, 29 February (5:10 pm) North Melbourne 6.11 (47) def. Gold Coast 5.4 (34) Arden Street Oval (crowd: 3,280) Report
Saturday, 29 February (7:10 pm) West Coast 4.6 (30) def. Western Bulldogs 3.8 (26) Leederville Oval (crowd: 2,455) Report
Sunday, 1 March (1:10 pm) Adelaide 4.4 (28) def. by Carlton 5.6 (36) Hisense Stadium (crowd: 7,281) Report
Sunday, 1 March (3:10 pm) St Kilda 3.5 (23) def. by Fremantle 3.6 (24) RSEA Park (crowd: 3,870) Report
Sunday, 1 March (5:10 pm) Brisbane 7.9 (51) def. Greater Western Sydney 3.5 (23) Hickey Park (crowd: 3,297) Report

Round 5

Round 5
Friday, 6 March (7:10 pm) Gold Coast 2.6 (18) def. by Geelong 5.8 (38) Great Barrier Reef Arena (crowd: 2,788) Report
Saturday, 7 March (3:10 pm) North Melbourne 9.9 (63) def. Adelaide 3.3 (21) North Hobart Oval (crowd: 2,843) Report
Saturday, 7 March (5:10 pm) Greater Western Sydney 7.14 (56) def. Richmond 1.5 (11) Robertson Oval (crowd: 3,377) Report
Saturday, 7 March (7:10 pm) Carlton 8.2 (50) def. St Kilda 4.5 (29) Ikon Park (crowd: 3,871) Report
Sunday, 8 March (1:10 pm) Collingwood 8.5 (53) def. Western Bulldogs 3.3 (21) Morwell Recreation Reserve (crowd: 1,992) Report
Sunday, 8 March (3:10 pm) Melbourne 10.6 (66) def. West Coast 1.1 (7) Casey Fields (crowd: 1,800) Report
Sunday, 8 March (5:10 pm) Fremantle 7.8 (50) def. Brisbane 4.8 (32) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 4,446) Report

Round 6

Round 6
Friday, 13 March (7:10 pm) Geelong 3.2 (20) def. by North Melbourne 10.6 (66) GMHBA Stadium (crowd: No attendance recorded) Report
Saturday, 14 March (3:10 pm) Brisbane 2.2 (14) def. by Collingwood 5.13 (43) Hickey Park (crowd: 0) Report
Saturday, 14 March (5:10 pm) St Kilda 6.6 (42) def. Richmond 0.3 (3) RSEA Park (crowd: 0) Report
Saturday, 14 March (7:40 pm) Melbourne 3.6 (24) def. by Carlton 6.4 (40) TIO Traeger Park (crowd: 0) Report
Sunday, 15 March (1:10 pm) Western Bulldogs 8.3 (51) def. by Fremantle 10.6 (66) VU Whitten Oval (crowd: 0) Report
Sunday, 15 March (3:10 pm) Adelaide 3.3 (21) def. by Greater Western Sydney 4.2 (26) Richmond Oval (crowd: 0) Report
Sunday, 15 March (5:10 pm) West Coast 1.2 (8) def. by Gold Coast 5.3 (33) Mineral Resources Park (crowd: 0) Report
  • Richmond's score of 0.3 (3) is the lowest in AFL Women's history.[12]
  • Round 6 matches were played without spectators, with the exception of the Friday night Geelong-North Melbourne match – which was open to be public, but did not have its attendance officially recorded.

Ladders

Ladder progression

  • Numbers highlighted in green indicates the team finished the round inside the top 3.
  • Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the team finished in first place in the conference for that round.
  • Numbers highlighted in red indicates the team finished in last place in the conference for that round.

Win/Loss table

ColourResult
GreenWin
RedLoss
BlueDraw

Bold – Home game
Opponent for round listed above margin
This table can be sorted by margin, winners are represented in the first half of each column, and losers are represented in the second half of each column once sorted

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 SF PF GF Ladder
Adelaide BL
13
StK
13
Gee
11
Car
8
NM
42
GWS
5
GC Ric X X X A5
Brisbane Ade
13
Gee
19
GC
0
GWS
28
Fre
18
Col
29
Ric NM Car
29
X X A2
Carlton Ric
34
Col
15
WB
21
Ade
8
StK
21
Mel
16
WC Fre Bri
29
NM X B2
Collingwood WC
27
Car
15
Fre
3
Mel
20
WB
32
Bri
29
StK Gee NM
2
X X B4
Fremantle Gee
16
WC
45
Col
3
StK
1
BL
18
WB
15
Mel
Car
GC
70
Mel X B1
Geelong Fre
16
BL
19
Ade
11
Ric
22
GC
20
NM
46
GWS Col X X X A4
Gold Coast GWS
1
Ric
11
BL
0
NM
13
Gee
20
WC
25
Ade Mel Fre
70
X X A6
Greater Western Sydney GC
1
NM
18
WC
28
BL
28
Ric
45
GWS
5
Gee WB Mel
3
X X A3
Melbourne NM
2
WB
20
StK
5
Col
20
WC
59
Car
16
Fre GC GWS
3
Fre X B2
North Melbourne Mel
2
GWS
18
Ric
56
GC
13
Ade
42
Gee
46
WB Bri Col
2
Car X A1
Richmond Car
34
GC
11
NM
56
Gee
22
GWS
45
StK
39
Bri Ade X X X A7
St Kilda WB
25
Ade
13
Mel
5
Fre
1
Car
21
Ric
39
Col WC X X X B6
Western Bulldogs StK
25
Mel
20
Car
21
WC
4
Col
32
Fre
15
NM GWS X X X B5
West Coast Col
27
Fre
45
GWS
28
WB
4
Mel
59
GC
25
Car StK X X X B7

Finals series

 
Semi finalsPreliminary finalsGrand final
 
          
 
March 21, Ikon Park
 
 
North Melbourne5.4 (34)
 
28-29 March
 
Collingwood5.2 (32)
 
North Melbourne Cancelled
 
March 22, Ikon Park
 
CarltonCancelled
 
Carlton6.8 (44)
 
4-5 April
 
Brisbane2.3 (15)
 
N/A Cancelled
 
March 21, Fremantle Oval
 
N/A Cancelled
 
Fremantle12.8 (80)
 
28-29 March
 
Gold Coast1.4 (10)
 
Fremantle Cancelled
 
March 21, Giants Stadium
 
MelbourneCancelled
 
Greater Western Sydney3.8 (26)
 
 
Melbourne4.5 (29)
 

Semi finals

Semi finals
Saturday, March 21 (12:40 pm) North Melbourne 5.4 (34) def. Collingwood 5.2 (32) Ikon Park (crowd: 0)
Saturday, March 21 (2:40 pm) Greater Western Sydney 3.8 (26) def. by Melbourne 4.5 (29) Giants Stadium (crowd: 0)
Saturday, March 21 (1:40 pm) Fremantle 12.8 (80) def. Gold Coast 1.4 (10) Fremantle Oval (crowd: 0)
Sunday, March 22 (1:10 pm) Carlton 6.8 (44) def. Brisbane 2.3 (15) Ikon Park (crowd: 0)

Awards

League awards

Best and fairests

Club Award name Player Ref.
Adelaide Club Champion Anne Hatchard
[19]
Brisbane Best and fairest
Carlton Best and fairest Madison Prespakis
Collingwood Best and fairest Jaimee Lambert
Fremantle Fairest and best
Geelong Best and fairest Olivia Purcell
Gold Coast Best and fairest Jamie Stanton
Greater Western Sydney Gabrielle Trainor Medal Alyce Parker
Melbourne Best and fairest Shelley Scott
North Melbourne Best and fairest Jasmine Garner
Richmond Best and fairest Monique Conti
St Kilda Best and fairest
Western Bulldogs Susan Alberti Award Isabel Huntington
West Coast 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. The total is updated following the conclusion of the round.

Source[20]

Club leadership

Club Coach Captain(s) Vice-captain(s) Leadership group Ref
Adelaide Matthew Clarke Erin Phillips, Chelsea Randall Courtney Cramey, Angela Foley Sarah Allan, Jess Foley, Marijana Rajcic [21][22]
Brisbane Craig Starcevich Emma Zielke Sharni Webb Emily Bates, Breanna Koenen, Kate Lutkins [23]
Carlton Daniel Harford Kerryn Harrington, Katie Loynes Alison Downie, Sarah Hosking, Nicola Stevens [24]
Collingwood Stephen Symonds Steph Chiocci Ash Brazill, Brianna Davey [25]
Fremantle Trent Cooper Kara Antonio Ebony Antonio, Kiara Bowers, Hayley Miller, Gabby O'Sullivan [26]
Geelong Paul Hood Melissa Hickey Meg McDonald Renee Garing, Jordan Ivey, Aasta O'Connor [27]
Gold Coast David Lake Leah Kaslar, Sam Virgo Tiarna Ernst, Sally Riley, Jamie Stanton [28]
Greater Western Sydney Alan McConnell Alicia Eva Jessica Dal Pos, Pepa Randall, Cora Staunton, Britt Tully [29][30]
Melbourne Mick Stinear Daisy Pearce Karen Paxman [31]
North Melbourne Scott Gowans Emma Kearney Jasmine Garner Emma King, Brittany Gibson [32]
Richmond Tom Hunter Katie Brennan Christina Bernardi Phoebe Monahan, Lauren Tesoriero [33]
St Kilda Peta Searle Cat Phillips, Kate Shierlaw, Rhiannon Watt [34]
West Coast Luke Dwyer Emma Swanson Dana Hooker Maddy Collier, Courtney Guard, Alicia Janz [35]
Western Bulldogs Nathan Burke Ellie Blackburn Brooke Lochland Isabel Huntington, Kirsty Lamb, Hannah Scott, Lauren Spark [36]

See also

References

  1. Canil, Jourdan (22 March 2020). "No premiership in 2020: AFLW season ends immediately". Womens.AFL.com.au. Telstra Media.
  2. "AFLW: Tasmania-North Melbourne and Geelong win licenses to field teams in 2019". ABC News. 27 September 2017.
  3. Press, Australian Associated (6 October 2019). "AFLW season up in air after bargaining agreement fails to pass player vote". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  4. "Landslide 'yes' vote ensures 2020 AFLW season will go ahead". AFL Women's. 28 October 2019.
  5. "2020 fixture and conferences revealed". AFL Women's. 29 October 2019.
  6. Jourdan Canil (13 March 2020). "Coronavirus crisis: What we know, what we don't". Australian Football League. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  7. Sarah Black (18 March 2020). "Straight to finals: AFLW season cut short due to coronavirus". Australian Football League. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  8. "2020 Fixtures". AFL Women's. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  9. "Richmond AFLW home games moved to Ikon Park". www.richmondfc.com.au. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  10. Hope, Shayne (9 February 2020). "AFLW's great expansion dilemma laid bare as new teams for 2020 go winless and sit last after Round 1". Fox Sports Australia. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  11. McNicol, Adam (9 January 2020). "AFLW: Match against Melbourne moved to Marvel Stadium before bushfire fundraiser". Collingwood. Telstra Media. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  12. Black, Sarah (14 March 2020). "Saints hold Tigers to lowest ever AFLW score, claim second win". AFL Women's. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  13. "Young Blue caps incredible rise with top gong". AFL Women’s. 28 April 2020.
  14. "Star Dog bounces back from injuries to claim Rising Star award". AFL Women’s. 28 April 2020.
  15. "Mark and Goal of the year revealed". AFL Women’s. 26 April 2020.
  16. "AFLPA award winners revealed: MVP, best captain, more". AFL Women's. 20 April 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  17. "AFLW coaches' champion player". AFL Coaches Association. 24 April 2020. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  18. "AFLW All-Australian team for 2020 revealed: 12 clubs represented as two stars make history". Fox Sports Australia. 27 April 2020.
  19. "Best and fairest wrap-up: Who won your club's awards?". AFL Women's. 1 May 2020.
  20. "AFL - Every Goalkicker". australianfootball.com.
  21. "AFLW: 2020 co-captains locked in". Adelaide. Telstra Media. 6 January 2020.
  22. "AFLW: Five-person leadership group announced". Adelaide. Telstra Media. 28 January 2020.
  23. Fielding, Josie (18 December 2019). "Emma Zielke returns as Captain". Brisbane Lions. Telstra Media.
  24. "Loynes and Harrington to replace Davey as Carlton opt for co-captains". The Age. 12 December 2019.
  25. "Chiocci to lead Pies for a fourth season". Collingwood. Telstra Media. 10 December 2019.
  26. Raynor, Bonnie (18 December 2019). "Hayley Miller voted into Fremantle's AFLW leadership group for 2020". The West Australian.
  27. Young, Lachie. "2020 AFLW Geelong Cats: Melissa Hickey named captain, Meg McDonald vice-captain for Geelong". Geelong Advertiser. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  28. "Your inaugural AFLW Captains". Gold Coast Suns. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  29. "Farrugia Calls Time as Eva Takes Over Captaincy". Greater Western Sydney Giants. Telstra Media. 24 November 2019.
  30. "Three New Faces in AFLW Leadership Group". Greater Western Sydney Giants. Telstra Media. 17 January 2020.
  31. Nobes, Caitlin (20 January 2020). "Pearce to lead Demons in 2020". Melbourne. Telstra Media.
  32. "AFLW: Kearney to lead again". North Melbourne. Telstra Media. 25 November 2019.
  33. "Katie Brennan becomes Richmond's inaugural AFLW captain". Richmond. Telstra Media. 15 January 2020.
  34. Wood, Lauren (14 January 2020). "St Kilda names Cat Phillips, Kate Shierlaw and Rhiannon Watt as inaugural AFLW captains". Herald Sun.
  35. "Midfielder Emma Swanson appointed inaugural captain of West Coast Eagles AFLW team". The Sunday Times. 12 December 2019.
  36. "Blackburn named AFLW captain". Western Bulldogs. Telstra Media. 24 January 2020.
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