AFL executive general manager of football Laura Kane says AFLW considering change to season start date

AFL executive general manager of football Laura Kane has left the door open for a change in the AFLW’s season start date next year as the league prepares to add two rounds to the fixture.

It comes as the competition also looks to utilise mid-week fixtures to maximise engagement while ensuring a fair draw.

The 2025 AFLW season will comprise 12 rounds, up from 10 this year, as part of a new collective bargaining agreement to keep the league’s momentum growing.

And Kane confirmed they were looking at the best time to start the season while also maintaining rituals and traditions they have been working hard to establish.

“What we do know is, we know we’ll be playing twelve games — that’s built into the CBA, which is terrific, more AFLW is terrific,” she told Channel 7s Talking W.

“And now the question is when do we start? There are a couple of important decisions that we have to make, one being when do we play the Grand Final?

“A focus for us over the past year or so has been building rituals into the AFLW fixture and making sure that our fans know when their team will be playing, and that goes into the fixture build. So yes, (an earlier start date) is something that we’re definitely considering.”

Mid-week games have been at the centre of some debate in 2024, with players and fans enjoying playing night games on Tuesdays but then often caught out by the quick turnaround when then scheduled to play the next weekend.

“We absolutely hear the feedback,” Kane said.

“A lot of it I share, I watch it, I see it, I talk to players, I talk to coaches, I talk to club staff, so we’re definitely across how people feel – as you said, there’s positive feedback in amongst there.

“One thing we did learn, which wouldn’t have happened but for that style of fixture, is Sunday nights and mid-week football; people really like that.

“The fans like it; clubs were travelling over to the east coast and staying for two weeks, playing three games; they said if they win, they’ll like it; if they don’t, they won’t, and some of those clubs did (win). So those things we’ve learnt.

“The question for us now is, we might see a mid-week game next week, but when will you play your next one? We’ve heard the feedback on that pretty clearly.”