Hostplus SANFLW League continues to evolve

By ZAC MILBANK

The Hostplus SANFL Women’s League continues to evolve, with the introduction of a salary cap planned for the 2025 season.

Significant advancements in South Australia’s premier women’s football competition have been a feature since its 2017 inception, prompting the next major milestone through player payments.

Following extensive consultation with SANFL clubs and approval from the SA Football Commission, a salary cap of $30,000 per club will be implemented for 2025 and will increase to $32,000 in 2026.

”Throughout the feedback process it became evident SANFL and its clubs were committed to having a Salary Cap in place for the Hostplus SANFLW League within the next three seasons,” SANFL Executive General Manager Football Matt Duldig said.

”Since its introduction seven years ago, the SANFLW competition has developed a consistently high standard of play which has provided the State’s best female players with the ideal platform to shine.

”This has been illustrated by the performance of South Australia’s U18 Girls team on the national stage, winning the past two AFL National Championship crowns.”

The 2024 Hostplus SANFLW League season, which kicks off on the first weekend in March, will also mark the first time the minor round will expand from 12 to 14 rounds, allowing each team to play each other twice before the finals series.

After an admission fee was introduced for the 2021 and 2022 SANFLW League finals series, it will be expanded to cover entry to the 2024 Hostplus SANFLW League minor round – $10 for adults and $5 for concession.

When a SANFLW game is played on the same day and venue as a Men’s game, the admission fee will be in line with existing fees for entry to Men’s games – $20 for adults and $12 for concession ($18 and $11 respectively if pre-purchased online).

Matching the Hostplus SANFL League, entry for children U18 will be free throughout the season.

It comes on the back of several developments in the past two seasons including:

• The introduction of the SANFLW Development League in 2022
• Dedicated Female Football Managers employed at all eight SANFL clubs
• Expansion of the SANFLW U15 and U17 Development Squads
• Matches coded by Champion Data and streamed via SANFL’s streaming platform, SANFL Now
• The Hostplus SANFLW League Grand Final broadcast live on the Seven Network in 2022 and 2023, with more than 30 per cent commercial audience share.

Duldig said these developments provided the ideal timing for the introduction of the Salary Cap at the end of next season.

”The gradual and continued investment into our female talent pathways and competitions has been a strategic priority for SANFL,” Duldig said.

”And has now evolved to the point where the introduction of player payments in 2025 is the right thing to do at the right time.”

The 2024 Hostplus SANFLW season fixture is due to be released in late December.