SANFL Statement: SANFL welcomes AFLW expansion

13 May 2021

SANFL has welcomed today’s announcement by the AFL Commission to expand the AFLW competition to 18 teams by 2023.

SANFL General Manager Football Matt Duldig said that female participation in South Australia had continued to grow at a significant rate and having a second AFLW team based here would further enhance the exposure of women’s football and provide greater opportunities for elite female players in this State.

“SANFL has continued to successfully grow female football and it’s exciting to now see both Adelaide and Port Adelaide have the opportunity to field teams in the AFLW, enabling us to further build participation and the talent pathway for young female players,” Mr Duldig said.

The AFL also announced changes to the timing of the AFLW season, with season six commencing in December 2021 and concluding in March, prior to the AFL season starting.

Mr Duldig said SANFL was in the process of reviewing the expansion of its SANFLW competition and now had greater clarity on the AFLW season in preparing for season 2022.

Latest key female participation figures in SA:

• Total female participation in SA (registered club players) in 2021 to date is 7,773, 68% higher than at the same time in 2020 and 51% higher than in 2019.

• There are currently 4,807 registered junior female players in SA, an increase of 68% on 2020 and 23% on 2019.