Goal-driven: How the AFLW put more scores on the board

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Lack of big scores was a major concern for the AFL over the first few seasons of its women’s league. Tight games and low scoring can be enthralling to watch, but AFL fans are accustomed to high-scoring, fast-paced matches.

Over the past decade, the AFL’s game style has changed. There is more emphasis on team defence, not the one-versus-one contests we were used to seeing in the 1980s and 1990s. The game is more sophisticated and tactical, often with tactics copied from sports such as soccer and basketball, and scoring has become more difficult.

Alyssa Bannan celebrates a goal for Melbourne, the AFLW’s highest scoring team.Credit: Getty

The AFL successfully introduced rule changes in the men’s competition that have helped increase scoring, so it was only a matter of time before changes were made to the rules in the AFLW competition.

AFLW was first played at summer, meaning athletes often faced temperatures over 30 degrees, and because of that heat, the quarters were restricted to 15 minutes. Then, when the season was moved to cooler months and the fitness of players improved, the short quarters failed to produce enough fatigue in players. Without that fatigue, the pressure around the ball could be maintained for longer, and the games became scrappy, congested affairs.

Highest scores in AFLW history

16.11 (107): Melbourne v Fremantle at Perth Stadium, R9, 2022.

16.10 (106): Adelaide v GWS at Manuka Oval, R4, 2023.

15.12 (106): Geelong v Sydney at Kardinia Park, R10, 2022.

15.9 (99): Melbourne v GWS at Manuka Oval, R2, 2023.

15.9 (99): Gold Coast v West Coast, R2, 2022.

This season, quarters were extended to 17 minutes, quarter-time breaks have been reduced by a minute or two and a cap has been placed on rotations (60). These moves have had the desired impact, players are less able to maintain pressure for the duration and the games have opened up, especially in the second half.

The longer quarters have also allowed for momentum shifts during quarters, which is exciting to watch. Teams previously needed the breaks between quarters to reset, but now we’re seeing teams wresting back momentum within quarters.

The final rule change was to boundary throw-ins inside the 50-metre zones at each end of the ground. Boundary umpires previously came in 10 metres from the boundary to throw the ball in. This disadvantaged the attacking team, as the ball landed further from goal. Now the umpire throws the ball in from the boundary line, making the ball fall in a much more dangerous position to score.

Across the competition, average team scores have increased from 31.7 to 41.4 – an increase of 30.6 per cent and forward-50 stoppage scores have increased from 5.4 to 7.9 – an increase of 46.3 per cent.

It’s not just the higher scoring that has improved the competition; the overall skills and standards are now much better. Most clubs are now training at least once a week during the day. This allows players to hit their training session fresh, rather than after a day of work, meaning they have more time and energy to refine their skills.

It’s also worth noting that there’s been a 21.7 per cent spike in scores from turnover, which could factor in fatigue and more mistakes being made by players, but also the type of game style teams are adopting.

We often see in the men’s competition that when one team becomes successful other teams try to emulate their game style.

We are starting to move away from highly defensive games because teams such as Collingwood and Richmond have proven that the best form of defence is offence.

They have adopted a fast, chaotic game style that other clubs are now trying to replicate, including in the AFLW.

The top four AFLW teams – Melbourne, North Melbourne, Adelaide and the Brisbane Lions – are using the corridor 13.5 per cent more than their opponents, demonstrating that rule changes can have a small influence on scoring, but ultimately, it’s the game style of teams that will have the biggest impact.

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