Australian Football League side Western Bulldogs "could feature in up to three women’s exhibition matches next season" as clubs jockey for a place in the inaugural national competition in '17, according to Eliza Sewell of the HERALD SUN. Bulldogs CEO David Stevenson "expected six to eight clubs to have teams in the debut season." It sets up a pitching battle next year, "with all 18 AFL clubs seeking to have a team." It is likely "four teams would be from Victoria, joined by a West Australian team and the Brisbane Lions and in a six-club scenario." Stevenson said details such as how much players would be paid, and where the money would come from, "were to be determined." But "one thing he was sure of was the Bulldogs would do everything to be part of it." Stevenson: "Once we get those details we’ll certainly put an incredible amount of effort in because we’re really passionate about it and we believe in it strongly. Whatever it ends up being, we’ll be right in there." While next season’s AFL fixture "only allows for one curtain-raiser" between the Bulldogs and Melbourne Demons, Stevenson said that "other clubs could field women’s teams next year and more games could be played" in a "bridging year" to '17. He said, "We enjoy the game against Melbourne but, hey, the opportunity for us to play against some other teams is a positive. I think we’re going to be somewhere in the two to three games zone ... that’s my perspective." Stevenson said that the cost of the national venture "would depend on how many interstate teams were involved" (HERALD SUN, 12/20).
