The Australian Football League has "called for patience with the new women’s league, promising it will work and predicting plenty of development" over the next three years, according to the AAP. While there is "plenty of goodwill for the inaugural season," AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan anticipated the "inevitable criticism that will come" when he spoke at Wednesday’s launch. McLachlan: "I’d like to remind everyone this is year one [and] 176 women making their debut this weekend carry an extraordinary amount on their shoulders. I will ask today that we give them time and space to grow into the elite footballers that we know they can be. We are here for the long haul -- let’s back our players in." McLachlan "also stressed that the AFLW will succeed off the field as well." He said, "I want to be clear -- this will be good for business, but, as compelling, it can be explained in two words -- equality and aspiration. It will be football as we've always known it ... but it will also be very different." The women’s league premiership cup was unveiled, with Western Bulldogs VP Susan Alberti named as its ambassador (AAP, 1/31). In Sydney, Samantha Lane reported in "something of a surprise," the equivalent prizes of the men's Brownlow, Norm Smith, Ron Evans and Coleman medals -- for best and fairest player, best on ground in the grand final, the season rising star and leading goalkicker -- "may not be named for years." It is "probable" the women's awards "could still be unnamed two years from now" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 2/1).
