AFL Says Timing Of Inaugural Season Of AFLX Was Not Ideal

The Australian Football League said that its timing "was wrong this year in playing the short format AFLX while the women’s was still running," according to Courtney Walsh of THE AUSTRALIAN. The second season of AFL Women's was "only just under way when the league launched AFLX over three nights in mid-February." AFL Football Operations Manager Steve Hocking said that the timing of the new format "was not ideal." He said, "When it gets played, there is a range of things we have to consider. What does it mean for (AFLW), how to make sure it’s not going to impact (the) women’s (season) so they have some stand-alone time in a season." With the Seven Network "swapping the rights of tennis for cricket at the end of next summer, there is a window for the broadcaster and league to begin the AFLW in January in coming years" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 5/11).