Let’s all take a minute to reflect on the brilliant ladies of the Brownlow Medal last night.
As it is each year, the red carpet was dominated by the fashion-forward females associated with AFL. I mean, Bec Judd even rocked up in a dress with pockets.
But as the players rolled in, and all eyes were on their glamorous wives and girlfriends, we couldn’t help but notice a few missing ladies. Ladies who have actually made history within the sport.
Where were the players from the AFL Women’s League?
Last year, female players made national headlines with their presence, and in 2016, the year a women’s league was officially announced to commence in 2017, there was a noticeable buzz surrounding the surge of new players in attendance.
But while it appeared last night there was less of a presence from the AFLW than the previous two years, AFL officials have confirmed the same number of players were invited – enough to fill one table. We just didn’t see them as much.
North Melbourne player and former Survivor contestant Moana Hope, who attended the event last year with her partner Isabella Carlstrom, told Mamamia she didn’t score an invite this year, and we can confirm no players from the GWS Giants Women’s club were invited, either.
Players from the league who did attend the Brownlow include:
Ellie Blackburn from the Western Bulldogs.
Daisy Pearce, captain of the Melbourne Demons.
Tayla Harris from Carlton.
Emma Kearney from North Melbourne.
Aliesha Newman from the Melbourne Demons.
And Brooke Lochland from the Western Bulldogs.
The AFL Women’s League awards took place in March this year, after the February – March 2018 season ended. Emma Kearney, formerly of the Western Bulldogs, took out the best and fairest award with 14 votes.
The AFL is aiming to announce the 2019 AFLW fixture next month.
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Top Comments
Why should they be invited. Its not the AFLW best and fairest. Its the AFL.
Why is there only one table reserved for female football players at an event for football players, but every male football player gets to bring a +1? Shouldn't there be more female football players, and fewer WAGs attending this professional night of nights? The former group actually contribute to the game.
I’d guess that it’s because this is the AFL best and fairest, and the AFLW has it’s own seperate event. Perhaps we should be asking for more coverage of the women’s ceremony!
Only a fraction of the total numbers of players attend too. They invite a table from each club, normally about 6 players or so and they're normally the players most likely to poll Brownlow points.
I saw that the guy who came third wasn’t even invited!
Yeah, so for every player invited, he gets a plus-one. Is this a night about football, or about the WAGs? If the former, then more actual players should be present.