2019 AFL Women's season
The 2019 AFL Women's season was the third season of the elite women's Australian rules football competition. Ten teams competed in the league, two more than the previous season, all of which are associated with existing Australian Football League clubs. To accommodate the extra teams a conference system was implemented.
The first game was played on the 2nd of February and the season concluded with the 2019 AFL Women's Grand Final between Adelaide and Carlton on the 31st of March. Adelaide won by a margin of 45 to win their second premiership.
Reforms
New teams
Two new teams, and, joined the competition, bringing the total number of teams to ten. The North Melbourne team has a strong Tasmanian focus; some players are based in Tasmania and some home games were held in the state. The introduction of the new teams is the first stage of a two-year expansion that will take the league to fourteen teams for the 2020 season.Conferences
Despite the introduction of new teams, the league retained a seven-round home-and-away season. This was achieved by splitting the competition into two conferences. Each team play four games against their fellow conference members and three "cross-over" matches against teams from the other conference. Conference membership was based on the final ladder positions of the 2018 season.The finals series was expanded to include preliminary finals for the first time; the two teams who finish the highest in each conference at the end of the home-and-away season qualified for the preliminary finals. The winners of these games played in the AFL Women's Grand Final. The make-up of the conferences, along with the fixture, was released in October 2018.
The conference system proved controversial as the teams in Conference A consistently outplayed the teams on Conference B, resulting in the first, second, fifth and sixth best overall teams making the finals.
Rule changes
There were 11 rule changes brought in for the 2019 AFLW season.- Boundary throw ins brought in by 10m
- Last touch rule only applies outside of the 50s
- Runners allowed on the field during live play
- 5-6-5 formation mandated at centre bounces
- The woman on the mark must stand further back after kick ins after a behind, and the player doesn't need to kick to herself before playing on
- After defenders have a free kick within nine metres of their goal, the woman on the mark stands in line with the top of the goal square
- Players can't set up behind the umpire at centre bounces
- Play on is allowed for 50m penalties
- Players can kick across their body after taking a mark after the siren.
- A player can place her hands on the back of her opponent to protect marking space
- A ruck who takes direct possession of the ball from a bounce, throw-up or boundary throw-in will no longer be regarded as having had prior opportunity.
Premiership season
- All starting times are local.
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Round 7
Ladders
Ladder progression
- Numbers highlighted in green indicates the team finished the round inside the top 2.
Conference A
Conference B
Win/Loss table
Bold – Home gameX – Bye
Opponent for round listed above margin
This table can be sorted by margin, winners are represented in the first half of each column, and losers are represented in the second half of each column once sorted
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | PF | GF | Ladder |
| A1 | ||||||||||
| X | X | B4 | ||||||||
| B1 | ||||||||||
| X | X | B5 | ||||||||
| X | A2 | |||||||||
| X | B2 | |||||||||
| X | X | B3 | ||||||||
| X | X | A4 | ||||||||
| X | X | A3 | ||||||||
| X | X | A5 |
Finals series
Preliminary finals
Grand final
Attendances
By club
By ground
| Ground | Total | Games | Avg. per game |
| Avalon Airport Stadium | 2,107 | 1 | 2,107 |
| Blacktown ISP Oval | 5,390 | 2 | 2,695 |
| Casey Fields | 8,266 | 3 | 2,755 |
| Drummoyne Oval | 1,365 | 1 | 1,365 |
| Fremantle Oval | 22,621 | 4 | 5,655 |
| Hickey Park | 4,227 | 1 | 4,227 |
| GMHBA Stadium | 29,614 | 3 | 9,871 |
| Ikon Park | 9,265 | 3 | 3,088 |
| Marvel Stadium | 10,612 | 1 | 10,612 |
| Moreton Bay Sports Complex | 2,850 | 1 | 2,850 |
| Morwell Recreation Reserve | 1,743 | 1 | 1,743 |
| North Hobart Oval | 4,896 | 1 | 4,896 |
| Norwood Oval | 12,263 | 2 | 6,132 |
| TIO Stadium | 1,734 | 1 | 1,734 |
| Unley Oval | 7,725 | 1 | 7,725 |
| UNSW Canberra Oval | 4,524 | 1 | 4,524 |
| University of Tasmania Stadium | 3,123 | 1 | 3,123 |
| Victoria Park | 9,258 | 2 | 4,629 |
| VU Whitten Oval | 27,762 | 3 | 8,254 |
Awards
- The league best and fairest was awarded to Erin Phillips.
- The leading goalkicker was awarded to Stevie-Lee Thompson of, who kicked thirteen goals during the home and away season.
- The Rising Star was awarded to Madison Prespakis.
- The best on ground in the AFL Women's Grand Final was awarded to Erin Phillips.
- The goal of the year was awarded to Ashley Sharp.
- The mark of the year was awarded to Tayla Harris.
- The minor premiership was awarded to.
- AFLW Players Association awards
- *The most valuable player was awarded to Erin Phillips.
- *The most courageous player was awarded to Chelsea Randall.
- *The best captain was awarded to Brianna Davey.
- *The best first year player was awarded to Madison Prespakis.
- The AFLW Coaches Association champion player of the year was awarded to Erin Phillips.
- Erin Phillips was named the captain of the 2019 AFL Women's All-Australian team. The premiers had five players selected, with nine of the league's 10 clubs represented in the final team by at least one player.
- The wooden spoon was "awarded" to.
Best and fairest
| Club | Award name | Player | Ref. |
| Club Champion | |||
| Best and fairest | |||
| Best and fairest | |||
| Best and fairest | |||
| Best and fairest | |||
| Fairest and best | |||
| Best and fairest | |||
| Gabrielle Trainor Medal | |||
| Best and fairest | |||
| Best and fairest | |||
| Best and fairest |
AFLW leading goalkicker
- Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the player led the season's goal kicking tally at the end of that round.
| Player | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Total | |
| 1 | Stevie-Lee Thompson | 0 | 44 | 15 | 27 | 29 | 312 | 113 | 13 |
| 2 | Erin Phillips | 0 | 11 | 34 | 26 | 28 | 19 | 09 | 9 |
| 3 | Emma King | 2 | 24 | 04 | 37 | 18 | 08 | 08 | 8 |
| 3 | Mo Hope | 1 | 01 | 12 | 24 | 15 | 16 | 28 | 8 |
| 3 | Ashley Sharp | 2 | 24 | 04 | 04 | 04 | 26 | 28 | 8 |
| 3 | Tegan Cunningham | 1 | 01 | 12 | 13 | 36 | 28 | 08 | 8 |
| 3 | Gemma Houghton | 2 | 13 | 03 | 03 | 25 | 27 | 17 | 8 |
| 3 | Jess Wuetschner | 3 | 25 | 05 | 16 | 06 | 17 | 18 | 8 |
| 9 | Eloise Jones | 0 | 22 | 13 | 25 | 16 | 17 | 07 | 7 |
| 9 | Kellie Gibson | 0 | 00 | 22 | 13 | 36 | 06 | 17 | 7 |
| 9 | Danielle Ponter | 0 | 00 | 00 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 16 | 7 |
| 9 | Sabreena Duffy | 1 | 23 | 03 | 03 | 25 | 05 | 27 | 7 |
| 9 | Christina Bernardi | 1 | 01 | 23 | 03 | 14 | 15 | 27 | 7 |
| 9 | Tayla Harris | 0 | 00 | 33 | 03 | 14 | 26 | 17 | 7 |
Source: https://www.afl.com.au/womens/matches/stats