Ex-Riverina Lions president: improvements needed for women's competition

The now recessed Riverina Lions paved the way for women's football in the region, but ex-president Melinda Hyland believes the level of football played now is well below the level the Lions once excelled at.

"I'm a 41-year-old woman and I can run and still get touches, that really shouldn't be happening in a women's first grade competition," Hyland said.

Playing full winter seasons and travelling to Canberra every second week to play, the side held a wealth of player experience that has now been sprinkled across Wagga, injecting knowledge alongside brand new players.

As more teams enter the women's competition, more experienced players are being stretched further across those teams, with Riverina Lions players represented at most clubs.

Talent pool dilution isn't just a local problem, with GWS experiencing a similar reality following the introduction of Sydney Swans to the national AFLW competition.

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GWS vice captain, and Holbrook local, Alyce Parker said the second Sydney-based team had caused both clubs concerns, but that overall their introduction was a good thing.

"It's such a big step that we probably didn't see coming as quick as it did, being an 18 team competition, but it does make it a full size competition. To have a full size team list was a huge step for AFLW," Parker said.

"It did open so much opportunity, it was always going to dilute the talent with more spots coming on, but I think it's a huge step for growing the competition. It's time to really fill those positions, fill the talent and really stabilise the competition."

But building quality senior women's football in the Wagga region to help fill those positions isn't possible with what Hyland calls a "token" women's season.

"At the moment, it's just a token six-week competition for the women's program, and that's just so they can ride off the numbers and say 'yep, we've got women participating,'" she said.

"If you look at other regions like Sydney or Canberra or Albury or some of the bigger centres, they've got competitions that run for 22 weeks."

Expanding the season beyond its current six weeks is essential to stabilising it Hyland said, with a longer competition giving players more opportunity to be exposed to the sport and genuinely develop their skills.

As for the next generation of AFLW stars, Hyland feels the current competition is a disservice to them.

"If they want to be picked up and go further with their footy, they can't do that through playing here locally," Hyland said.

"They actually have to go and play in Canberra or play in Sydney or somewhere they're going to be seen, also the quality of the competition here is nowhere near the AFLW standard. It's a bit of a kick and a giggle really."

Riverina Lions competed in the Canberra league as an independent women's club, but faced hurdles due to the club's lack of affiliation with a men's side.

The reliance on men's teams to determine the future of women's teams in the region is a particular sore point, with rapid expansion causing talent dilution impacting teams quality at all levels.

AFL Riverina's indication clubs will need a women's side to enter the new AFL Riverina Premier Division has furthered the problem.

"It has been a positive because you've seen the growth that might not have happened, but it wasn't directed at focusing on developing a women's competition," Hyland said.

Hyland wants to see the competition expanded to a full season, and for the women's and men's first grade competitions to be treated as equals from the top down.

With new faces at AFL House this year, she is hopeful fresh eyes might bring positive change to the developing competition.

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