We’re two days out from the start of the historic, first AFLW season, and today we finally got a glimpse of what the eight teams are playing for.
The league officially lifting the cloche off the newly minted AFLW Premiership Cup today, announcing a slew of individual awards in the process that puts the competition in an identical line to the men’s season.
The cup, presented by AFL boss Gillon McLachlan and handed to the AFLW’s official cup ambassador Susan Alberti, is a modern redesign of the men’s historic premiership cup design, continuing the AFLW’s running theme of keeping both leagues as similar as possible, whilst simultaneously allowing the AFLW to carve out their own identity in Australia’s vast footy landscape.
Look at it! Look at all its majesty!
?? #aflwomens pic.twitter.com/gzbcRsSvDT
— AFL Women’s (@aflwomens) February 1, 2017
Now that’s a GD trophy.
Alberti, the trailblazing figure for women’s football in Australia and recently-retired director at the Western Bulldogs, has been appointed Premiership Ambassador by the AFL, and she had the honour of unveiling the trophy, posing alongside the league’s eight inaugural club captains.
I was very honoured & thrilled to be announced as the inaugural ambassador of the @aflwomens premiership cup by Gill today. @afl #AFLW pic.twitter.com/rSATmvviM4
— Susan Alberti ????? (@SusanAlberti1) February 1, 2017
In addition to the premiership cup, which will be decided in the first-ever AFLW Grand Final on Saturday, March 25th, the league revealed they will be handing out individual awards for the league Best & Fairest (voted by umpires in the same way the Brownlow Medal is), the league Leading Goal Kicker, the Rising Star (for players under the age of 21), the Grand Final Best on Ground, and an overall All-Australian team.
These individual medals are yet to receive “formal” names, but the league is expected to christen them over the course of the season.
The first-ever AFLW season kicks off this Friday night when Carlton takes on Collingwood at the historic Princes Park. The league is anticipating a crowd upwards of 10,000 for the game.
HOLY SHIT CANNOT WAIT. FOOTY!
Source: AFL.com.au.
Photo: Scott Barbour/Getty.
