Hawthorn AFLW coach Bec Goddard has challenged the sport’s finest gamers to strongly contemplate uprooting themselves from their “comfy little patch” to develop the league.
The coach of the fledgling Hawks says the broader AFLW enjoying group has a “higher duty” than to their golf equipment, claiming elevated participant motion will construct the competitors’s fan base and result in the higher pay and situations the gamers are striving for.
Goddard’s feedback come the day after Hawthorn landed a significant blow on 2022 grand finalists Brisbane, poaching former league finest and fairest Emily Bates and All-Australian ahead Greta Bodey on the second day of the league’s Precedence Signing Interval.
The PSP interval has additionally seen Sydney nab star Collingwood ahead Chloe Molloy, whereas Port Adelaide has recruited All-Australian Ashleigh Woodland from the Crows and is near signing Fremantle defender Janelle Cuthbertson.
The concessions for the competiton’s enlargement sides have angered followers of groups dropping their finest gamers for little compensation, however Goddard mentioned “actions like these should occur” for the league to develop.
“It’s for the way forward for not simply the ladies already within the competitors, however the way forward for the competitors,” Goddard mentioned.
“If it’s going to be higher commercially, if these gamers need to earn more cash into the longer term, if we need to develop the fan base, and you already know, speak about that large phrase of equality, then actions like these should occur.”
The hole between the competitors’s prime sides and groups launched in later seasons can solely shut if extra gamers transfer, Goddard mentioned.
“There’s a little little bit of duty on the collective enjoying group to take a look at this and go, ‘Nicely, they’re asking for more cash, they’re asking for a brand new CBA … how can I contribute to that as effectively?’” Goddard mentioned.
“Is simply staying in my comfy little patch of grass the precise factor to do? Possibly there’s a higher duty for the gamers within the competitors.
“That’s not the job of all gamers … however I really feel we’re in a very privileged place at Hawthorn that we’ve acquired two superb girls which have needed to develop, take care of their future and see the competitors for what it’s in addition to take care of themselves.”
