- The match between Bombers and Bulldogs on Friday evening resulted in only three goals
- Jones says the women’s football league is now at a ‘crisis point’
Channel Nine Footy Show host Tony Jones has called for big changes in women’s football, calling some of the weekend’s AFLW matches “diabolical and almost unwatchable”.
Friday night’s match between Essendon and the Western Bulldogs was a somber spectacle for fans and was heavily criticized.
In an error-ridden match, the Dogs became the first AFLW side to be held goalless three times in a season and recorded their lowest ever score for the second game in a row after recording just four points against the Kangaroos last Saturday.
It comes on top of other very low-scoring fixtures in the league, which Jones says are now at a ‘crisis point’.
“The AFL is at a crisis point – they need to take action and show they are honest about supporting AFLW,” he said. 3AW mornings.
“Some of those games over the weekend – especially with the Western Bulldogs – were just diabolical and almost unwatchable.”
Jones added that the Bulldogs coach had made no apologies for the team’s performance in the match, which had attracted a crowd of 4,000.
Jones and 3AW presenter Tom Elliott then discussed the shortened competition period, which saw eleven matches for each club crammed into just ten weeks, leaving players mentally and physically exhausted.
Tony Jones (pictured) has called for changes in women’s football, calling some of the weekend’s AFLW matches ‘diabolical and almost unwatchable’
The AFLW has come under fire after the dismal Friday night match between the Western Bulldogs and Essendon (pictured), in which the Dogs scored just three points
The shortened matches also leave fans confused about where and when the team they support will play next.
Other football experts also criticized the appalling display on Friday evening.
Sports journalist Eliza Reilly wrote on X: ‘AFLW diehards and potential fans want to see the players at their best. 2/3 goals in a match from 50 yards penalties, right? Condensed match, defensive tactics or a combination of both, that was a tough task.’
News Corp’s Lauren Wood said: ‘Both teams have completed their shortened playing period, but now we’re officially at the end of it, let’s not do it again, please and thank you.
‘Four matches in fourteen days is equivalent to this in prime time. Extras behind, players exhausted. No thanks.”
Players are mentally and physically exhausted due to the short playing time
AFL reporter Ronny Lerner was more critical of the spectacle, calling it ‘completely deplorable’.
“Essendon coach Natalie Wood and Bulldogs coach Tamara Hyatt owe an apology to the supporters of their club, the supporters of the AFLW and women’s football in general for this tactic,” Lerner wrote.
‘This is a real black eye for the sport. Extremely deplorable spectacle.’
