The AFLW players have spoken on their desire to become full-time professional athletes, with 2026 earmarked as the season in which the rigours of dividing time between jobs will become a thing of the past.
However, according to reports from The Herald Sun, this date could well be brought forward if the player's union has its way.
Following conversations with the names from each of the competition's 14 clubs, AFL Player's Association chief Paul Marsh claimed there was a genuine hunger for improvements to pay, protection and provisions from within the game's circles.
“We’ve got strong ambitions here to get to this point as quickly as we can,” Marsh said.
“And it will be good for the industry if we can get to this point.
“It’s something that we’re passionate about and determined to get to.”
Marsh also expressed that these discussions were in line with the 'player first' model to bring about change to the Women's competition.
“If you asked all the players individually, there would be different views as to how quickly we should get there, and there are players who think we should get there quicker and there are others who think it might be too challenging,” Marsh delineated.
“But by and large, that’s the time frame that we’re talking about. I say deliberately ‘by’ 2026 – that doesn’t put a limit on it getting there pre-then.
“We think with the expansion, new teams, new players and giving the clubs and the industry time to get itself geared up, we think it’s a realistic and reasonable time frame.”
With AFLW players currently holding a maximum earning capacity of just $37,155 across the course of the condensed season, many - if not all - are currently working second jobs.
But with the league's collective bargaining agreement (CBA) set to expire this October, there remains a hope that a combined payment union between the competition and the AFL could well be struck.
Still, Marsh also expressed that although conditions are set to improve in time, players will still be free to continue working their jobs away from the boundary line.
“From the player perspective, it’s having the option as to whether they work and play footy,” he said.
“That’s one thing we are trying to find as part of this solution – we don’t necessarily want to take work off players.
“We want them to have the choice. Because there are lots of players who will look at this and say ‘I want to do both’.
“It’s finding the right balance.
“There’s a number that will be attached to that at the right time, and that’s a product of hours and games and all the rest of it. But having the choice of whether you’re footy full-time or whether you’re work and footy is where we want to get to.”
Round 7 of the AFLW season is set to continue on Friday night when the Western Bulldogs travel down the highway to face Geelong at GMHBA Stadium.
