Watching Richmond’s first AFLW game in 2020 brought a tear to the eye of us ‘oldies’ who couldn’t play footy as kids.
Growing up in Melbourne’s outer east in the 1970s, girls had no organised Australian Rules competition and were not encouraged to play in boys’ teams.
Women had played football as far back as 1915, but the games were sporadic and mostly unofficial.
Despite being a tomboy who loved the game, my childhood football experience consisted of the odd kick at the local park with my brother and cousins.
In Grade 6, our school wouldn’t even let me join a footy clinic, even though I played kick-to-kick with the boys. Girls were expected to play other sports or cheer on the sidelines.
I did play women’s cricket as a teenager in the late 1970s (there was no junior girls’ competition), which drew the wrath of some sexist blokes.
We had guys slow down while driving past to yell, ‘Liiiilleeeeeeeeeee’, and one walked across the field in the middle of a match as if it wasn’t real.
When I was 15 in 1981, the Victorian Women’s Football League (VWFL) was formed with four teams.
By then I was playing cricket and basketball, so directed my footy passion into attending Richmond games with the Cheer Squad.
Only the most determined young women played footy, and the competition had no official support for many years. No coaches or players were paid.
Things slowly began to change, and girls were welcomed into boys’ junior teams and Auskick, which evolved from the 1980s VicKick program.
The number of girls playing grew and they now have a full pathway from Auskick to junior boys’ and/or girls’ footy, youth girls and the senior VWFL competitions.
Finally, after decades of hard work by unpaid players, coaches, and administrators, the AFL – much to its credit – launched the AFLW in 2017.
When Richmond entered the competition in 2020, it was a dream come true for those of us who couldn’t pull on the boots as kids. It was just brilliant.
After a rocky debut season, our team improved steadily in 2021 and won three games. I attended most of the Victorian games and loved every minute of the matches and upbeat atmosphere.
Let’s hope 2022 brings more success for Richmond’s women and all those who spent decades laying the groundwork for the AFLW, which gets better every year.
Cheryl Critchley is a Richmond member and AFL Fans Association president. Her daughters did Auskick but chose not to play competition football. Richmond's AFL side returns to Punt Road Oval in Round 2 of the 2022 season.
