BALLARAT’S AFL player Kaitlyn Ashmore says ongoing public debate about player payments for the inaugural women’s league is incredible.
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It reinforces that what players put out on the park on Saturday night meant something, and still means something, to a wide audience.
Women’s players, including Ashmore, and draftee hopefuls are not keen to weigh in about pay while the AFL Players Association continues to negotiate with the AFL.
Most were rapt at the chance to play in an AFL-endorsed league with the backing of major clubs.
Ashmore, a newly named Brisbane Lions’ priority pick, said not long ago she could still hardly imagine even being paid at all to play.
When Ashmore, now aged 24, started playing senior football with the now-defunct North Ballarat Eagles, her team was lucky to get six players to training. There was no youth girls league.
A Western Bulldogs-Melbourne all-stars game attracted the highest rating television for an AFL match on a Saturday night this year.
More than one millions viewers tuned into Channel 7 at the broadcast peak and 6,365 spectators crowded in for action at Whitten Oval.
“The game at the weekend had real perfect conditions – Saturday night, seven o’clock, no other footy on, everyone across Australia could watch is and it was the best 50 girls in the country,” Ashmore said.
“The whole game was professional by everyone and every player took her game to that level.
“Players will be spread across a few extra teams next year but hopefully for the girls who join in, it can really lift their games too.”
Ashmore joined the Lions late last week, after two years with the Bulldogs and playing the inaugural AFL-endorsed women’s game with Melbourne in 2013.
There are already Instagram fan pages emerging of Ashmore and fellow players like Bulldogs’ Katie Brennan and Bulldog-turned-Magpie Moana Hope.
The fact people know their names and follow their games both humbles and thrills Ashmore, who will once again take her game into new, developing football territory.
“The women’s game has been good at actually putting a little publicity into Brissie,” Ashmore said.
“I know it’s not going to be like Melbourne is with footy when I move up there, but it’s really exciting.”
Ashmore starts pre-season training on November 22.
