Two women’s football matches will be played as curtain-raisers to Crows home games in 2016.
The SANFL All Stars program will culminate in a game on Adelaide Oval before the Round Two Showdown on Saturday, April 2. It follows the success of last year’s All Stars game, which was played as a curtain-raiser to Adelaide’s Round Three clash with Melbourne.
The Crows have joined forces with the SANFL to facilitate the 2016 All Stars program. Adelaide’s planned women's talent trial in January also signalled the start of the eight-week schedule.
From the All Stars program, a South Australian state team will be selected to play against New South Wales ahead of Adelaide’s Round 11 match against St Kilda on Sunday, June 5.
In total, there will be 10 women’s exhibition games in 2016 that will begin and end with games between Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs with teams representing Fremantle, West Coast, GWS Giants, the Sydney Swans, Northern Territory, Tasmania and South Australian All Stars participating.
Round one of this year's exhibition games will include players training in state academies while round two consists of state representative matches featuring the best players from around the country.
A national women’s competition is planned for 2017. AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan has indicated there’s likely to be one team from South Australia in the inaugural league. The AFL Commission will award women’s licences to AFL clubs later in the year.
2016 Female Football Exhibition Series – all times are local
Round 1
Melbourne v Western Bulldogs
5.10pm, Sunday, March 6
Highgate Recreational Reserve, Craigieburn
SANFL All Stars
10.40am, Saturday, April 2
Adelaide Oval
Sydney Swans v GWS Giants
1.40pm, Saturday, April 9
SCG
West Coast Eagles v Fremantle
3.10pm, Saturday, April 9
Domain Stadium
Northern Territory v Tasmania
12.10pm, Sunday, April 10
Peanut Reserve, St Kilda
Brisbane Lions v Gold Coast Suns
7.40pm, Saturday April 16
Gabba
Round 2
Melbourne v Queensland
10.40am, Sunday, May 22
MCG
Western Bulldogs v Western Australia
12.40pm, Sunday, June 5
Etihad Stadium
South Australia v New South Wales
1.10pm, Sunday, June 5
Adelaide Oval
Round Three – Hampson-Hardeman Cup
Western Bulldogs v Melbourne
7.20pm, Saturday, September 2
Venue TBC
