'Harder than it needs to be': AFLW star Libby Birch calls out league planners for 'uncertain' competition dates

Star Melbourne defender Libby Birch has criticised the AFLW's pending competition dates and lack of communication with players on the eve of this season's finals campaign.

In an opinion piece published by The Age, Birch detailed some of the difficulties faced by AFLW players as they manoeuver the semi-professional nature of the league. This includes the short seasons and lack of foresight causing players to, "upend their lives on a whim".

Season six of the AFLW wrapped up in April this year after it was announced just the month before that season seven would be brought forward to begin in August - leaving only a four-month turnaround period.

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With season seven's home-and-away season now complete, eight teams will contest this month's finals series. However, Birch said this should not distract from the 10 other squads who are now adjusting back to their normal lives and stomaching the unknowns of yet another uncertain competition coming next year.

"The uncertainty that AFLW players face makes this time of year harder than it needs to be," she wrote.

"With the rushed connection between seasons six and seven, there was no time to formulate long-term strategies.

"This has left us in a position we are all too familiar with. Our contracts wind up at the end of the year, but there have been no decisions on list numbers for 2023, and no dates have been set for delisting and resigning periods.

"The competition had a sign and trade period after season six but does that mean we have another one post season seven? If so, that will be two player movement periods in the same year – which is a lot. Seventy-six players moved between the 2022 seasons. If that's the case again, that's 76 players who have no idea which club they will be at next season."

With no timeline set for when the next season will begin, Birch said the governing body must use the off-season to forward plan.

"As a competition and organisation, the AFLW needs to get better at this. The AFL can't continue to ask players to change their lives around at the drop of a hat. This year we did that, but now it's time to find consistency in our scheduling and overall year," she wrote.

"After the finals, there will be a substantial off-season – the perfect time to get this all sorted. It still grinds my bones that the men's competition dates are released firmly in advance and the women's game is always just left to make it up on the run."

For the first time, the 2022 AFLW season seven finals series will feature eight teams in a four-week finals format. This follows the same structure as the AFL finals.

At the completion of the regular season, the top eight in order consists of: Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, Richmond, Geelong, Collingwood, the Western Bulldogs and North Melbourne.

Week-one finals match-ups

Friday, November 4

Second qualifying final: Melbourne Demons vs Adelaide Crows, 7:10pm AEDT at IKON Park

Saturday, November 5

First qualifying final: Brisbane Lions vs Richmond Tigers, 4:10pm AEDT/ 3:10 pm local time at Metricon Stadium

First elimination final: Geelong Cats vs North Melbourne, 7:10pm AEDT at GMHBA Stadium

Sunday, November 6

Second elimination final: Collingwood Magpies vs Western Bulldogs, 3:10pm AEDT at Victoria Park

Team Selection

Melbourne - The Demons have made no changes to its starting side as it prepares to face off against the reigning premiers.

FB: T. Gillard, L. Birch

HB: S. Heath, M. Gay, S. Goldrick

C: B. Mackin, T. Hanks, S. Lampard

HF: A. Bannan, K. Paxman, K. Hore

FF: D. Pearce, T. Harris

R: L. Pearce, O. Purcell, L. Mithen

INT: M. Chaplin, C. Sherriff, E. Zanker, E. West, M. Fitzsimon

EMG: C. Wilson, J. Ivey, M. Caris

Adelaide - Three-time premiership captain Chelsea Randall returns to the Crows' lineup from an ankle injury. While, forward Lisa Whiteley has been omitted.

FB: S. Allan, N. Allen

HB: C. Biddell, C. Randall, Z. Prowse

C: S. Thompson, A. Hatchard, M. Newman

HF: R. Martin, D. Ponter, E. Jones

FF: C. Gould, A. Woodland

R: M. McKinnon, E. Marinoff, T. Charlton

INT: K. Muller, A. Ballard, H. Button, N. Kelly, H. Munyard

EMG: L. Whiteley, B. Tonon, M Rajcic

Brisbane - TBC

Richmond - TBC

Geelong - TBC

North Melbourne - TBC

Collingwood - TBC

Western Bulldogs - TBC

Every runner in the 2022 Melbourne Cup field analysed

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