Siren 59: AFLW Grand Final, Tassie cricket, menstruation in sport & more
A Women in Sport Collective
Third time really was the charm for the Brisbane Lions who took home the 2021 AFLW premiership over the weekend after twice being runners up. It was a fairytale end to the season for the Lions, but the retirement of two players—captain Emma Zielke and women’s footy stalwart Lauren Arnell—who have been integral to the game and the Brisbane team demonstrated yet again just how challenging it is for the women of the AFLW to juggle work and family and their future with playing professional, or semi-professional sport.
It was a conversation Sharni Norder reiterated on ABC’s Offsiders on Sunday.
"As a female athlete, we're not supported enough to continue to play — we only play nine games a year," Norder said.
Norder, who has spent 18 years as a professional athlete reaching the pinnacle of netball and Aussie Rules, recently retired from the AFLW.
"...People watching on the outside are like, 'You're still playing well, we don't understand.' And I was like, 'No, you don't, because I know what it takes to put into it. And whilst I'm working full time, I can't. And whilst these women are having to work full time and play, they're tired.”
In the segment, Norder pointed out the challenges faced by semi-professional athletes, noting the lack of a full pre-season for the AFLW and no access to gym facilities in the off-season.
"You have to do extra work and then try to keep up the training, and then they wonder why it takes us five or six rounds to get into the season but we only play for nine games.”
As Siren’s Kate O’Halloran wrote for the ABC this week, addressing these challenges must be a priority for the AFL.
“No-one expects the AFL to have a crystal ball; only a vision for where it wants the competition to go and a plan for how to best look after its players, staff and the community that has grown around the game.”
Sirens in the wild!
Last Tuesday night, Kasey Symons and Kirby Fenwick attended the premiere of #EverythingIsPossible, a brand new docu-series that chronicles the highs and the lows of the 2020 Suncorp Super Netball Season. There may have been just a little fangirling!
FOX SPORTS and Kayo will air all six episodes in the run up to the 2021 Suncorp Super Netball season. The first two episodes are available now, episodes three and four will be available TONIGHT and episodes five and six will drop on April 27.
Siren Shirts
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These shirt sales help us to keep doing what we love doing: telling more stories about women in sport. They make great gifts if you’re keen to get your Christmas shopping sorted asap! You can also still buy our badges and pins here—every sale helps!
In this issue
We have Gemma Bastiani’s exclusive grand final edition of ‘The Round Up’ proudly brought to you by our friends at Women’s Australian Rules Football Radio.
Linda Pearce looks at a new education program from the AIS, the Female Performance and Health Initiative that addresses the way menstrual cycles and pregnancy impact performance.
And Mary Konstantopoulos delves into the story of women’s cricket in Tasmania, a new book telling the story and the developing pathways in the Apple Isle.
If you’re looking for more about the AFLW grand final, the Siren team has you covered.
While last year’s AFLW story was robbed of an ending, this year’s concluded with a fairytale finish writes Kasey Symons in The Guardian. Kasey was also interviewed by ESPN for this piece on the culture of AFLW.
Kate O’Halloran reviews the grand final for the ABC and also explores why the AFLW desperately needs some long-term planning.
If you missed them, catch up on the Grand Final preview episodes of This AFL Life from Alison Smirnoff and Gemma Bastiani’s Play On Preview with Julia Montesano. Perfect for listening to before a grand final re-watch!
And don’t miss Gemma’s Play On Review with Rana Hussain and Alison’s grand final review episode of This AFL Life. Also perfect to listen to before a grand final re-watch!
The Round Up: AFLW Grand Final 2021
By Gemma Bastiani
Presented by WARF Radio. The AFLW Grand Final gave the footy community everything the season deserved, and more. The Brisbane Lions are the 2021 AFLW premiers.
It’s time to talk about periods in sport
By Linda Pearce
Linda Pearce looks at a new education program from the AIS, the Female Performance and Health Initiative that addresses how periods and pregnancy impact performance.
An incredible journey: women’s cricket in the Apple Isle
By Mary Konstantopoulos
From the first game to developing pathways, Mary Konstantopoulos explores the story of women’s cricket in Tasmania and the new book that tells the tale.
Congratulations to Shyla Heal who was taken number 8 overall in the WNBA Draft by the Chicago Sky!
And congrats also to Tiana Mangakahia who is off to training camp with the Phoenix Mercury!
Britni De La Cretaz has written a beautiful feature on WNBA athlete Layshia Clarendon who identifies as gender non-binary. These stories are so important to have more voices share their experiences, and give more opportunities for learning and understanding. Also great to see Sports Illustrated make this piece their daily cover story.
Marnie Vinall interviews one of our faves, Rana Hussain, on how being a young Muslim and an Aussie rules fan is a tough match. Instead of turning away from the game, she forged a career fighting for inclusion and diversity.
How awesome was it to see Nicola McDermott become the first Australian woman to break high jump's 2-metre barrier?!
Congrats to Megan Maurice and Courtney Hagen who were both nominated for Pride in Sport Australia Awards last week! We’re so proud of these members of our Siren family.
Megan also recently conducted this great interview with Sharni Norder on the realities female athletes face in choosing career over sport.
Mary Konstantopoulos speaks to Josie Strong, the woman captaining the Helensburgh Tigers in their first year in the NSW Women’s Premiership.
If you’re missing the W-League, make sure you get your ears around The Far Post’s grand final season review pod!
Beth Mooney has been named the leading women’s cricketer in the world in Wisden’s 2021 Cricketers’ Almanac!
Brittany Carter looks at how the Queensland Firebirds are repairing their relationship with fans ahead of the 2021 Super Netball season.
The ANZ Premiership started this weekend too if you need some more netty to tide you over until the start of Super Netball!
This week’s tweet of the week is so good, it inspired a shirt!
Get behind our pals at League Tees who have been super awesome to us here at Siren. We love #womeninsport merch!
Runner up
So excited to see what you do in the WNBA Shyla! Go get ‘em!