The 2-1 defeat of Brazil in Sydney last Saturday drew some 15,000 fans, more than one of the weekend's playoff matches in the hugely popular men's Australian Football League and a rugby union international between Australia and Argentina. The recent success of the Matildas has played its part in the explosion of interest but it also echoes the development of women's professional leagues in cricket and Australian Rules football, the popular indigenous sport. CA has made significant investment in women's sport and chief executive James Sutherland is "very confident" it will ultimately pay for itself. ROARING SUCCESSAnother pathway that has opened up only recently is in the women's Australian Football League (AFLW), which proved a roaring success in its inaugural season this year. "There's a whole swell of support from a new generation of young people who are asking, 'Why shouldn't women play football?

Source: The Star September 21, 2017 07:41 UTC