AFLW Round 4 marks the first of three consecutive weeks where there are games on every single day except for a Monday and AFL grand final day.
This condensed schedule is the league's solution to adding an extra game to the fixture (11 in total plus four weeks of finals) without extending the calendar length of the season.
It means that AFLW was able to still begin during the men's bye week ahead of their finals series but that the women's grand final can remain on November 30, allowing for the trade and draft period to happen in December.
Let's look at some of the pros and cons of this fixturing format.
Pros
One positive is that despite men's finals footy taking prime time weekend slots, AFLW has clear air for TV viewers during the week. With games on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, anyone hungry for footy action will be tuning into the women's competition for those three days during the week without the danger of men's footy taking precedence.
Another positive for fans is that in some states, school holidays coincide with the mid-week games, like when Brisbane face the Bulldogs at their home ground in Springfield next Wednesday. I've collated some of the clashes that coincide with a state's school holidays below:
Brisbane vs. Bulldogs, Wednesday September 18, Brighton Homes Arena
Richmond vs. Port Adelaide, Tuesday September 24, Ikon Park
Carlton vs. North Melbourne, Wednesday September 25, Ikon Park
Geelong vs. Hawks, Thursday September 26, GMHBA Stadium
Geelong vs. Fremantle, Tuesday October 1, GMHBA Stadium
Essendon vs. Sydney Swans, Wednesday October 2, Whitten Oval
Melbourne vs. GWS Giants, Thursday October 3, Ikon Park
The condensed nature also means many interstate teams will remain in Victoria for a week or 10 days to play multiple games and then can reduce travel later in the season.
The largest pro is that despite there being some challenges with the approach, it means that the AFL has kept their promise and delivered on an extra game this season, and no matter how it's being done, there is more footy being played.
Cons
The AFLW venues tend to be suburban grounds which means if you're coming from work or school, or the city, it may not be as accessible as if you have the day off or the venue were centrally located near public transport.
There is also a danger of smaller crowds because of this, and for anyone who travels to watch their side, to do so for more than one game a week is an almighty ask.
If there is less of a crowd, this impacts the revenue generated at a game and, in turn, the milestones that AFLW must reach to be afforded a 12-game season next year.
If you're unfamiliar, the most recent CBA outlines the hope to lengthen the season to 14 matches by 2027, but this is dependent upon reaching "key audience metrics" including 6,000 fans a game and 100,000 broadcast viewers.
And from a player perspective, the cons are clear. There's less time for rest and recovery, if you have an injury that would usually sit you out for a couple of games, you'll likely miss three or four in this period, and if your side is travelling for a game, you'll have even less time to adjust.
Many teams have opted to barely train at all during this time to assist with recovery.
These issues also mean that for teams with a large injury list like Collingwood, Fremantle or Essendon, they'll be utilising every last player in their squad and hoping it's enough to keep them afloat.
If teams dip below having 24 available players (21 players plus three emergencies) they can name one of their 10 train-on players.
The condensed fixture began last night with the Eagles defeating the Pies, and runs until Sunday October 13, before games will be played from Thursday-Sundays for the remainder of the season.