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What A Particularly Excellent Week It Has Been For Women In Sport

Three days, three announcements, six codes.
The women's AFL sides are announced. And that's not the only thing.
Getty Images
The women's AFL sides are announced. And that's not the only thing.

If you're already over the election, we apologise in advance, because we're about to steal a phrase from the Prime Minister himself. There's never been a better time to be a woman in sport. (Okay, we changed it a bit.)

Actually, there was that week when Rebecca Maddern made her debut on The Footy Show which was pretty damn good. But this week has been particularly excellent.

Money has been put behind Australian women, as well as voices from the biggest Australian codes put behind a cause impacting women significantly more than men, and there's been an announcement putting more women on the field.

So let's get to it.

On Wednesday we had a double-whammy of excellence.

The first female AFL teams were announced with eight teams across the code announcing their women's side. This includes four Victorian sides -- Carlton, Collingwood, Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs. Outside the state were the Adelaide Crows, Brisbane Lions, Fremantle and GWS.

The National Women's League kicks off in February next year for an eight week season.

So you'll soon be seeing more of this.

Tayla Harris of the Demons with the most elegant kick ever.
Getty: Michael Dodge
Tayla Harris of the Demons with the most elegant kick ever.

And this.

Ebony-Rose Antonio of the Demons takes a screamer during a Women's AFL exhibition match in August.
Getty Images
Ebony-Rose Antonio of the Demons takes a screamer during a Women's AFL exhibition match in August.

Outside the greatest game in the nation (no, we're not biased at all), the Wallaroos landed their biggest ever partnership with BuildCorp gaining naming rights of the team and the upcoming Women's National XV's Championships in Sydney.

The Wallaroos will also take on the Black Ferns in October before the Wallabies play the All Blacks.

And if those announcements weren't enough already, four sporting codes joined forces on Friday with domestic violence prevention group Our Watch to stand up against domestic violence.

The AFL, NRL, Rugby Union and Netball Australia signed a leadership statement in Melbourne on Friday, committing to reducing the scourge of domestic violence by building respect and equality in the sporting codes through systemic approaches.

"It is important that sport, which has such a big influence on our society, uses this influence to advocate for respect, gender equality, inclusion and non-violence on and off the field," AFL CEO Gill McLachlan said.

Take a look at the campaign video launched today:

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