ROAR

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Réclamation

The incredible story of a team of AFLW pioneers who built a league of their own.

It took 121 years, but on the evening of 3 February 2017 the first women’s game of Australian Rules Football for AFL premiership points finally took place. The nation was watching - millions of Australians tuned in – and a horde of spectators forced a stadium lock out. The inaugural season of the AFL Women’s league was a game-changer for Australian sport and for the country, culturally.
Walkley Award-winning journalist Sam Lane charts the birth of the AFLW from its beginnings - when it
was viewed as a niche, side-show distraction - to the electrifying first season that exceeded all expectations. She speaks with the trailblazers who, through grit and lateral thinking, pushed through a male hierarchy in this giant step towards gender equity in sport, overcoming sexism, homophobia and patriarchy.

Featuring Tayla Harris, Darcy Vescio, Katie Brennan, Daisy Pearce, Sam Mostyn, Jan Cooper, Chyloe Kurdas, Debbie Lee, Peter Gordon, Josh Vanderloo, Peggy O’Neal, Peter Jackson and Gillon McLachlan, this 6-part audio series charts the experiences of female and male AFL executives and AWFL footballers in their uphill battle to realising a dream. From facing long-held dismissive attitudes to women’s football, to finding the strength to empower themselves on and off-field, to eventually convincing the AFL to back the vision.

This is a story about a movement bigger than sport.