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Nicole Livingstone will step down as the AFL’s general manager of women’s football after this weekend’s AFLW grand final.
Livingstone will finish up after seven seasons in the role. She joined the AFL in November 2017, after its inaugural season, and has overseen the competition’s growth from eight teams to 18. In that time, the number of rounds per season has increased from seven and one final to 10 rounds and four weeks of finals in 2023. Additional rounds will be added starting next season.
Nicole Livingstone is stepping down as AFLW boss.Credit: AFLW
“After six years and on the eve of the completion of our best AFLW season to date, the time feels right for me to step away and support the AFLW competition from a different perspective,” Livingstone said.
“When I sat with Gill [McLachlan] and Steve Hocking and Andrew Dillon in 2017 before taking on this role, we spoke about aspirations for AFLW. We wanted a league that was pride of place in the Australian sporting landscape and was respected for what was being created.
“We wanted to create an opportunity for every one of our 18 clubs to experience what having an AFLW program would bring to their club; athletically, culturally and commercially. Most importantly I wanted opportunities for girls and women to play, coach, umpire, administer and even broadcast our game.
“Australian football looks different from when I started. Women involved in all areas of our game is now normal and no longer a pleasant surprise.
“My support and advocacy for AFLW won’t change, and I’m looking forward to what the future of the competition brings. Thank you to ‘Dills’, Laura [Kane], everyone at the AFL for the opportunity to play a role in a sport that means so much to so many people.”
AFL CEO Andrew Dillon thanked Livingstone for her contribution.
“Nicole has been not only an important person in our AFL team, but within the whole industry. She has been able to deliver and get exceptional outcomes for our AFLW competition, our clubs, our players and our fans, which has AFLW and women’s football in the strongest position it has ever been,” he said.
“When Nicole first joined the AFL, we had just completed one season with eight teams, a seven-game season and only one final, we had a groundswell of support and Nic turned that energy into a growing, sustainable and successful national women’s competition that we see today.
“Women and girls’ participation in Australian football has surged since the inception of AFLW. We now have more girls playing, coaching, umpiring and administrating our game and Nic has played a big part in that growth.
“On behalf of everyone at the AFL, we thank Nic for her leadership and her passionate advocacy for our AFLW competition and more broadly women’s footy. Nic leaves our code having made a lasting impact, we wish her all the best and we look forward to seeing what she does next.”
The AFL will go to market and advertise for a general manager of women’s football after the grand final.
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