The Supporting the Players Building the Game From the The 9th season of the W-League - 2016/17 - As a snapshot, it is fascinating to compare will be remembered for many reasons. and contrast the style being developed Chief Executive within the W-League to, for example, Firstly, Melbourne City became the first the A-League. The data indicates that team to win back to back Championships. the W-League is developing a distinctive Secondly, the Grand Final hosted by Perth character, for example: Glory was the highest attended match in W-League Grand Final history as well as the • It is a far more direct competition, with most watched, with over 440,000 viewers just over 15% fewer passes per match tuning in. Thirdly, it will be the final but with 15% more of its passes being season of players not being remunerated as forward and 20% more of its passes professional footballers; the new Collective played long Bargaining Agreement which kicks in • There were more goals per match and for season 2017/18 ensures that from this far fewer scoreless draws that in men’s season on, every W-League player is paid as professional football. For example, 12% a professional. of last season’s J-League matches and Historically, this document will be a 5% of A-League matches finished in valuable sign-post in measuring and a scoreless draw whilst only 1.75% of tracking the transition from an amateur or W-League matches did last season semi-professional framework into a new • There were also far fewer disciplinary world of striving for professionalism within matters, with significantly less fouls, the W-League. yellow cards and red cards within the The inaugural W-League Report has tracked W-League as compared within the areas that we believe are hugely relevant A-League last season. in building the W-League into the best Tracking these numbers as the possible competition, both as a domestic professionalism of the W-League evolves sporting proposition and on the global will be a fascinating exercise and hopefully stage. These areas include: player payments, enhance all components of what is a player match minutes, competitiveness of wonderful competition. the competition, technical components of the game, injury reporting and the quality of the match day. As this is the first season of the W-League Report, we can only guess as to whether the W-League is improving in these critical areas. 2 3 CONTENTS Employment Framework 6 Economics 8 Player Findings 10 Match Minutes 14 Competitiveness 16 Coaching Stability 18 Performance Standards 20 Technical Report 22 Injury Report 32 Stadium Ratings 42 4 5 SNAPSHOT EMPLOYMENT 29% of players were in their 18-20 first W-League season FRAMEWORK players in each squad 5.7 average number of matches played per player 187 total number of contracted players 23.6 average age league wide 39% of foreign players were internationally $50,000 capped minimum total player payments spend The W-League remains one of the least lucrative sports for players on a national level and boasts the least number of professional players and matches when compared to international competitors. 6 7 Minimum Salary: Economics A National Comparison Minimum salary compared across local competitions 2016/17 W-League total player payments $27,375 150000 150000 150000 $8,500 $7,000 50000 50000 50000 $2,500 40000 35000 0 W-League Women’s Big Bash Suncorp Super AFLW League Netball 2008/15 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 Salary Floor Salary Cap FFA Club Grant The W-League has the lowest Minimum Remuneration of the sports analysed. 2016/17 was the first season that the clubs were required to spend their entire $50,000 FFA grant on player payments. Amateur allowance of $60-$115 per week was also introduced. 8 9 Player Findings Professional Players: An International Comparision layer bre e p akd gu ow ea n -L 2 Number of professionals in 0 W 1 6 international leagues 2016/17 / 1 33 7 150 120 average Australian 154 90 Foreign 60 30 0 187 players were contracted in the 2016/17 W-League season To improve its standing, the W-League needs more professional players Professional players includes foreign players and national team players in each of the respective leagues 10 11 PLAYERS CONTRACTED PER CLUB Number of foreign players in the W-League The 2016/17 Season Players 35 used per club 30 25 e United ne Roar ra Unit 20 id : 2 ba : er ed a 3 s 19 b : l ri n 2 e a 1 15 d B C A number of foreign players 10 5 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 urne Cit e Victor astle Je o y n y: c ts lb : 1 r 2 w : 2 e 9 u 2 e 1 o N b M l e M 2016/17 W-League season, 33 foreign players from 9 different countries Glory ey FC: ney W th : 2 dn 21 d an er 0 y Sy d P S e n r ope e meric r r h A a u e r t E t r s o s : N e 2 sia 1 A W 26 2 1 a c i r f A 1 S ou t h ia an A ce m O e r i 1 c Average number of players a 2 20.7 used per club of players were in their first 29% W-League season of players were in their first 40% year at their 2016/17 club 12 13 Match Minutes Match minutes played in 2016/17, by age No. of players Total minutes Average minutes Age who made an Total appearances played per player appearance Players who played every minute in 2016/17 <17 23 10,442 179 454 18-24 98 58,283 806 595 25-29 42 33,348 419 794 30+ 8 5,013 62 627 Total 171 107,086 1,466 618 The average player played 5.7 matches Foriegn Australian 29 players played every minute (1,080 minutes) of all 12 games in the 2016/17 W-League regular season. 49 players played in all 12 regular season games. 14 15 Competitiveness International comparison of clubs, seasons & matches across professional leagues 2016/17 Average league position, Championships, Premierships, 150 Grand Final and Finals Series appearances # of matches 120 90 1 60 2 30 3 0 Average League Position 4 Sweden USA England France Germany South Korea Japan Australia 5 30 6 7 15 8 0 9 Sweden USA England France Germany South Korea Japan Australia Length of Season (months) # of Rounds # of Teams # Finals series appearances The W-League has the shortest Three clubs have won seven out of the season and number of matches of the nine Premierships in the W-League. professional football leagues analysed. Those clubs have qualified for the Grand Final 12 times out of possible 18 places. Top tier leagues only. Sweden, England, France, Germany and Japan have second divisions with promotion and relegation. 16 17 Coaching StabilitY Number of W-League coaches per club since 2008 10 8 6 average 4 number of coaches of number 2 0 Seasons in W-League Coaches There is a high degree of churn amongst W-League coaches, with an average number of four coaches at each club since the start of the W-League. 18 19 SNAPSHOT PERFORMANCE STANDARDS 130 1.4 matches missed players missing due due to injury to injury on average each match per club 27% of matches missed 3.8 as a result of knee average injuries per club injuries in 2016/17 Melbourne City were the W-League’s The W-League most dominant averaged 3.49 goals team in terms of per match. Adelaide ball possession, United averaged the averaging 59% per highest with 2.58 match goals per match. 20 21 Technical Report Goals Goal Total % of s p g go e oa a r l ll s e m s s a d t c r h a 3.49 199 1.75% w s About the Scoring breakdown PFA W-League Technical Report 25 This report identifies tactical, technical and statistical trends for the 20 2016/17 W-League season, which is the first season covered by Opta data. The PFA believes a better informed game leads to more impactful football 15 education, analysis and decision-making. s % of goal 10 5 0 0-15 16-30 31-HT 46-60 61-75 76-FT minute Creation conv s on ts pe ots er ot tar ho r g t h g s a h e S e l m S d t a : % : t e % o : T 12.3% 37.2% 26.1 m e m outsid fro set es p r m ro e ls p ss at f t a i o c s h o e r h t e c G e C : o a s h r % : S e 42% a 27% 34.5 : % 22 23 Scoring | club by club Adelaide United Brisbane Roar Canberra United Melbourne City Melbourne Victory Newcastle Jets Perth Glory Sydney FC Western Sydney Wanderers 24 25 Passing and Passing and possession | club by club possession Adelaide United Brisbane Roar Canberra United league averages Average possession % 60 Pass letion % e p 55 s m pe 5 co 8 00 r 2 g a 50 43 m 4 5 osses 2 e Cr 37 0 0 2 45 3 0 6 1 5 Total passes per match: 1 0 5 6 14 57 70 % n 5 io 18 7 t e Cr 62 0 l 2 8 p os 2 745.14 s m e s co p e 67 r g Pass a m e 72 Pass completion % % Passes completed: in opp half 69.1% Melbourne City Melbourne Victory Newcastle Jets % Passes long: 17.8% % Passes forward: 42.4% Perth Glory Sydney FC Western Sydney Wanderers % Passes in opposition half: 50.9% 26 27 Defending | club by club Adelaide United Brisbane Roar Canberra United Goals conceded per game Goals conceded per game S S 2.4 ho 2.4 ho ts t s n co n co n n wo 2.05 ce wo 2.05 ce s s de de e le kl 2 2 c 0 d 0 d 78 p 78 p 1.7 e tack 1.7 e 18 18 % ta r % 6 r 76 g 7 g a a 16 m 1 m 6 74 1.35 e 74 1.35 e 14 1 4 72 72 17 17 74 74 2 47.5 2 47.5 0 0 80 0 8 6 e e 2 8 2 86 Ta 3 m Ta 3 m a 2 a 50 g 50 c 2 92 c 2 9 g k 6 r k 6 r le e le e s p s p p p e ls e ls r 52.5 e r 52.5 e g u g u a a m D m D e e 55 55 % Duels won % Duels won Melbourne City Melbourne Victory Newcastle Jets Goals conceded per game Goals conceded per game Goals conceded per game S S S ho ho h 2.4 2.4 2.4 o ts t t s s n co n co n co n n n wo 2.05 ce wo 2.05 ce wo 2.05 ce s s s e d de e d e le e 2 2 2 ckl 0 d 0 d ckl 0 d 78 p 78 p 78 p 1.7 e tack 1.7 e 1.7 e 18 18 18 % ta r % r % ta 6 r 76 g 76 g 7 g a a a 16 m 16 m 16 m 74 1.35 e 74 1.35 e 74 1.35 e 1 14 1 4 4 72 72 72 17 17