THE 2019/20 PFA W-LEAGUE REPORT SUPPORTING THE PLAYERS BUILDING THE GAME Photography Aleksander Jason Jaime Castaneda Ken Carter Joe Janko Western Sydney Wanderers Getty Images Professional Footballers Australia 2/55 Walsh Street, West Melbourne VIC 3003 1300 650 497 / [email protected] / www.pfa.net.au PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLERS AUSTRALIA PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLERS 2 W-LEAGUE REPORT 2019/20 FORE WORD by Kathryn Gill co-Chief Executive Professional Footballers Australia Coronavirus has changed the world and resilience, a long-term commitment to the role of we could bring the W-League season forward transformed football. women within football but more importantly we to accommodate space in the domestic global will need to continue to challenge the notion that football calendar. As a strategic move, this would The pandemic has been the greatest ever jolt to women’s football cannot stand equally alongside offer both domestic and international players the modern football industry and will continue men’s football. contract security, greater cohesion, protect the to place grave strain on the sport. The football health and wellbeing of players in a country that economy will not miraculously rebound, as if As players, we need to ensure that our voice is tracking well in relation to COVID safety and operating in isolation from the rest of commerce remains front and centre and that the momentum showcase globally and locally the incredible talent and the community. that players have built through the W-League that we can attract to the W-League. doesn’t regress. We need to ensure that the Its lasting effects will be difficult to measure, but long fight to build dignified and valued careers These decisions around the future are anchored the game’s reaction will be long remembered. continues. in some of the revealing trends and insights from last season’s competition. In simple terms, there are two ways to approach In compiling this report, there is a significant our game’s recovery. The first is to use this opportunity now for the W-League to more sharply This report provides context regarding the crisis as an opportunity to create a better define its purpose. powerful regional footprint that characterises football industry. The second is simple and rank women’s football, the growing attraction of opportunism, capitalising on a catastrophe. Is the W-League a world-leading development European powerhouse clubs to Australian players pathway designed to catapult our most talented and our ongoing capacity to pursue partnerships Sadly, football’s reaction has been the latter. Even players into the international market? with the NWSL, with the findings indicating: at the sport’s top level, clubs like Liverpool FC retreated from their “one club” campaign as their Recent trends might suggest as much. Several • 40% of the 2019/20 Australian born women’s team was relegated, while the English FA Matildas have secured high-profile moves to W-League players were developed in regional abandoned their entire women’s league. huge European and English clubs in the W-League areas (Players raised in Newcastle are off-season, which challenges the notion of the classified as regional players), more than the Australia has not fared much better. Club owners W-League wishing to directly compete as one of national population of 29%; within the A-League immediately defaulted to self- the globally elite footballing leagues. • New South Wales developed the most interest by moving to shift the burden of COVID-19 2019/20 W-League players, with over 31%, on to the players by standing them down without The option still exists for the W-League and NWSL followed by Queensland at just under 15%; pay and effectively shutting down all football to work collaboratively to provide a calendar year • Australian players are now targeting Europe operations. This was done unilaterally and without of football and a partnership that serves both our as their preferred foreign destination, with working with the players to help cooperatively international and domestic game, but changes to 93% of foreign-based players now in Europe, manage what was an awful situation for the industries may restrict a mutually-beneficial up from 39% this time last year; everybody involved in the sport. agreement. • fewer Australians are playing in the NWSL, with only 2 contracted in 2020, down from 14 Against this context, we cannot allow Whichever vision is most compelling and logical in 2019. opportunism to condemn the progress of the for the future of the W-League will require single- W-League and women’s football more generally. minded focus. There is no doubt that the progress of the W-League, which has ebbed and flowed and If our belief in women’s football is legitimate then Finally, looking forward to the 2020/21 W-League spiked in recent times will be tested by the there is incredible capacity to use this crisis as an season, I note that the Women’s leagues in contracting football economy. opportunity to build a better business. Coupled France, England, Spain and Italy were cancelled with the transformational opportunity co-hosting whilst Norway hangs in the balance. The NWSL The question for our game is whether we respond the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup presents, there has contracted its 7-month long season into a to that by demonstrating ingenuity to ensure is a responsibility to reform the game for the month-long tournament, concluding late July. that our commitment to women’s football isn’t better. compromised, or will we default to opportunism. The uncertainty facing the women’s game If we choose this path, we will need creativity, globally is an opportunity for the W-League and PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLERS AUSTRALIA PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLERS W-LEAGUE REPORT 2019/20 3 CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 06 Executive Summary STRATEGIC EMPLOYMENT LEAGUE TECHNICAL INJURY CONTEXT FRAMEWORK ASSESSMENT REPORT REPORT 08 13 21 29 33 W-League: Snapshot Snapshot Goals & Creation Snapshot The Numbers 10 14 22 30 34 Americans in the Player Payments Attendance & Passing & Methodology W-League Broadcast Possession 15 24 31 35 Player Analysis Competitive Defending & 2019/20 Season Balance Refereeing Overview 16 25 36 Foreign Players Pitch Ratings Injury Location 17 26 PLAYER DEVELOPMENT Match Minutes Atmosphere 18 27 38 Starting XI Stability Club Integration Program Engagement 19 39 Volume of Minutes Identity & Transition PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLERS AUSTRALIA PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLERS 4 W-LEAGUE REPORT 2019/20 W-LEAGUE SURVEY Methodology Where this symbol appears, you will see data and quotes from our major annual survey of W-League players. Every W-League player was sent a link to the online survey at the conclusion of the 2019/20 season. Between late-March and mid-April, a record 130 players responded to the survey, almost 75% of the playing cohort. The survey covered a broad range of areas impacting a player’s career, from their contract, to work and study outside of football, transition- readiness, assessments of their club, the W-League, Collective Bargaining and the PFA. PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLERS AUSTRALIA PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLERS W-LEAGUE REPORT 2019/20 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 130 197 40% Number of players who responded Number of players contracted with Percentage of Australian-born to the 2019/20 survey - nearly 75% W-League clubs in 2019/20, with an W-League players developed in of the W-League playing cohort average 4.2 seasons of experience regional areas* *Players raised in Newcastle are classified as regional players 93% 2 24 Percentage of foreign-based Number of Australians contracted Number of Australians who have Australian based players now* based in the NWSL, down from 14 in 2019 played in the NWSL since 2013, all in Europe. Up from 39% in 2019 of whom have represented Australia, *As of 10 July 2020 averaging 65 caps between them 82 $ 411, 821 Number of Americans who have The average spent on total player played in the W-League since payments per club, up 13% from 2012/13, with only 19 having last season appeared for the US Women’s National Team PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLERS AUSTRALIA PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLERS 6 W-LEAGUE REPORT 2019/20 PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLERS AUSTRALIA PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLERS W-LEAGUE REPORT 2019/20 7 W-League: STRATEGIC The Numbers To gain a better understanding of the talent CONTEXT pool involved in the W-League, the PFA explored the depth of experience, club background and member federation distribution in both a metropolitan and regional context. With over Experience by Number of Seasons 80% of players developed in Australia and only two states and territories not represented by a W-League club, understanding the relationship 60 between the harnessing of talent and the existence of professional clubs will provide food for thought as the W-League considers expansion 50 54 in the future. 40 30 31 20 21 20 10 14 11 10 10 9 0 6 6 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 In all, 197 players were contracted with W-League clubs in 2019/20, with an average 4.2 seasons of experience. Player Turnover 3.9 120 3.4 3.5 124 100 118 2.1 108 2.8 2.4 80 91 1.6 2.4 2.3 88 82 73 74 60 71 40 44 46 34 34 20 31 1.8 31 31 32 32 7 4 0 Total Seasons Western Sydney Wanderers has been most prolific season. Sydney FC (3.9), Newcastle Jets (3.5) and in offering a home to players, with 46 players Brisbane Roar (3.4) are the clubs which offer the Total Players having played at the club since its foundation greatest chance of building consistency with a Average Seasons in 2012.