The Australian Open is going to be played in Melbourne for the first time since the 2011 Australian Open, with the sport’s governing body, the Australian Rules Football Federation, saying it’s looking at adding a new game to its schedule.
“We are working on a potential expansion to the Australian Tour, with an event for both men and women and a tournament for men and mixed,” the AFRF said in a statement.
The AFL is also looking into the idea.
If the AFL can find a suitable venue, it could be in 2018.
The AFL also has a strong track record in developing new sport.
Former coach and now AFL vice-president, Darren Burgess, played two years in the AFL, which has now had two AFL teams in its past 50 years.
It’s a significant departure for the AFL to move away from the men’s game, but with the AFL’s focus on creating a stronger foundation for the future of the game in the future, that’s something it might not want to abandon too soon.
There’s no timetable for the announcement.