AFTER missing out on Victorian Football League (VFL) Women’s finals last season, Melbourne University has earned a place in the post-season series with a do-or-die clash against Geelong kicking off this weekend. Mugars’ coach Scott Gowans said the competition as a whole has made remarkable strides in overall competitiveness with the gap between the top and bottom sides closing.

“I think the competition overall has increased,” he said. “The level of skill, even just looking at Champion Data the other day. The average chain of possession has gone up which is great for the competition, so my perception was that we’d be competitive this year, which I think our finishing spot said the expectation was met. “I reckon though there are some games now you come up against lower sides, and you just don’t know that you’re gonna win. “2017 and before that, you could almost guarantee the ladder positions and who was going to win each week but that’s gone and you just see Darebin coming on at the end of the year and Essendon, and Casey had some really good wins towards the end. “It’s a much more even competition, and I think for the health of women’s footy in general, it’s a great thing.”

Gowans has the luxury of coaching both in the VFLW space as well as the Mugars’ AFL Women’s affiliate, North Melbourne. This year, North Melbourne’s AFL Women’s players suited up for the VFLW program, which he has described as “incredibly beneficial” for the 2019 season.

“We were able to put the girls on particular programs off-field and programs on-field,” Gowans said. “So we did some individual programs for them and what they needed to work from a physician point of view for AFLW and that’s massive because it just gives you the time where you can take a break because as you guys know you get to AFLW and it’s gone in a flash. “So all the development has to happen in the winter. Some of the development such as Emma King is a classic example, her development is actually not to play. “Her development is all vision and IDP (individual development program) stuff off-field and getting her body right, so that’s a big part of it as well. “But the winter allows you to do that with the VFLW, and hopefully once AFLW pre-season starts which will be really soon, they’ll be in much better place than they were last year.”

While Melbourne Uni has to narrow its focus on Geelong this week, Gowans is aware than any of the six competing finals sides could go the full distance in season 2019.

“Well I was just saying before any of the six can win it,” he said. “Collingwood and St Kilda are clearly the two best for the year to date, but the Bulldogs have got momentum and momentum is massive in football and I think they’ve got a really good show. Geelong who we play this week are a side that if you don’t get on top of them on the scoreboard they’ll get you into a fight stoppage after stoppage, they’re really good at stoppages which is why they try and do it and spread from there. So you’ve got to try and take their game plan away from them. “I honestly believe that any of the six can win, I think if you look at the results throughout the year, the scoreboards reflect that as well so it will be a fascinating finals series.”

Melbourne Uni faces Geelong at Adcon Stadium tomorrow from 11.45am, with the winner to play the loser from the Collingwood-Southern Saints clash the following week.

*For a look inside the VFL Women’s development system, keep an eye out next week as the Melbourne Uni coach gives an insight into the way clubs look to get as many players drafted as possible.*