AFLW GM Nicole Livingstone to step down at season’s end

After six years and seven AFLW seasons, the AFL’s general manager of women’s football Nicole Livingstone has resigned and will step down after this weekend’s sold out grand final at Ikon Park.

The Olympic medallist swimmer joined the AFL in November 2017 after the inaugural women’s competition began in February of that year.

In her time in charge of the women’s game, Livingstone has overseen growth of the competition from just eight initial teams in the opening season to all 18 clubs in 2022, and from seven rounds with one final to 10 rounds and a four-week finals series for the first time in 2023.

Livingstone will finish in the role after the AFLW grand final. Ahead of the W awards ceremony on Monday night, the AFL announced that all tickets to Sunday’s game between North Melbourne and Brisbane have sold out.

“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 in a statement.

“When I sat with Gill [McLachlan] and Steve Hocking and Andrew Dillion 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.”

The AFL chief executive, Andrew Dillon, thanked Livingstone for her contribution and said she would be leaving women’s football “in the strongest position it has ever been”.

“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,” Dillon said.

“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.

“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.”

Livingstone acknowledged how much the sport had transformed since the start of the AFLW.

“Women involved in all areas of our game is now normal and no longer a pleasant surprise,” she said.

“My support and advocacy for AFLW won’t change, and I’m looking forward to what the future of the competition brings.”