WARF Radio will feature 6 women commentators in the VWFL final coverage

Women’s Australian Rules Football Radio (WARF Radio), through RSN927’s digital radio channel ‘Carnival’, will feature six women as part of its seven-member commentary team for this Sunday’s VFL Women’s Grand Final.
 
When AFL heavyweights Hawthorn and Geelong go head-to-head at Etihad Stadium in the first ever women’s grand final appearance for both clubs, the play-by-play action will be called by the most experienced and respected commentary team in the women’s game.
 
The volunteer run WARF Radio has provided coverage of 178 women’s footy matches over the past five years.
 
Leading the play-by-play coverage from 11am (AEST) on Sunday will be Melbourne University VAFA Premiership footballer and ABC Grandstand cadet, Lucy Watkin who says she is excited about leading the team “As a huge supporter and fan of women’s footy the VFLW Grand Final will be one the best showcases of the women’s game. Even better is getting to see the Hawks and Cats rivalry play out on a different stage and like the battles the two AFL [men’s] teams have played out recently I think it’ll be the Hawks that will win in nail biting fashion.”
 
Watkin will be joined in the play-by-play calling role by Matthew Cocks with match analysts Sasha Dougherty and Lisa Roper, stats guru Kristy Williams, and boundary riders Julia Montesano and Niamh Felton.
 
WARF Radio co-founder and grand final day producer Peter Holden hopes the historic call will open the eyes of radio networks to the talented women who are covering Aussie rules.
 
He says “The women that will put on the headsets this Sunday have the right mix of experience, intelligence and humour that will not only make (the) coverage entertaining, but would also sit perfectly in any official AFL broadcaster’s coverage, should they choose to look outside the bubble in 2019”.