This team. These women.
This is what sheer grit and determination look like. Too soon for a match report. We’re still feeling all the feels. There’s lots of great plays and standout performances to mention, but for now we’re just gonna celebrate.
Thank you to the other teams for the stiff competition and making us work for it! Women’s footy in Asia is growing so quickly and it’s fantastic to see the growth and development in teams after just 1 year 👏🏽 shoutout to the Vietnam Lady Swans, Cambodia Apsaras, Hong Kong Dragons, Singapore Wombettes, and Thailand Tigers.
Words Matty Gale – Photos Kai Photography
The Malaysian Warrior Women’s have put their 2018 disappointment behind them and in doing so have deservedly become the AFL Asia 2019 Thai Expat Club AFW Asian Champions and the toast of Women’s Football within Asia, after going through the tournament undefeated and beating their Grand Final opponents the Hong Kong Dragons in comprehensive fashion.
The 2nd Edition of the AFL Asia AFLW Asian Championships was enormously successful, firstly highlighted by our two debutant teams, the ‘Asian Champs’ hosts – The Thailand Tigers and the Singapore Wombettes, and secondly the noticeable improvement in team strategy, skill acquisition, game sense and ability to move the ball more effectively, despite the blustery conditions that the players encountered on the day.
The inaugural AFW Asian Champions the Vietnam Swans were the hunted from the outset by all and sundry, whilst all eyes were on our latest additions in their debut campaigns, the mosquito fleet-footed Cambodian Apsaras and whether the Hong Kong Dragons and Malaysian Warrior Women’s could overcome last year’s disappointment as runner-up’s and missing out on the big dance respectively.
As fate would have it, the Singapore Wombettes were a revelation and will be a side to watch in the future, the Cambodian Apsaras lost no fans with their investment in local development, the Thailand Tigers will be better for their involvement this year, whilst the Vietnam Swans finished a gallant 3rd after facing both Grand Finalists during the preliminary phase of the tournament.
The Malaysian Warrior Women’s were a stand out team during our inaugural home and away series and were the penultimate bridesmaids after missing out on last year’s Grand Final, whilst the highly spirited Hong Kong Dragons, exceeded all expectations last year by making the Grand Final during their first ever tournament.
A driven and focused Malaysian Warrior Women’s pencilled in this year’s grand finale as their ultimate goal and equally the Hong Kong Dragons had their eyes on going one better, but unfortunately there could only be one winner and the Malaysian Warrior Women’s climbed to the top of the mountain and saluted accordingly!
There was no love nor respect lost on the Hong Kong Dragons girls, who can hold their heads held high and admirably, but this year will always be remembered as the year of the Malaysian Warrior Women’s and rightfully so!!!
AFL Asia would like to officially congratulate the Malaysian Warrior Women’s on becoming the Thai Expat Club AFLW Division Asian Champions for 2019 and that we’re extremely proud of how Women’s football is growing a a rapid rate and we look forward to further growth next year and beyond!