by Sam Lane & Podshape
Podcast Overview
<p>The incredible story of a team of AFLW pioneers who built a league of their own.</p> <p>It took 121 years, but on the evening of 3 February 2017 the first women’s game of Australian Rules Football for AFL premiership points finally took place. The nation was watching - millions of Australians tuned in – and a horde of spectators forced a stadium lock out. The inaugural season of the AFL Women’s league was a game-changer for Australian sport and for the country, culturally.<br>Walkley Award-winning journalist Sam Lane charts the birth of the AFLW from its beginnings - when it<br>was viewed as a niche, side-show distraction - to the electrifying first season that exceeded all expectations. She speaks with the trailblazers who, through grit and lateral thinking, pushed through a male hierarchy in this giant step towards gender equity in sport, overcoming sexism, homophobia and patriarchy.</p> <p>Featuring Tayla Harris, Darcy Vescio, Katie Brennan, Daisy Pearce, Sam Mostyn, Jan Cooper, Chyloe Kurdas, Debbie Lee, Peter Gordon, Josh Vanderloo, Peggy O’Neal, Peter Jackson and Gillon McLachlan, this 6-part audio series charts the experiences of female and male AFL executives and AWFL footballers in their uphill battle to realising a dream. From facing long-held dismissive attitudes to women’s football, to finding the strength to empower themselves on and off-field, to eventually convincing the AFL to back the vision.</p> <p>This is a story about a movement bigger than sport.</p>
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
10/23/2025
1 verified contact email on file for ROAR
Pitch yourself as a guest, propose sponsorships, or reach out directly to the host.
Recent Episodes
November 25, 2025
The Night Australia Roared
<p>On February 4, 2017 a stadium overflowed as fans were turned away after the gates had to be locked at a sporting event that changed Australia forever. <br> </p> <p>In this sixth and final episode of ROAR Sam Lane takes listeners inside AFLW’s opening night, re-living the audible, visual and tangible power of that monumental competition launch game. </p> <p>You’ll hear the passion and emotion of Debbie Lee, Peggy O’Neal, Colin Carter and the AFL’s Commission chairman of the day, Mike Fitzpatrick as the ROAR of that unforgettable night lives on. </p> <p><strong>Download and follow ROAR.</strong> <strong>You might even share it with someone you think might like, or learn from, it too.</strong> </p> <p> <br>This recording would not have been possible without the generous philanthropic backing of Ian Darling and the Shark Island Institute.Recorded and produced by Mushroom Studios. Published by Podshape. </p> <p>ROAR was recorded in Melbourne, Victoria, where the traditional owners of the land are the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. I acknowledge these traditional custodians and pay my respects to Wurundjeri Elders past and present. </p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>
November 23, 2025
The Reality Check
<p>An AFL women’s league had arrived at last, but did this spell equality for women? Not by a long stretch. </p> <p> </p> <p>In this fifth episode of ROAR Sam Lane digs into the growing pains, and shockwaves, catalysed by the AFLW’s debut season: the unpaid hours for players, coaches and support staff, the missing sanitary bins, and the instantly iconic ‘Erin Phillips kiss’ at the AFLW’s first competition best and fairest awards night. </p> <p>Here you’ll hear from the AFLW’s first premiership coach and great disrupter, Bec Goddard, Debbie Lee, Peter Gordon and others, in this unfolding story of persistence, progress, pride and power. </p> <p><strong>Download and follow ROAR.</strong> <strong>You might even share it with someone you think might like, or learn from, it too.</strong> </p> <p> <br>This recording would not have been possible without the generous philanthropic backing of Ian Darling and the Shark Island Institute.Recorded and produced by Mushroom Studios. Published by Podshape. </p> <p>ROAR was recorded in Melbourne, Victoria, where the traditional owners of the land are the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. I acknowledge these traditional custodians and pay my respects to Wurundjeri Elders past and present. </p> <p> </p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>
November 16, 2025
Building the League
<p>From ball size, to player pay and the strategy behind the AFLW logo’s colour scheme, everything was on the whiteboard. </p> <p>In this fourth episode of ROAR Sam Lane uncovers compelling detail about the AFL’s radical reinvention as it built a new-wave competition for women and girls from scratch — rewriting established norms and convention. Who re-wrote the rules? Who brought radical re-imaginings to life? You’ll hear it here. </p> <p><strong>Make sure you download and follow ROAR.</strong> <strong>You might even share it with someone you think might like, or learn from, it too.</strong> </p> <p> This recording would not have been possible without the generous philanthropic backing of Ian Darling and the Shark Island Institute. Recorded and produced by Mushroom Studios. Published by Podshape. </p> <p>ROAR was recorded in Melbourne, Victoria, where the traditional owners of the land are the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. I acknowledge these traditional custodians and pay my respects to Wurundjeri Elders past and present. </p><p>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.</p>
7 total episodes available
Deep-dive analytics for ROAR
Frequently asked questions
Have a different question and can't find the answer you're looking for? Reach out to our support team by sending us an email and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
- What is ROAR?
<p>The incredible story of a team of AFLW pioneers who built a league of their own.</p> <p>It took 121 years, but on the evening of 3 February 2017 the first women’s game of Australian Rules Football for AFL premiership points finally took place. The nation was watching - millions of Australians tuned in – and a horde of spectators forced a stadium lock out. The inaugural season of the AFL Women’s league was a game-changer for Australian sport and for the country, culturally.<br>Walkley Award-winning journalist Sam Lane charts the birth of the AFLW from its beginnings - when it<br>was viewed as a niche, side-show distraction - to the electrifying first season that exceeded all expectations. She speaks with the trailblazers who, through grit and lateral thinking, pushed through a male hierarchy in this giant step towards gender equity in sport, overcoming sexism, homophobia and patriarchy.</p> <p>Featuring Tayla Harris, Darcy Vescio, Katie Brennan, Daisy Pearce, Sam Mostyn, Jan Cooper, Chyloe Kurdas, Debbie Lee, Peter Gordon, Josh Vanderloo, Peggy O’Neal, Peter Jackson and Gillon McLachlan, this 6-part audio series charts the experiences of female and male AFL executives and AWFL footballers in their uphill battle to realising a dream. From facing long-held dismissive attitudes to women’s football, to finding the strength to empower themselves on and off-field, to eventually convincing the AFL to back the vision.</p> <p>This is a story about a movement bigger than sport.</p> - How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
Legal Disclaimer
Pod Engine is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected with any of the podcasts displayed on this platform. We operate independently as a podcast discovery and analytics service.
All podcast artwork, thumbnails, and content displayed on this page are the property of their respective owners and are protected by applicable copyright laws. This includes, but is not limited to, podcast cover art, episode artwork, show descriptions, episode titles, transcripts, audio snippets, and any other content originating from the podcast creators or their licensors.
We display this content under fair use principles and/or implied license for the purpose of podcast discovery, information, and commentary. We make no claim of ownership over any podcast content, artwork, or related materials shown on this platform. All trademarks, service marks, and trade names are the property of their respective owners.
While we strive to ensure all content usage is properly authorized, if you are a rights holder and believe your content is being used inappropriately or without proper authorization, please contact us immediately at hey@podengine.ai for prompt review and appropriate action, which may include content removal or proper attribution.
By accessing and using this platform, you acknowledge and agree to respect all applicable copyright laws and intellectual property rights of content owners. Any unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or commercial use of the content displayed on this platform is strictly prohibited.