Essendon Women's Network

The Essendon Women’s Network (EWN) was established in 1997 with a view to bringing like-minded women, who supported the Essendon Football Club, together. The EWN was established to provide a forum for women to connect and network, have access to football content, host events, support women, and fundraise for the EFC. In 1998 the EWN established the Football Woman of the Year Awards to celebrate and recognise the enormous contribution women make to Australian Rules football. The EWN continues beyond its 20-year anniversary with these same core goals, and while always staying true to its core legacy, is also conscious of needing to revisit the ways in which such goals are realised given the enormous changes to AFL, women in sport, and women in society more broadly. In 2024, diversity and inclusion matter more than ever and the committee is charged with reinvigorating the purpose of the EWN while celebrating its 27 year history.