▁in ▁the ▁A FL ▁Women ' s ▁National ▁Championships . ▁ ▁Part icip ation ▁figures ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 0 s , ▁women ' s ▁Australian ▁rules ▁football ▁saw ▁a ▁large ▁expansion ▁in ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁compet itors . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁Aus k ick , ▁a ▁national ▁program ▁began . ▁ ▁The ▁program ▁was ▁designed ▁to ▁introduce ▁the ▁game ▁to ▁primary ▁school ▁aged ▁children . ▁ ▁By ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁it ▁had ▁over ▁ 1 4 0 , 0 0 0 ▁participants ▁each ▁year . ▁ ▁Though ▁the ▁program ▁was ▁never ▁specifically ▁aim ed ▁at ▁girls , ▁the ▁safe ▁non - contact ▁environment ▁proved ▁popular ▁and ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁about ▁ 1 6 % ▁( 1 2 %) ▁in ▁of ▁all ▁Aus k ick ▁participants ▁were ▁female . ▁ ▁In ▁Australia , ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 1 8 , 6 0 9 ▁girls ▁and ▁women ▁played ▁Australian ▁rules ▁football ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁and ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁ 4 8 , 0 5 4 ▁women ▁played ▁the ▁sport ▁in ▁Australia , ▁and ▁it ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁fast est ▁growing ▁sports ▁among ▁women ▁in ▁Australia . ▁ ▁By ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁a ▁record ▁number ▁of ▁ 4 6 3 , 3 6 4 ▁females ▁were ▁playing ▁Australian ▁rules ▁football ▁across ▁the ▁nation , ▁making ▁up ▁ 3