▁as ▁patri otic ▁fund rais ers , ▁which ▁occasionally ▁featured ▁women ▁players . ▁Women ▁have ▁non eth eless ▁followed ▁the ▁Australian ▁game ▁passion ately ▁since ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 th ▁century , ▁compr ising ▁approximately ▁ 5 0 % ▁of ▁spect ators ▁at ▁matches — a ▁uniqu ely ▁high ▁figure ▁among ▁football ▁codes . ▁ ▁Both ▁world ▁wars ▁were ▁a ▁great ▁liber ator ▁for ▁women ; ▁as ▁the ▁men ▁fought ▁in ▁the ▁war , ▁women ▁were ▁often ▁called ▁to ▁perform ▁many ▁tasks ▁typically ▁done ▁by ▁men , ▁including ▁spect ator ▁sports . ▁Records ▁exist ▁of ▁a ▁football ▁side ▁in ▁Per th , ▁Western ▁Australia ▁made ▁up ▁of ▁department ▁store ▁staff ▁playing ▁as ▁F oy ▁& ▁Gib son ' s ▁as ▁early ▁as ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁ ▁Match es ▁played ▁in ▁Western ▁Australia ▁were ▁also ▁recorded ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 8 . ▁In ▁South ▁Australia , ▁an ▁early ▁example ▁of ▁Women ' s ▁football ▁was ▁a ▁Port ▁Ad ela ide ▁Women ' s ▁team ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁where ▁a ▁game ▁took ▁place ▁at ▁Al ber ton ▁O val ▁between ▁Port ▁Ad ela ide ▁and ▁another ▁club ▁representing ▁The b art on . ▁Port ▁Ad ela ide ▁was ▁capt ained ▁by ▁E ile en ▁R end . ▁ ▁Following ▁World ▁War ▁I , ▁an ▁exhibition ▁match ▁in ▁Melbourne ▁was ▁held ▁to ▁show ▁that ▁women ▁could ▁play ▁what ▁had ▁previously ▁been ▁seen ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁man ' s ▁sport . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁women ' s ▁match ▁attract