WOMEN'S football can grow to be as big as the men's version, Western Bulldogs president Peter Gordon says.
The Western Bulldogs and Melbourne have pioneered the concept of an AFL-backed women's competition and will be part of the competition to be launched in February.
The two clubs will also play on Saturday night at Whitten Oval.
Gordon told AFL.com.au that the spectacle of women's football was as exciting as the men's game when played at the elite level.
"There is no reason, on principle, it can't grow into an equivalent sport," Gordon said.
He said the men's game, underpinned by billions of dollars of media interest, had a different economy to the women's game, but the industry should be pushing to get the women's game to the same level as quickly as possible.
"What we need to do as an industry is ensure that we promote the women's game as much as possible to make sure we get it to grow into that space over a period," Gordon said.
He said the strength of AFL football had to be used to invest properly in women's teams and players.
"There needs to be some preference towards making sure that the women's teams and players are adequately rewarded and provided for in the period where the TV ratings and amount of corporate interest may not reflect it," Gordon said.
"Luckily there is enough in the AFL economy at the moment that we can do that."
The pay for women in the inaugural competition has become a talking point, with questions raised over their remuneration.
Eight teams will play in the first competition in February 2017 with a draft to be held on October 12 this season.
Western Bulldogs, Melbourne, Collingwood, Carlton, Adelaide, Fremantle, Greater Western Sydney and the Brisbane Lions have been granted spots in the first competition.
Gordon said it was important to the Western Bulldogs that the women's competition was successful, and he was proud of its contribution so far.
"For us to have been a leader in that, to have taken a lead role. For us to be seen by not just Bulldogs supporters but the football community as having taken that lead is important to us," he said.
The Western Bulldogs appointed Paul Groves to coach the women's team and have signed Katie Brennan and Ellie Blackburn as the club's marquee players.
