Brisbane Lions coach Craig Starcevich has rallied behind Western Bulldogs counterpart Tam Hyett amid criticism over her side's poor playing form.
The Dogs became the first AFLW side to be held goalless three times in a season and recorded their lowest score for the second straight game after losing 3.8 (26) to 0.3 (3) to Essendon last time out.
Their defeat came after recording just four points against league leaders North Melbourne in round six.
Hyett, a first-time AFLW head coach, came under fire her for tactics as spare players were thrown in defence while the ball ping-ponged between the two arcs.
Admitting some of the criticism was valid, inaugural Brisbane coach Starcevich was also adamant Hyett needed more time to develop her squad.
Hyett was handed the job of revamping the Bulldogs after last season's wooden spoon.
The club won only one game and it cost Nathan Burke his job after five campaigns.
"My first thought was you're probably right but in some regards, you've gone pretty hard at an eight-game coach who is in her first year with a new club," Starcevich said.
"They're in a rebuilding phase with the quality of young draftees they got into their club last year. They've lost a few players.
"I know some of the concepts we're talking about here weren't things we were talking about in our first four years.
"If you look hard enough at any sporting comp around the world, even our men's comp, there'll be the odd game every weekend where you think, 'Why did I waste my time watching that?'
"That happens and our comp is no different."
The Bulldogs' loss to the Bombers also sparked a debate in the league about whether AFLW coaches have a responsibility to encourage more attractive footy.
Starcevich swatted away the notion, saying everyone in the competition is responsible for its success.
The AFL has already been criticised for its compressed fixture experiment after teams, playing multiple games a week, have struggled with season-ending injuries.
The move to include midweek fixtures was ostensibly to take advantage of school holidays, but it hasn't captured the crowds.
"All of us have got a role to play in keeping it attractive and to keep bringing in audiences to our game," Starcevich said.
"There's some things we can do by coming together and adjusting some rules and helping each other out in terms of fixturing and putting marquee games on at the right time.
"We played Melbourne at Casey in round two, which was 11 o'clock in the morning, and the two clubs playing were the last two premiers.
"We could do ourselves a bigger favour by moving that game to a marquee TV spot."
