Women trying to get drafted into the AFLW must work full time, travel thousands of kilometres a week, and forgo local finals glory to play unpaid club footy while their male counterparts are getting paid to play.
It's a situation faced by more than a dozen NT hopefuls as they desperately do all they can, including abandoning their local teams pre-finals, to play their hearts out and hopefully get noticed down south.
Sarah Steele-Park, a hard-working full-time secondary school teacher in Central Australia, plays for North Adelaide in the South Australian National Football League on weekends, 1,300km away.
She's one of several Central Australian players who fly to Adelaide at the weekend for games.
Although they play for different teams, they train together four evenings a week in Alice Springs.
"Because we don't get paid for it, we have to work," she said.
Ms Steele-Park said she and the girls are appreciative of having a league, and of every opportunity to play.
"Girls are giving up shifts on weekends and Fridays, because we fly out that day," she said.
"You've got to fit all your training and your work commitments from nine-to-five during the week. So that's your social life gone out the window. It's a balancing act.
Paid in points
While the cost of the flights is covered, Ms Steele-Park jokes that her only payment for footy is the frequent flyer points.
Young men playing Aussie Rules at club level in Victoria, WA, and SA can get paid for games, and club members usually assist players in finding accommodation and employment which works around their training and playing obligations.
"We have no other options until we get to that professional league (AFLW) where we can make that extra bit of money," she said.
"But until we get paid the same as the men, it's not feasible.
"Until that gender pay gap closes, it's looking like we're going to be working two jobs, including playing footy.
"We're not quite the same as the men yet."
She fears the combination of working full time, training, commuting, and playing games is taking a toll.
"Our bodies are wrecked," Ms Steele-Park said.
"We only train for six months of the year. We're not athletes full-time.
Tough sacrifice
Former NT Thunder player, Palmerston Magpies premier, and commentator Natasha Medbury is a legend of the local game in the Territory.
She was instrumental in starting the NTFL women's league in the early 2000s.
While she supports the AFLW, she says it's playing havoc with local football and the lives of players and their families.
"Lots and lots of girls want to make it to the next level. But they're not going to get picked up from Darwin club footy.
"A lot of women are going to have to go down south pre-season and will miss the NTFL finals."
The NTFL finals started on February 26 and finish with the grand final on March 19.
"I know plenty that have given up their jobs and take leave without pay to go down south to try their luck getting into the VFL, WAFL, and SANFL," she said.
"Hopefully clubs can help them find jobs and they can bunk in with other players. But they've still got to work.
"Some of the men will pick up $300 per game to play country footy. They'll get a job, a house, and a team to play on.
Align the schedules
Ms Medbury said a top-down solution would be to align AFLW schedules exactly to the men's games: same venue, same day, same teams.
She said this would get male fans supporting the club's women's teams, and possibly increase revenues.
"Start just after or just before the men's game. Not just a curtain raiser at 10am," she said.
"You can do that because, as of this year, every AFL club has a women's team and everyone will get there early or stay later to watch it.
"Things are not going to change until the AFL aligns with the women."
The AFL draft is usually in the middle of the calendar year.
The AFL, WA Football Commission, SANFL, and the VFL were contacted for comment.
