The AFL is closing in on a fairer pay deal for the new womens league, with an announcement expected in coming days.Under the AFLs original offer, most players would have received a minimum wage of just $5000 for the inaugural season next year.The league has since been in negotiations with the AFL Players Association and general manager of game and development Simon Lethlean says a fairer deal is imminent.Were really close and were confident its something the AFLPA will endorse and itll be a fair deal in most peoples eyes, he said on Wednesday.(It will be) a really fair deal, a really rewarding deal and a deal that weve worked closely with the players and the AFLPA on to ensure its a sustainable start to this comp.The girls are well rewarded, not just for playing but for marketing and ambassadorial roles.Most players would have been required under the AFLs original offer to pay for their own health insurance for the 22-week season, which includes pre-season training and eight weeks of competition.The minimum wage for players in the national netball league was this year increased to $27,375, while female cricketers earn at least $18,000 if they play both the one-day and Twenty20 domestic leagues.Lethlean says the league is likely to announce fixtures for the womens league and the mens pre-season competition next week.The Seven Network have offered to broadcast at least one womens game per week and Fox Footy are keen to show most, if not all games, he said.A number of games will be played either immediately before or after the mens pre-season clashes, while others will be stand-alone clashes.Well get as many curtain-raisers as we can, or curtain-closers for some of them, Lethlean said.(Many) women work, they have to get home and cant miss weekdays sometimes. Theres lots of overlays that are harder than the mens fixture at times so were working through all of that.Collingwood marquee player Moana Hope says there are benefits in both scenarios.Either youre playing before superstar male players or youre playing a stand-alone game where the crowd has come for you, she said.Either way for me, its a win-win.The AFL is weighing up whether the womens grand final on Saturday March 25 should be staged at the MCG as a curtain-raiser to Essendons round one clash with Hawthorn or instead held at a smaller ground. Wholesale Jerseys . Now tied for second in the league in shootout goals, the 24-year-old likes to see what the opposing goaltender has in store before he ultimately lands on a move. Cheap Jerseys . -- The St. Johns IceCaps weathered a wild first period with the help of goaltender Jussi Olkinuora, before finding offensive inroads in the second. She dreamt of being a basketball star, but Diamonds shooter Natalie Medhurst is poised to pass the mark of a netball legend she was once in awe of.If as expected, Medhurst get on court for Wednesdays second Constellation Cup Test against New Zealand, in Launceston, she will earn her 85th cap.That will move her up to outright seventh on the Diamonds all-time list, one clear of fellow South Australian and former national captain Michelle den Dekker, who she first met when was around 13 in Medhursts home town of MIllicent in country SA.I was at a clinic and I was in awe of her because she was the fittest looking athlete I had ever seen, Medhurst told AAP.I was lucky to be in the Diamonds when she was one of our assistant coaches.If I get to get out there on court (on Wednesday) Ill surpass her (caps total), which is certainly something I never ever expected.Medhursts early sporting passion was basketball.In the country you couldnt actually play (netball) until you were in under 13s and I played basketball from a younger age , that was the main sport that I played, Medhurst said.I absolutely loved it, I always dreamt of being a basketballer not a netballer.I did state under 16s for basketball and I was actually asked to play basketball ijn the city in Adelaide, but I stayed in the country and the whole family moved up and then netball took over.ddddddddddddMedhurst played in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy and ANZ Championship and next year will participate in the new national league.Although netballers will be better paid than ever before money isn;t the major driving factor for her continuing her career.I still have my very first contract that I had with the Adelaide Thunderbirds and kids these days, if they actually looked at what that was, they would laugh at it, Medhurst said.They would just think that should be what we get in a week.Ive never played for individual gain or material things or for money.The thing that just pushes me is the competitive nature, I just want to keep getting better.Theres nothing greater than playing top level sport,,to be playing with and against the best players in the world, week in week out, and to represent your country is a pretty special thing.Theres only been about 170 players who have represented (Australia in netball). ' ' '