World Footy News

New Danish club, the Odense Lions, have combined with Swedish club, the Helsingborg Saints, to hit the ground running with a competitive hit-out for two women’s club teams. The club was delighted to provide an interview to World Footy News recounting the lead up to the event and a description off the day. We already reported on the Helsingborg women's team in Helsingborg Saints Aim To Start Sweden's First Women's Team, and now they have a bona fide opponent.

“In 2013 the Helsingborg made a women’s team called the Helsingborg Saints Ladies, but because of the lack of potential opponents no games was played. Denmark had at this point no women’s team and only junior girls were playing Australian Rules footy.”

“The Odense Lions, who to this point had only been in a nine per side tournament as a team and were training indoors during the long Danish winter, were then contacted by a girl interested in trying out Australian Rules football. The coaches of the Lions were not slow to try and recruit the new girl and she was asked if she was interested in coming down and try out, even though we had no women’s team at the time. The lack of other female players did not scare this young woman, who would go on to be the captain for new team, the Odense Lionesses. She showed up to the first training session in 2014 with two friends and from that day they almost never missed a training session.”

“With the involvement of these three girls many more joined and the first women’s team in Denmark was made. Only a few months after that first enquiry from a girl about making a team, the Odense Lionesses would have 6-7 players at every training session. They had also joined the club board and were arranging both running practice for the team above and beyond the normal training, as well as social events. The dream about playing a real game with a girl’s had now started.”

“With the Odense Lions’ participation in DAFL 2014, the first game of the season was to be held in Helsingborg, home of the other Scandinavian women’s team. With the creation of the Odense Lionesses, who were training with Odense Lions, the foundation for women’s football to arrive in Scandinavia was now set.”

“On May 3rd, the two teams played each other, playing 6 per side with 2 on the bench. With their normal training teammates, the Odense Lions, standing on the sideline singing and screaming, the Lionesses showed that women’s football is a game that is just a competitive as it is in the male league. By making strong tackles, taking strong marks and fighting for possession of the football, both teams won the respect from everyone watching the game. The Lionesses showed that even with nail polish on and coloured ribbons in their hair they could still fight, make great plays and kick some amazing goals.”

"In the end the Odense Lionesses won the game but both teams were winners on that day, being the pioneers for women’s football in Scandinavia."

"A rematch on May 31 in Odense has already been planned."