World Footy News

The following article written by Jon Ralph at the Herald Sun looks at the possibility of a new national AFL competition for women as early as 2017. The extraordinary rise in numbers for the women’s game nationally certainly warrants an extension of existing pathways for women to follow.

 

Here in Cairns I have had the pleasure of coaching some tremendously talented young women. Some have continued with existing pathways and opportunities, whilst others have sadly left the game. To have the ability to aspire to a national level will see more women remain in the game and pursue a broader dream.

 

AFL boss Gillon McLachlan has set in train ambitious plans for a national women’s football competition as early as 2017.

 

Women’s football is taking off in Victoria, with 52 senior women’s teams in seven divisions and plans for massive expansion in coming years.

 

Participation in organised teams was up 30 per cent last year and will again grow by that much in 2015, with plans for two Victorian country leagues next year.

Now McLachlan wants a national league to promote female football as part of a review of second-tier football across Australia.

He has been told a five-year time frame for that national league is more realistic but is pushing for its establishment within two years.

State managers will meet in coming weeks with that league high on the agenda.

Nearly $80 million is spent on football at the level under the AFL every year and AFL officials Mark Evans and Dorothy Hisgrove will lead that review.

The review will assess how that money is spent and focus on how the league can improve participation and introduce more women, children and multicultural communities to the game.

AFL Victoria competition manager of women’s football Darren Flanigan said women’s football was going gangbusters.

“It is an AFL directive and it would be great for women’s footy to have a national league or some type of semi-professional league,’’ he said.

“It is a totally amateur competition and they pay their way to play and we are going our best to minimise that cost.

“We envisage two country leagues starting next year, one in Gippsland and one on the north-east border, so we are going to be statewide before we know it.

“Most states have got strong state leagues and some have second divisions. Victoria has a lot of teams, but WA has a very strong competition and Queensland is strong.

Women’s football is one of the fastest-growing sports in Australia and now has a pathway that stretches from juniors through to open-age leagues.

“There are competitions popping up everywhere around state and metropolitan Melbourne, not just youth girls but under-15s and under-12s,’’ Flanigan said.

“We are forming new teams all the time. We had nine new clubs last year and there will be similar numbers this year and there are now a critical mass of women who want to play past 18.”

 

 

Story source: Jon Ralph, Herald Sun: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl

 

Photo courtesy: Brett Kennerley