AFL Western District Female Football League unveils details for first season

The Blues will be one of three Warrnambool-based teams competing in the first year of the youth girls competition, which will play a six-week round robin competition mid-year.

Club chairman Simon Perry said Dean Kilpatrick has been appointed coach of the under 18 girls team, which begins training this week.

“We were keen to jump on board and get our own girls team up and going,” Perry said.

“I know South (Warrnambool) started some work last year and there’s an interest there from the AFL’s point of view to get a competition in the south-west.”

The Blues are working to put a team manager and sub-committee in the place for the girls’ team.

Details of the AFL Western District Female Football League are expected to be released this week.

Perry encouraged anyone interested to contact Gerard Duynhoven or the Warrnambool Football Netball Club on 5562 3600.

Cobden is also seeking expressions of interest for any girls or women in the area keen to play football.

Club committee member Sue Stevens, whose daughter Courtney travels to North Geelong to play football, said the club was trying to get on the front foot and gauge interest to get locals involved closer to home.

“We just really want to find out the interest and go from there,” she said.

“If we have heaps of kids, we’d probably go to AFL Western District and say ‘We’ve got 15-20 girls’ and see what we do. That’s our aim, just to get numbers and work from there.

“We’re trying to create a groundswell and gather up some girls, even if this year we only do skills work.”

Stevens said the club would also look at finding an avenue to play for those women older than 18 who were keen.

Anyone interested in learning more or expressing their interest can contact Stevens on 0427 352 588.

Meanwhile, Greater Western Victoria Rebels has unveiled its line-up for its inaugural TAC Cup Girls competition match.

Amelia Monk, Denver Henson, Chloe Leighton and Kate Gleeson have all made the 24-player team to take on Western Jets at Learmonth Football Club this Saturday from noon.