Clare Tilley is up for the challenge of building Warrnambool's women's side

And the 25-year-old, who moved to the south-west from Cairns in March, is eager to do the same at Reid Oval as the Blues venture into seniors ranks of the Western Victoria Female Football League for the first time.

"A couple of the girls I played with up north are from down here so I asked who to play for and a few names got thrown around and one of them was (South Warrnambool) Roosters," she said.

"They have a solid group of girls there and a lot of numbers and when I played up north I went to a club that never had a women's side before and we built that club up.

"I found that so rewarding. Seeing the girls celebrate when they kick a goal and we didn't win a game that season but those girls showed up to every training session and they just loved the sport.

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"They went on next year to make the grand final so that is what drew me to Warrnambool as they haven't had women's football before.

"It's a great thing to build up here and get women involved in the sport and love it as it can be so fun."

Tilley, an occupational therapist with South West Healthcare, joined her partner former Terang Mortlake footballer Corey Rounds in Mortlake just before the coronavirus lockdown.

She hasn't met any of the playing group yet but is excited about getting started at the club's first training session on Monday.

"We are aware we may not get a season so we are just going to focus on getting girls who haven't played football before involved in the club and getting them around footy and the spirit of football," she said of her goals.

"Especially in women's football and how much confidence can be built from playing the sport it will be great.

"I'm still sure a lot of the girls will have a lot more background than I do because it will be great having girls come in and run drills on their own.

"Up north I'm sure the way I have trained is a lot different to Victoria so it will be great to tie all that knowledge in together and hopefully have a good solid side going into next year."

Tilley started playing football in high school before suiting up for the Cairns Tigers, Cairns Saints and then the Katherine Crocs in the Northern Territory.

She also had a stint in the NT premier league competition for the Big River Hawks and coached senior women's footy and men's hockey teams across Queensland.

The former hockey player, who originally stopped both sports because of two ACL injuries and reconstructions, is hopeful of playing whenever football resumes in the south-west

Tilley said she felt very welcomed in the community despite the lockdowns.

"Its a very friendly community and everyone around Warrnambool and Mortlake and so nice and always say 'hello' and the amount of waves I get from random farmers on the highway is great," she said.

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