GIRLS across the region are pulling on their football boots as five Central Murray and North Central leagues teams prepare to vie for Central Victorian Football League honours.
Teams of both under 12s and under 15s will play six games between April 28 and June 2, culminating in the under 15 grand final and an under 12 round robin.
The two events will both be held at Birchip’s George Cartwright Oval, with the Birchip-Watchem Bulls the sole North Central representative.
Swan Hill, Tyntynder and Woorinen will all take part in the season’s games, while the navy blue of Kerang will represent the entire Gannawarra region as the Warra Blues.
There will be one less team in the action this season after Sea Lake Nandaly withdrew their team last year due to a lack of numbers.
The majority of games will be played on Friday evenings, although the opening and final rounds will be played on Sunday mornings.
Central Rivers leagues manager Jessie Chester said that while the competition had started small, it had the capacity to grow immensely.
“The beauty of having the girls’ comp is that it’s not an overly long season,” Chester said.
“It’s just five rounds – everyone plays each other once and get a bye – then there’s the grand final in the 15s.
“We still have a best and fairest (and) we’ve got a most improved medal this year.
“There’s a premiership cup and premiership medals for the winning girls; it’s really a fully-fledged competition.”
Chester said she saw the potential for the league to align itself similarly to local leagues.
“That’s definitely the plan: to align it with the rest of the competition,” she said.
“Having under 12s and under 15s, with just a small gap between the 15s and youth girls who are under 18s, there’s certainly the potential in coming years to align that better.”
Before the season kicks off AFL Central Victoria will also be hosting an all-girls come-and-play session next Friday evening.
From 5.30pm to 7pm girls will have the chance to have a kick around on Swan Hill’s showgrounds, followed by a free barbecue dinner.
Chester said the event was the perfect time for girls between the ages of five and 12 to give footy a go, to be social and to get active.
“We’re encouraging as many girls as possible to register and to have a run around,” she said.
“It will be great for girls who are currently doing Auskick, girls who want to join in with Auskick or those at that level where they want to go to the next stage.
“There will be information for them if they’re looking to join any of the teams or if they’re looking for an all-girls Auskick.”
Chester said she was excited to be a part of the growing passion for girls’ football in the region.
“I was someone who didn’t have this access to football growing up,” she said.
“Knowing that girls in this region have the opportunity to go all the way as a female in football is really exciting for me.
“I’ve seen that growth in the metro areas and I think that being able to offer it to regional areas is equally important.
“We’ve seen so many girls drafted to the AFLW who hadn’t had that opportunity to play for as long, and they’re superstars.
“It makes you really think about what they would have been if they started playing at five years old.”
While the come-and-play session is free, registration is necessary and can be completed online at https://www.playhq.com/afl/register/3cbd01
Anyone interested in joining a team can contact Jessie Chester via email at jessie.chester@aflcentralvic.com.au
