THE Woorinen Youth Girls football team is charging through the 2025 season with unity, passion and serious talent.
They have quickly established themselves as the team to beat in the Central Victoria competition.
The scorelines are proof of that, demolishing Eaglehawk by 112 points last weekend.
Ruby Tierney booted five goals, with 11 different goal scorers.
Under the leadership of coach James Downing, the squad has built a reputation for consistent effort, strong fundamentals and an unshakable team culture.
Downing praised the team’s unwavering commitment and the joy they bring to the game.
“They’re showing up each and every week, ready to play their role to help the team succeed,” Downing told The Guardian.
“They’re doing that week in, week out at the moment, which is a pleasure to coach.”
A standout component of Woorinen’s success has been their dominant midfield trio of Meg Young, Sunny Barry and Charli Conway, who have not only controlled the tempo of matches but also contributed heavily on the scoreboard.
“Our starting midfield have set the tone each and every week,” Downing said.
“All three of them would have kicked 10-plus goals for the year, which is remarkable coming from the midfield.”
But it’s not just the midfield making headlines.
The team’s defense has been nearly impenetrable, conceding just seven goals for the entire season – a stat that speaks volumes about their discipline and focus.
“They stay engaged even when the ball isn’t down their end. They’re not switching off, and that’s made a huge difference,” Downing said.
Downing credited the team’s strength not only to their on-field performance, but to their drive and dedication off the field as well.
With players traveling from as far as Kerang and Boort, commitment has become the heartbeat of the squad.
“Other clubs in our comp struggle to get numbers at training, but I know I can rely on 15 or 16 girls every week,” he said.
“They’re coming from all over – Swan Hill, Ultima, Boort, even as young as 13 and 14 years old – and they just keep working on their craft.”
More than just footballers, these girls are building friendships that go far beyond the field.
“It’s a really positive culture we’ve got,” Downing said.
“Some of them probably wouldn’t even be mates without footy, but now they support each other at training, during games, and even outside footy. It’s special.”
Despite dominating the scoreboard and sitting firmly atop the ladder, Downing insists his players remain level-headed.
“They’re not getting ahead of themselves,” he said.
“We talk every week about taking it one game at a time.
“Just because we’ve beaten someone before doesn’t mean we’ll do it again.
“They show up to do the work every week.”
The season hasn’t been without its challenges, particularly with fluctuating numbers due to injuries and availability.
League rules cap squads at 24 players, and Woorinen hasn’t always had full numbers on game day.
“Some weeks we’ve played with 11, others with 18,” Downing said.
“It’s literally a week-by-week proposition.”
The biggest test so far has come from Bendigo powerhouse Golden Square – a physical, hard-to-score-against outfit with an older, more developed line-up.
The two teams met in a tight match in early June and will clash again on August 3 on the road.
“Our age group has 13 and 14-year-olds playing against teams with mostly 16 to 18-year-olds,” Downing said.
“Golden Square is strong, physical and well-drilled, but our girls don’t shy away from that challenge.”
Downing, who also teaches many of the players at a local school, said his involvement in girl’s footy is about more than just wins and losses.
“It’s about helping them fall in love with the game,” he said.
“Whether they go on to play local footy for life or chase the dream of AFLW, I just want to help them grow as players and people.”
With the final home game of the season set for Sunday against White Hills, the Woorinen girls will then hit the road for three straight away games in Bendigo before finals begin – also in Bendigo.
Downing has called on local supporters to make the trip.
“We’ve got a great base of support from Woorinen already, but we’d love to see Swan Hill locals and others in the region come down too. These girls deserve it,” he said.
“They drive it.
“I’m lucky to coach a group like this.
“They believe in what they can achieve, and that belief is powerful.”
