Women's Football
Victorian Women’s Football League (VWFL)
The Victorian Women's Football League is experiencing significant growth. Since the first ball was bounced twenty-five years ago in 1981, the League has developed into a well conducted competition with four playing Divisions.
Since 1993, there has been a 215% increase in the number of registered players and in the last three years, the League has expanded two fold, from being a one division league to becoming a four division competition.
There are twenty six teams representing twenty one clubs from all over metropolitan Melbourne, with the country centres also being represented by teams from Ballarat, Yarra Valley and Geelong.
The VWFL is now an official AFL Victoria affiliated league and just over 1200 women pull on a guernsey every Sunday to participate in this rapidly growing sport.
Australian Football is becoming more and more popular with women and girls, particularly young women with 22 years being the average age. Women are now recognising that Footy can become a part of their sporting life.
They no longer have to be just a spectator. The VWFL gives them the opportunity to pull on the boots and have a kick just like their AFL idols. The VWFL is providing women with the opportunity to participate, socialise, develop skills and learn from experiences that provide us with a physically healthy lifestyle.
2005 VWFL CLUBS
Corio | Darebin (Two) | Deakin Devils (Two) | Diamond Creek |
Lalor | Hadfield | East Geelong | Melbourne Uni (Three) |
Melton | Ballarat | Yarra Valley | St Albans (Two) |
Parkdale | Surrey Park | St.Kilda (Two) | Sunbury |
Eastern | Berwick | North Heidelberg | Parkmore |
The AFL Women’s National Championships
On a national level, the sport is developing rapidly since 1991 when the original State of Origin Clash between SA and Vic was played. We now have a National Championship with all states and territories involved. A National Body, Women’s Football Australia (WFA) has been formed and provides advice to the AFL on the development and promotion of the game for female participants at all levels.
Victoria is currently the reigning Champions; in fact the Vic’s have never been since State clashes began fifteen years ago.
The VWFL is a huge supporter of the State Representative Football as we believe it to be the pinnacle of women’s Football in this country. Even though Victoria dominates the competition, to be selected to wear the big V is an honour given the large number of players participating at League level. The VWFL provides players from all divisions the opportunity to represent their state.
The National Championship is conducted over a seven day period annually and is hosted by a different State each year using a bid process to the National Advisory Committee.
With the new Youth Girls Competition starting in Victoria, we also see growth in an underage State Competition as a viable long term plan for girls in Victoria and around Australia.
NATIONAL TEAMS
Victoria
Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
Australian Defence Force (Combines Services Team)
Queensland
New South Wales
Northern Territory
South Australia
Western Australia
