TWO south-west football clubs have put up their hands to possibly field a senior women's side for the 2020 Deakin University Female Football League season.
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Old Collegians and Warrnambool have advertised their interest in growing their women's football programs.
The Warriors are hunting for coaching and support staff as they aim to enter the senior competition for the first time after fielding a junior side in the DUFFL since its inception in 2017.
The Blues, who are also an inaugural member of the DUFFL, are hosting a come and try day at Reid Oval on November 27 to gauge the interest of players as they aim to start their own women's side.
Old Collegians Female football coordinator Jason Moloney said the club had received word from a number of interest players.
He said the club was committed to starting a team after the club received a Vic Health grant, which it will use for player apparel - including jumpers, shorts and helmets.
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Moloney said the Warriors' successful female program has had a drastic impact on the club and hoped women's footy would do the same.
"Girls footy has been wonderful for us as it brings in different people and changes culture quickly," he told The Standard.
"We are excited about hopefully welcoming senior women into the club. It would change the culture quickly again and bring a different mix around the club.
"We're really excited about what it means for the continued growth of our club."
Warrnambool committee member Danili Dwyer said the Blues were also eager to start a side of their own to help continue to grow its women's football program.
"We want to gauge interest on numbers as we want to put together a senior side," she said of the aim of the come and try day later this month.
"I think it's important for us to offer junior girls a pathway to stop them when they finish juniors to stop playing when they turn 18 or go to a different club."
AFL Western District Operations Coordinator Alicia Drew said she would have an idea on committed teams for both leagues after a DUFFL club forum on December 18.
She said a spike in interest was a good sign for the competition and praised Warrnambool and Old Collegians on being proactive with their approaches but warned them against coming across as uncertain.
"There is a good level of commitment and judging by player numbers it's just about looking at putting staff in place and see what interest they can get," Drew said.
"But you can't have a team of players and not have the support staff. Clubs have got to have a structure in place.
"From personal experience clubs that are committed are better in the long run. It's good to see if there is interest but you have got to commit to it and be certain otherwise you won't attract players because people don't like uncertainty."
"I have mentioned to clubs that they have got to show commitment because if you are just dipping your feet into the water then you'll lose their interest."
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