Cavendish, Hamilton join under 18 Western Victoria Female Football League for 2023

Cavendish, which won its first men's senior football flag in 29 years this year, is establishing its first youth girls team, while Hamilton Kangaroos, who won this year's WVFFL women's premiership, will re-enter the under 18 competition after withdrawing its 2022 team.

Cavendish's Clinton Thomas said it was exciting to add to the Bloods' junior ranks, which has undergone dramatic change since 2018.

"Four years ago there was no juniors and we were a club that hadn't had a win in a season," he said. "So we've added on our juniors the last couple years... and now have an under 11s, under 14s and under 17s."

With strong female participation among its juniors, Thomas said several girls ageing out of under-14s expressed concern about what playing opportunities lay ahead.

"It was shaping up if we didn't have a footy team these girls would be lost to football which would be an absolute shame," he said. "On the back of that, we put it to them that we're happy to look and explore about the concept of getting an under 18 team but we'd need their help. And to their credit, a number of key play-makers went around and rallied up some key interest."

Thomas believes strengthening of its junior ranks was helping enhance the Cavendish community.

"It's creating a place, a family connection, a hub that they call home and that was evident with our flag," he said. "So many of our senior footballers were guys that had that family connection to the club. Having those juniors, those ties and connections are only going to be further enhanced."

Dion Brook, who has coached at senior level and whose daughter Matilda plays, will lead the playing group.

"Dion's a fantastic personality and will certainly be very good for the girls," Thomas said.

The Bloods will review the program after next season, with the possibility of forming a women's senior team down the line still to be determined.

With Cavendish 20 minutes north of Hamilton, AFL Western District region manager Jason Muldoon said the league made sure to consult Hamilton, a foundation club, about the Bloods' application and whether both teams would be recruiting from a similar pool of player.

"We didn't want to compromise them," Muldoon said of the Kangaroos. "The best scenario was that both teams had enough numbers to put teams in which turns out to be the case. It's a great result for female footy."

Muldoon said the league wanted foundation clubs to keep building while understanding there would be "potholes in the road".

"There might be a year where they can't do it," he said. "But we wanted to work with them to make sure they had the best opportunity to put a team on the park."

For Hamilton, a series of come-and-try sessions, coupled with the success of its women's team, has led to renewed enthusiasm. Hamilton women's coach Pat Sherlock was pleased the Kangaroos could offer an under 18 team again after some players travelled to Portland to compete this year.

Sherlock said there was a mix of returning and new players, and with 21 names currently on their list and a goal of 25-30 before the season-opener.

Muldoon said the league would put a lot of its focus into its under 14s pathway next year, after South Warrnambool, Port Fairy, Portland and North Warrnambool Eagles played a start-up competition in 2022.

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