WAFL Women's Reserves competition retained for 2022 Thursday, October 28, 2021 - 10:16 AM

The WAFL Women’s Reserves competition will go ahead in season 2022, in a modified format.

After extensive consultation with all the stakeholders of women’s football, the WAFC Board has voted for the competition to remain in the WAFLW for next season and beyond.

The WAFC acknowledges the challenges that many clubs face within their Reserves programs given the rapid growth of women’s football in WA, and the issues that still present within the talent pathway. 

The WAFC will not mandate clubs to submit a team for next season. Some clubs do not support having a Reserves team in the current climate.

However, the WAFC will work alongside all clubs to ensure that all WAFLW clubs have a full complement within their female programs, inclusive of a League, Reserves and Rogers Cup team in the coming years. 

The exemption from fielding a Reserves side only lasts until 2024.

WAFC Chairman Hon Wayne Martin said:

“The primary objective of the WAFL Women’s competition remains to provide an elite platform for women and girls to play Australian Football, leading to becoming the strongest female state league in the country,” Martin said.

“Given the continued progress and advancement of the women’s game, the WAFC is committed to working with our WAFLW players, clubs and stakeholders to make decisions in the best interests of everyone involved in football.”

“Our vision is for the WAFLW Reserves to become a development league for aspiring young players, maintaining the objective of growing the female game.”

“We want to provide the opportunity for every girl to play football in some form in Western Australia and will strive to make an environment across all levels of our game that allows for football to become the number one female participated sport in the state.”