Rogers Cup Debut Heralds New Era for Female FootyTuesday, March 21, 2023 - 12:58 PM

PERTH has taken its first step towards producing a fully-fledged women’s football program.

The Demons made their debut in the Rogers Cup Youth Girls competition on Sunday, playing East Perth in a match which had been years in the making.

Inaugural coach Gavin Outridge revealed the planning which turned a dream to reality.

“The Perth board set a 10 year plan to enter the WAFLW and become successful," Outridge said.

"We started with a development squad in May last year with a view to developing players to enter the Rogers Cup.

"As the year progressed the girls developed faster than we thought and we were starting to field calls from girls interested in playing Rogers Cup. This prompted us to make a submission to the WAFC to enter and here we are."

Perth WAFLW operations manager Michele Burton reflected on a historic day for the club.

“Together with the men’s squad having a new coach and our new women’s team there’s a positive energy and happy vibe around the club," she said.

"The support we had on Sunday from all grades and coaches was fantastic. I think the girl’s really appreciated having the boys, families and Perth community supporting them on the day and it helps to make PFC complete now we have a girls team."

Outridge knew there was anxiety for the playing group heading into the first game against the Royals.

“The girls were looking forward to playing, but also a bit nervous," he said.

"We stuck to our planned pre-game routines which they were familiar with and helped calm the nerves.

"Most of our girls are straight from community football so were excited to play on Mineral Resources Park in front of a big crowd."

The coach acknowledged the work required in the wake of the 68 point defeat.

“We went into the match with an open mind, knowing it was our first game in the competition against an experienced team," he added.

"We don’t look at games as big losses or big wins, we will always be looking at how and why we won or lost.

"We were happy with our first half and thought we were very competitive, and although we fell away in the second half there were lots of positives moving forward.

"We’ll aim to improve every week and remain competitive, and not just be happy with being in the competition. Our main focus is to continue developing our players and provide a positive environment where the girls can enjoy their football."

Perth hosts Claremont at Mineral Resources Park on Saturday.