Western Region Football League president Bruce Mildenhall used his season launch speech to acknowledge the challenges ahead for his league, but was rather bullish about what lies ahead for football in the west in 2016.
At the top of the agenda is a continued push for on-field equalisation, with the three-division format implemented last season going some way to reducing the quality gap between the top and the bottom sides.
Round 1 results in division 2 emphasised that the gulf still exists, with the two losing sides both beaten by more than 150 points.
In division 1, Deer Park has recruited strongly again as it takes aim at a fourth consecutive flag.
“We know we’ve got our challenges,” Mildenhall said to a packed house at the Yarraville Club on Thursday. “Some of our clubs are struggling and need a helping hand.”
But the WRFL has plenty to look forward to this season.
There will be no shortage of star power to get football fans flocking to the local footy, with huge names Brendan Fevola, Paul Chapman, Brian Lake, Mark Williams and Shannon Byrnes committing to play in the league.
With the WRFL to meet the Ballarat Football League in an inter-league game in May, some of these former AFL champions could pull on the red, white and blue for a representative game.
A new club has been added to the senior ranks with Newport Power, a successful junior club, making the leap into senior football in division 3.
The player points cap has been implemented in the senior ranks.
There will also be a greater emphasis on the growth of girls’ football with a restructure of the junior competitions and a new under-eight boys competition will aim to bridge the gap between Auskick and junior football.
“There are some pretty significant developments,” Mildenhall said. “It’s a terrific year for us; it’s action-packed.”
