The women’s program at Keilor Football Club continues to grow.
Having dominated last year’s one-off combined Essendon District and Western Region football leagues competition, the Blues will this season field two teams – one in the Northern Football League, the other in a stand-alone Essendon District Football League.
Blues coach Emma Kerry said that given the level of interest being shown, the club had no hesitation about fielding two sides.
Kerry, who coached last year, will coach the NFL side this year.
“We’ve got the numbers up to 48 or so,” she said of the club’s female playing depth. “We’re looking good to field two teams throughout the season.”
She said the club’s successful 2017 season and word of mouth had kept the momentum building.
“We haven’t had to go searching for players,” she said.
The Blues’ top side will play in NFL
division 1, which features several experienced teams.
Kerry said the Blues had decided to field a side in that competition to further test the skills of the players and hopefully build them up for a shot at being drafted into AFLW.
“We’ve got a first and a second team and that’s very important,” she said.
“With the lopsided results last year – and in fairness to the other teams that have started out – our good players should be playing at a higher level.”
Kerry said the Blues expected to play finals in the NFL competition, with most of the side part of last year’s premiership.
After a big first-round win, on Sunday they earned a hard-fought 5.2 (32)-3.7 (25) victory against a strong VU Spurs side.
The Wright sisters, Sarah and Gemma, were again among the standouts.
“The girls are only going to get stronger playing against some quality opposition,” Kerry said.
“We’ve got a handful of juniors who finished under-18s last year. They’ve been involved with Essendon VFL and three of them played.
“They are the future of the club. Apart from them, there was five or six players who played their first game ever.”
The Blues’ second side has four or five players from last year’s premiership side, with most of them forming the leadership group.
Kerry said having fun and developing were the focus. She said the EDFL competition had several new teams. Pascoe Vale and Sunbury Kangaroos were looking like the teams to beat.
“It’s a bit of fun and we’ve got no expectations this season other than learning skills and improving,” she said.
After a strong first-round win against Strathmore, the Blues were defeated by
the Sunbury Lions 8.7 (55)-3.1 (19) on
Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Blues men’s side got its first win of the season, defeating Pascoe Vale
11.3 (69)-4.12 (36).
