BRENDAN LINES
THE Riverland Women’s Football League (RWFL) is back for 2021 with a new-look competition aimed at growing women’s football in the post-COVID era.
After the cancellation of Riverland football in 2020, SANFL football operations co-ordinator Shane Uren said taking a “flexible” approach would help the five-team competition find its feet again.
“In 2021, there will be five clubs competing with varying numbers available,” he said.
“It’s going to be very flexible each week… we could go down to as low as nine-a-side games and anywhere right up to 16-a-side games.”
The regular season will kick off April 24 — the same weekend as the RFL — and be played across eight minor round games.
Each club will play each other twice, with two Sunday rounds scheduled at a single venue hosting both games.
The RWFL competition is open to all players who are over 15 years old on January 1, this year.
Shane Uren said younger players will have other opportunities to play in 2021.
“Those girls who are under 15, they are still eligible to play in the Riverland Junior Football League,” he said.
However, Uren said ‘come and try’ days would be held throughout the season for under 15 girls, to boost participation in junior female grades.
The league will be co-ordinating with the SANFL to run girls-only Auskick mornings across the season.
As the competition emerges from hibernation, the drive for player numbers has been a rocky road for clubs like the Loxton Catters.
Last week, Catters’ coach Adrian Hogg issued a call out to female players in an effort to fill numbers on the Catters’ list.
Hogg underlined that females should not be deterred by their lack of experience or skill level.
In an effort to help struggling clubs’ numbers, Uren said the SANFL would “be encouraging player sharing”.
“If more affluent clubs, player wise, come up against a side that is struggling a little bit, it’s just about getting the girls out there and getting a kick,” he said.