OPINION: MELANIE WHELAN
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WE CAN start to really get a gauge in what the boom in women's football means for the Goldfields region.
AFL this week announced a 14.42 per cent jump in female participation nationwide - unsurprisingly with the boom in opportunities for females to get involved in programs.
The game's governing body showed in Victoria, females made up 26 per cent of players pulling on the jumper last season with an extra 250 new all-female teams joining competitions.
AFL Goldfields doubled its female participation to 40 teams the past two seasons. The league boasted six grades of female football last season in open women, under-18s divisions in Ballarat and Riddell, under-15s and Ballarat and Riddell juniors.
AFL census data is a great measure but the most telling factors are in players like Rene Caris.
The 19-year-old, who hails from Horsham, is set to become the fourth export from Greater Western Victoria Rebels to make her AFLW debut on Saturday. Caris received the call-up to play against Brisbane in a top of the conference clash away late on Saturday afternoon.
She will follow fellow Rebels Lauren Butler (Collingwood), Georgia Clarke and Sophie van de Heuval (Geelong) to join expanded AFLW ranks this season.
This is exciting news right when the Rebels' girls are set to launch their NAB League under-18 campaign against Bendigo in Craigieburn on Saturday. Competition moved from five games to nine games the past two seasons - two more regular season matches than AFLW teams get to play.
What is NAB League? See below
Caris - a 2018 TAC team of the year and all-Australian player - steps up from a solid hit-out in a Victorian Football League women's practice match.
This is a somewhat overlooked fact for females working to make their way in a developing game. Most must keep up a high-standard game, like VFL, in the AFLW off-season. Rebels will be playing grassroots.
Seasons are not long enough yet to keep their bodies match fit and their skills sharpening for a dedicated season.
Australian Rules is not alone when it comes to this in the women's game.
Matildas newly named captain Sam Kerr played 112 soccer matches in the past three years, according to ABC data released late this week.
Playing schedules for a core group of Matildas put under the microscope showed three in 10 matches they played came after less than five days' rest.
Our top Matildas are juggling a living in the United States and Australian national women's leagues - Kerr plays in both.
The ABC offers the comparison of Socceroos' midfielder Tom Rogic, who has played more than 80 matches predominantly for Scottish club Celtic in the same time period.
This needs to turn for sustainability in women's ranks of traditionally male sporting arenas.
The increasing exposure and opportunity for elite players like Kerr and our Rebels joining AFLW are key factors fuelling increasing female participation. Such elite athletes are working overtime to keep forging a path for girls to follow.
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