Youth team shifts balance of power west
The growth of women's football in WA took another step this week, with the State's youth girls side becoming the first team outside Victoria to claim a national title at any level.
Coached by 2013 football woman of the year Michelle Cowan, WA beat Vic Metro by 25 points in the final of the AFL youth girls national championships in Canberra on Thursday.
The breakthrough 7.8 (50) to 4.1 (25) win comes after a landmark 2013 for the women's game in WA in which participation numbers rose by more than 300 per cent to 18,831.
"It's just a really exciting time to be involved in female footy," Cowan said.
"There's 169,000 girls participating in the game now nationally."
WA midfielder Hayley Miller was outstanding. The 18-year-old was player of the championships, player of the grand final and earnt All-Australian selection.
Caitlyn Edwards, Sabrina Frederick-Traub, Kellie Gibson, Tarni Golisano and Asha Price were also named All-Australians, with Price adding the leading goal kicker award.
The victory is likely to prompt several girls to put their name forward for the second AFL women's draft on Monday week.
Players will be selected by the Western Bulldogs or Melbourne, and the teams will play as the curtain-raiser to the AFL fixture at Etihad Stadium on June 29, as they did last year.
