By JARROD POTTER
Victorian Women’s Football League – preview
AN off-season exodus has left Berwick Women’s Football Club in need of players.
Work commitments, study and changing clubs has left the team short of 15 players needed to field two football teams in the Victorian Women’s Football League (VWFL) Premier Division and Reserves competition this season.
“It’s the perfect storm I guess,” Berwick VWFL coach Shaun Smith said.
“A lot of girls have stopped playing due to work or uni commitments and most were senior players.
“You start looking at players that have gone and you can’t believe it – obviously we have to go into a bit of damage control and need to get things happening.
“One after the other – can’t play because of uni or work – don’t have qualms with that, but it just seemed to happen all at once.”
Victorian representatives Courtney Clarkson (work) and Ellie Blackburn (Melbourne University) lead the list of experienced senior Wickers including Romy Timmins, Steph Cutting, Stephanie Brown, Georgia Punton and Danielle McIntyre.
The list of departures doesn’t include Melbourne draftee and Victorian ruck/forward Bianca Jakobsson, but with a significant knee injury she won’t be sighted much on field this season.
The young players left will need to step up quickly and Smith believes the likes of Danielle Hardiman and Alice Barfoot are capable of making that leap.
“These are only young girls but they’ll all step up,” Smith said.
“We hope so – it’s going to be hard against some of the better sides – Darebin and Diamond Creek- but we’ll just have to see what we can do.”
“Dani Hardiman is young but has some time under her belt, B.J. (Jakobsson) will be a leader but won’t play a lot.”
Berwick trains twice a week during the pre-season – Monday and Wednesday while during the season it will be Wednesday and Friday.
“Berwick is a really good club and is a great team environment,” Smith said.
“Anyone who can play or come down, that would be great.”
For more information on playing for Berwick in the VWFL this season, contact Shaun Smith on 0407 040 525.
