Yes, clubs are actively recruiting! If your closest Masters club does not have a women’s team in 2024, there are still may be opportunities to train with the club. Contact a neighbouring club to join with an existing women’s team. Play as a fill-in or join in with casual matches organised throughout the season.

The 2024 season features 10 home and away games, played fortnightly on Saturdays over winter, plus 2 weeks of finals.

Since the first competition in 2018, the women’s competition has enjoyed double headers and whole rounds at one venue. 2024 fixtures are likely to have 2 home matches for all clubs. The teams travel to each home ground for double headers or whole rounds at one venue if there are available ovals. The 2024 fixture plans to minimise travel where possible but the comp spans from Werribee/Mordialloc to Preston/Reservoir.

With only one age group at this stage, there is a lot of variety in players’ ages. To be eligible, a player has to turn 35 by 31 December. In terms of experience, there are many players over 35 who were not offered any football opportunities as a young kid. This means that the competition welcomes all players brand new to football with great enthusiasm. Estimates are 30-40% players have played footy before, and 60-70% who are new to the game as a 35s player. There are brand new players in every team, some who played a bit and then retired, and a smaller group of players who have significantly more game time. 

Yes! The Women’s 35s football community is super friendly and always ready to talk about footy. The objectives of the women’s competitions are ‘footy for fun – a safe place for everyone’; community sport which is safe and inclusive, and fosters positive experiences for the players, teams, clubs, supporters and community. Each month, the women’s competition meet together in the Women’s Comp Sub Committee, which aims to promote the competition as inviting and inclusive environment. Contact us for a chat!

Our competition has a lot of peer support and tips in this space. The AFL offers clubs help with some resources that can asssist with first impressions, inclusive language, female friendly facilities and coaching women. https://www.play.afl/clubhelp/women-girls/

Word of mouth, social media and peer support has been effective for the clubs so far. Also try flyers and posters at local businesses, gyms, to hand-outs at AFLW matches or community footy games. Promote with parents at AusKick or in school communities. Come and try days help people to check out your club with a view to membership. It is also helpful to have women coaching and being visible in the club, so that women feel that the club is going to be supportive for a player new to footy.