Women’s football in Wide Bay is ready to launch into its biggest year yet with the competition kicking off on February 19th.
Aligning with the 2022 NAB AFL Women’s, the competition will be the first Queensland football season to get underway in 2022.
The competition will see six teams competing in a 13-week season with the top four to play finals.
Wide Bay Participation, Program and Competition Lead, Kieron Hyndman, said the Hervey Bay Bombers would be out to defend their title after winning the flag for the past four years.
“Since the competition started in 2018, it has continued to gain momentum,” he said.
“2022 will see Gympie, Maryborough, Bay Power, Hervey Bay, Brothers and Waves compete for the Premiership.
“More strides will also be made to continue to ensure there is a strong female pathway in the region – we’ll be running our Youth Girls Development program for girls aged 15 to 17.”
In another milestone, Felicity Tankey is set to be the first senior female coach in the Wide Bay women’s competition.
Tankey is at the helm of the Brothers Bulldogs, after a playing career that included playing football in Darwin from 2004 to 2016.
Earlier in the year, AFL Wide Bay named the Women’s Best and Fairest Medal in honour of long-term local administrator, Mark Mason.
Mason was an integral part of getting the women’s competition up and running in 2018 and was AFL Wide Bay League President at the time.
After also playing a hand in getting the female pathway program established, fittingly the first Medal in his namesake was won by Bay Power’s Abigail Grimsley – a local junior who’s come all the way through from playing with the boys.
Picture by FC Sports Media.
Pictured: Abigail Grimsely and Mark Mason
