YOUNG women who are keen Australian rules players might have a pathway to play in a senior competition if Rachael Paton's dream comes to fruition.
Paton, of Bradbury, wants to establish a local women's Australian football team in the area.
She has enjoyed playing Australian football for almost 14 years and played in juniors locally.
She is now a UNSW Stingrays player in the Sydney Women's Australian Football League.
The 20-year-old hopes to attract enough players to create a team and enter it into the SWAFL competition.
"SWAFL have an open-age competition so any woman or girl over age 14 is welcome," Paton said.
"I played with the boys up to under 14s — the age limit girls could go to.
"I know there's a large number of youth girl teams playing around the south-west area so I thought if I set up a team close by they would have somewhere to go when they finish rather than giving up because they have no way of getting to the city to a team and wasting the talent I know these girls have. We're especially looking for anyone local who's willing to play — but anyone's welcome.
"If we got a team up and running they would play under the SWAFL and it's an all-women open-age competition."
Paton said there were plenty of reasons to join a newly formed women's team. "Women's AFL offers a chance to get out of the house, socialise, meet people, make friends and have fun. It's a great way to learn skills, improve your communication and co-ordination skills and your ability to work in a team, as well as a great way to get fit and in shape."
Players would not have far to travel. "The University of Western Sydney in Campbelltown has been very co-operative with us and has allowed for us to use one the fields available there to train and play our home games.
"We need to get the numbers together soon to show we have a team. The deadline is the end of March. We're also looking for some sponsors for the team to buy balls and other equipment as well as field cost and jerseys."
The Facebook link to the Macarthur team is located here.