NEWS: New look Women’s Div 1 comp to feature four new teams and be the most competitive ever!
A NEW look and expanded nine-team Geelong Region Women’s Division 1 competition will see the introduction of four new clubs, at the expense of three existing ones, when the new season kicks off on Saturday 14th of April.
The newly formed Geelong Rangers Women’s team has been granted special consideration to enter the region’s elite Women’s competition after a vacancy was created in the top division.
The Bell Post Hill based side will join newly promoted Bell Park and Golden Plains while State League club Lara United will field a team in the local Women’s competition for the first time since 2013.
Last season’s league champions Drysdale SC failed to qualify for the season ending Grand Final, which saw arch rivals Deakin Ducks defeat Barwon at Stead Park, although they did take out first place at the inaugural Victorian Regional Champions’ Cup at the same venue a month later. They will be hoping to achieve the clean sweep in 2018.
The Ducks, however, will have second thoughts with the Students’ depth to be significantly boosted following the (re)inclusion of a Reserves’ team in Division 2 this year.
Following their appearance in last season’s Grand Final and a win in their inaugural Team App Cup earlier this month, the ladies at Barwon SC will be buoyed going into the new season. With a couple of handy recruits and the increased focus on women’s football at Grovedale Reserve, the Blue and Whites will be aiming high in 2018.
The dark horse for the title will, however, be the Mick Opperman coached Dark Blues from Myers Reserve. With the arrival on the scene of ex-Galaxy teens Ruby McCloskey and Georgia Mackus, Rangers will be justifiably aiming to capture the title in their inaugural season.
Unfortunately, coastal sides Barwon Heads and the Ocean Grove based Surfside Waves have struggled with numbers in the off season and have been forced to withdraw their teams from the Women’s Division 1 competition, while wooden spooners Geelong SC were relegated to this year’s Division 2 competition.
Along with seasoned Division 2 campaigners Corio Bay, they will be aiming to bounce back into the elite division in 2019.
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