AFTER consultation with AFL Western District and member clubs in both the South West District Football Netball League (SWDFNL) and the Greater South West Junior Football League (GSWJFL), both organisations have agreed to amalgamate to create a fully executed senior and junior football and netball competition in 2024.

The 2024 season will be the first time that the SWDFNL will offer both football and netball junior competitions under its structure, this is seen a positive move by members of both leagues.

Having the ability to play junior football and netball on the one day will ease the burden of volunteers and administrators across the league and clubs.

The SWDFNL as of 2024 will offer Under-11, Under-14, Under-17, reserves & senior grades of football and A grade, A Reserve, B grade, C grade, 17-and-Under, 15-and-Under, 13-and-Under and 11-and-Under (informal comp) in netball.

The GSWJFL since its inception in 2020 has provided the opportunity for junior football players to participate in the game.

The GSWJFL was born out of the 2019 AFL Western District Junior review, which recommended the merging of the Hamilton Junior Football League and the Portland Junior Football League.

The alignment of the SWDFNL & GSWJFL is seen as a strategic move to strengthen the new competition, as the competition grows it is expected that all current clubs within the SWDFNL will fill all junior grades.

Both Hamilton Kangaroos Junior Football Club & Portland Tigers Junior Football Club will remain in the new structure while the decision to participate in this new competition is at the discretion of the two clubs.

AFL Western District Region Manager Jason Muldoon said, “the GSWJFL has been a great vehicle to transition young players from NAB Auskick into community football, with increased workloads on volunteers at both league and club level, this amalgamation will look to streamline the work of all volunteers in the SWDFNL”.

Muldoon added, “The creation of a fully structured SWDFNL will create increased participation opportunities for the current clubs but may also prompt discussion amongst other leagues and clubs as to what the future may look like.

“AFL Western District congratulates both the SWDFNL & GSWJFL for their strategic approach to bringing this exciting opportunity to reality”.