Directors make decision on 2026 women’s football fixtures after much debate over timing of season

A proposal to push the 2026 women’s football season from summer to align with the men’s season has been scrapped by the Great Southern Football League board. The decision to keep the upcoming GSFLW competition in a standalone period was made in June, after consultations and discussions with the league’s six affiliated clubs. Running since 2018, the women’s competition has always begun in late summer and finished in autumn, while the men’s competition kicks off on Anzac Day and concludes in September. This year was the inaugural season of the youth girls competition, though only Railways, Royals, North Albany and Denmark fielded teams. The Tigers and Mt Barker were firmly opposed to the change — with reigning premiers Bulls warning they may be forced to withdraw if the season’s timing changed — and the remaining four clubs were either supportive of the push or not entirely opposed to the proposed change. GSFL women’s football director Kathleen Mier said on June 17 the board unanimously decided to leave next year’s season as it was, before a possible change in 2027. Of the major reasons posited in favour of the change — relieving volunteer burnout and aligning with other leagues — Ms Mier said the “key talking point” was that some clubs found themselves stretching a limited volunteer pool across both seasons. “It’s been a bit divided, with some wanting to align with the men and some wanting to stay where it is, but I think moving forward, the majority of clubs were happy to run 2026 as a standalone season,” she said. “I’m not sure every club is exactly excited, but everyone knows now. “It gives Sharks and Barker an opportunity to form a youth girls team and other clubs the chance to build their women’s volunteer base a bit more. “Other clubs don’t do it as well and it’s the same volunteers working basically all year.” Difficulties noted in aligning the two seasons included sharing training spaces, change rooms, busy game day fixtures and a possible downturn of involvement due to the clash with other winter sport codes. Ms Mier said the “fabulous” turnout at the 2025 women’s grand final at Collingwood Park in April showed the growth of the female game in the region and the potential that the budding youth girls competition showed. “Our women’s grand finals, and youth girls, was extraordinary and we were very fortunate to have the most wonderful evening with huge crowds,” she said. “People are really understanding how well it’s been going and giving another 12 months, each club will form another committee base with new people coming in and new youth girls signing up, where footy will become their principal sport. “We’ll revisit it next year, but it is not going to go backwards. “Women’s football is here to stay and it’s going to be stronger and stronger each year.”