Melton Centrals’ improved fitness and expanded player base is behind the side’s unbeaten start to the Victorian Women’s Football League north-west season.
Last year’s runners-up are clearly the team to beat this season, having scored almost 470 points more than the next-best side.
Centrals coach Janelle Martin says the team is keen to atone for falling at the final hurdle last season.
“Fitness is definitely better this year; it’s something we’ve worked on,” she said.
“Last season we played well but were only playing for three quarters; this year we’re playing well for four and we hope we can play in a winning side this time.”
Centrals is one club that’s benefiting from the rapid growth in women’s football. The team, which has been around since the early 2000s, has more numbers than ever.
Martin, who took the 2015 season off to have a baby, set the team up in the early 2000s because she was sick of travelling to play.
“It’s been a long time coming,” she said. “We’ve always struggled with numbers whereas this year we’ve got 25 players; we’ve never had so many. The introduction of the AFL women’s league is having an influence.”
Another bonus for the club is again having a youth girls side.
“We had a team many years ago before women’s footy took off,” Martin said. “There are now so many girls wanting to play. We have about 20 and they train with us.
“They like joining us as [women’s football] is a bit quicker and they learn faster.”
Martin said Centrals were also picking up players from all sporting backgrounds who want to play.
“We’ve got softballers from Sunbury and there are a few rugby girls playing.
“The rugby girls play rugby on a Saturday and footy on a Sunday. That’s dedication.”
On Saturday, Centrals continued their winning run with a massive 29.21 (195)-0.0 (0) victory over bottom-of-the-table Glen Orden.
Jaime Nankiville kicked 12 goals in a best-on-ground performance.
Alice Masters chipped in with four, while Nicole Undy and Tara Crisp kicked three each.
