In a massive boost for female football in the region, AFL Goldfields announced on Tuesday Ballarat’s Mars Stadium will play host to a female football grand final day in September.
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Six female football grand finals from under 13s all the way to seniors will take place at the stadium on September 2, including the Ballarat Football Netball League under 18 youth girls grand final – the league which features the Ararat Storm.
Mars stadium, formerly Eureka stadium, is the premier football arena in Western Victoria, playing host to multiple AFL matches this season.
AFL Goldfields female football manager Krista Woodroffe said she is excited female footballers in the region will get to celebrate such a big day at Mars Stadium.
“This provides a great opportunity for our female footballers to play on an AFL ground,” she said.
“This is a big step for our competition to use the best venue in the region to showcase such an important day and highlight just how much focus AFL Goldfields is putting into female football to make it such a big attraction for females across the region to join our sport.”
The Storm are the reigning under 18 Ballarat youth girl premiers and have dominated the competition in recent seasons.
Ararat Storm president David Nicholson said “it is fantastic” to see female football in the region put on a pedestal.
“The girls and ladies football has been pushed to the side at times, forced to play away from the premium ovals,” he said.
"In previous years we have had scheduled games at good grounds moved to worse ones because they are being saved for men’s football which is a bit of a put down for the girls.
“The surface of Mars Stadium is amazing, it is of an AFL standard. To have female footy showcased on a ground like that is brilliant.”
The Storm will be hoping to make an appearance on the big stage but will not be a certainty to reach another grand final.
They currently sit in fifth spot, one win back from a finals place.
With only four rounds remaining in the season, the Storm cannot put a foot wrong if they wish to have a chance at playing on the big stage.
“I am confident the girls will be able to pull through and make the finals,” Nicholson said.
“This announcement is a big motivator for the girls to try even harder. They were very excited to hear the news so they will be doing their best to make sure they get a chance to play on the big stage.”
