The Peel Football and Netball League’s keen netballers will take to the courts for round one of the 2018 season on Friday night, with the competition set to reach new heights this year.
All eight clubs will hit the ground running at the Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre to kick off the season, with each fielding a team in all three grades (league, reserves, open) for the first time.
Round one in the top division will see Baldivis take on last year’s grand finalists Pinjarra while South Mandurah and Rockingham’s game looms as a blockbuster.
Reigning premiers Waroona will square off against Halls Head, while Mandurah goes up against the Central Blues.
The league is entering its fourth year since merging under the PFNL banner, and is looking to this season to be the biggest yet.
“We’re rapt to have every club fielding a team in all three grades, that’s something we’re very excited about,” PFNL chairman Barry Butterworth said.
“We started with only eight teams playing in a league competition, so to add 16 teams to the league in just four years shows the hard work the clubs have put in and shows how many people out there want to play.”
The PFNL is also looking to field representative teams in Netball WA’s Smarter than Smoking Association Championships.
It comes as the league continues to explore avenues to enhance the experience for its netballers.
“We field colts teams in carnivals and our league players have the Landmark championships, which made us think we should be fielding a representative team for our netball players,” Butterworth said.
“We’re still working out how many players would want to put their hands up to play, but hopefully we can field a couple of teams.”
For more information on the Peel Football and Netball League’s netball competition, visit their Facebook page.
Justin Rake
Sports journalist for the Mandurah Mail, Australian Community Media, Fairfax Media.
Sports journalist for the Mandurah Mail, Australian Community Media, Fairfax Media.
