The North Mandurah Football Club will come of age when it fields its first ever senior squad in the Peel Football and Netball League’s 2019 season.
The club has been operating solely for junior football since the early 1980s, but is set to take a massive step forward into their future when they field a side in the PFNL’s brand new “second division” in the coming season.
In a nutshell, the new division will offer clubs with expanding populations the chance to field an extra team within the league, as opposed to heading north to metropolitan competitions.
The PFNL’s current football system comprises of clubs being able to field league, reserves, colts and women’s teams, with the new men’s division set to be played at a level below the reserves.
North Mandurah plans on being one of the inaugural clubs to take to the field in the second division, in what will be the culmination of an initiative the club has driven for several years now.
“This is certainly something we’ve been working towards for a long time now so to see it becoming a reality is really exciting for our club,” Magpies president Jody Elphinstone said.
“We’ve had some really strong interest from potential players so we’re expecting to be all systems go by the time the season rolls around.”
Retaining young talent that would otherwise go elsewhere to play senior football is at the forefront of North Mandurah’s move into the new competition, and the club is also set to move into brand new facilities in Lakelands by season 2020.
“It’s a great opportunity for our players to be able to follow through from juniors to seniors at the one club,” Elphinstone said.
“They’ll also get to enjoy a new home ground in the coming years which is something we’re extremely excited about.”
Other clubs potentially signing up for the PFNL’s second division include Safety Bay, Dwellingup, Baldivis and South Mandurah.
PFNL general manager Geoff Hiller said the league was rapt to welcome in new clubs.
“We’ve entered a few new chapters in our league in recent years with the netball and women’s football starting up, and this is another venture we’re thrilled to be on,” he said.
“The aim is to give clubs like North Mandurah a league to play in where they won’t have to travel to Perth every second week.
“It will also assist clubs like Baldivis who currently play two teams in the [Metro Football League] every weekend.”
To register your interest in playing for the Magpies, email presidentnmjfc@hotmail.com
Justin Rake
Sports journalist for the Mandurah Mail, Australian Community Media, Fairfax Media.
Sports journalist for the Mandurah Mail, Australian Community Media, Fairfax Media.
