AFL North Coast has reached another milestone in its 40-year history, with the announcement of the first ever

North Coast Force Youth Girls Under 13 representative team.

The introduction of a second Youth Girls age group this season has provided the opportunity to field the Under 13 girls only team, which complements the Youth Girls Under 17 team within the local talent pathway.

This new age group has seen former players return to the sport now that they can play girls only football, and has also attracted a whole wave of new participants to the code.

With the North Coast Force acting as the first step in the pathway to the Sydney Swans Academy, the players in the newly announced Youth Girls Under 13 rep team are on their way to becoming the region’s next crop of AFLW players.

The first Youth Girls Under 13 representative team comes on the back of AFL North Coast introducing a new Under 14 Youth Girls competition this season.

Community Football Manager, Paul Taylor, said that the formation of the rep team had come about much quicker than planned.

“We definitely had plans to field an Under 13 girls rep team this year, but expected that we would have to wait until half way through the season once the girls had played more games and had the chance to realise how much they love footy and just how good they are,” he said.

“When we called for trials for the mixed Under 13 team in early April, we were overwhelmed with the number of girls who nominated for selection.

“Since the club season has started, we’ve seen the interest in rep footy grow week on week as the girls have played their club matches and realised just how much they love the sport.”

Taylor said it was exciting to announce the first ever Youth Girls Under 13 rep team.

“It’s always an exciting time when we get to announce a rep team, but when that rep team is the first one of its kind, the excitement is even higher!” he said.

“We’ve been blown away by the response to our new Youth Girls Under 13 rep team, so much so that we’ve brought our plans and timelines forward by about two months.

“This is a really great reflection of how much the girls are loving having their own girls only club competition to play in.

“With this region having already produced three AFLW listed players, these girls are the latest to start out on that talent pathway.”

Three former North Coast locals have been drafted to AFLW clubs with Nikki Wallace and Brianna McFarlane both being recruited by the Brisbane Lions, and Georgia Breward spending time on the Gold Coast Suns list.

Following a selection trial, eighteen players were selected in the first North Coast Force Youth Girls Under 13 representative team.

North Coast Force Youth Girls Under 13 representative team

Hope Cassidy (Sawtell Toormina Saints), Tayla Clarke (Sawtell Toormina Saints), Honey Cook (Nambucca Valley Lions), Kiah Dangerfield (Sawtell Toormina Saints), Megan Fuller (Coffs Harbour Breakers), Klaire Fuller (Coffs Harbour Breakers), Reese Legend (Nambucca Valley Lions), Ruby Luke (Port Macquarie Magpies), Akybe Murphy (Northern Beaches Blues), Chloe Murphy (Sawtell Toormina Saints), Kya Murphy (Northern Beaches Blues), Zahli Murphy (Northern Beaches Blues), Harpa Skinner (Sawtell Toormina Saints), Abbie Staines (Sawtell Toormina Saints), Zoe Tarlinton (Coffs Harbour Breakers), Lexi Tune (Sawtell Toormina Saints), Tazmyn White (Nambucca Valley Lions) and Grace Witte (Bellingen Bulldogs).

By Aiden BURGESS