Werribee is partnering with North Melbourne across its Victorian Football League Women’s and Next Generation Academy programs.
The three-year partnership will see North Melbourne’s VFLW team named the North Melbourne Werribee Kangaroos and play up to four games a season at Werribee’s home of Avalon Airport Oval, including two games confirmed for 2025.
Werribee will also expand its support for the delivery of North Melbourne’s NGA program in Wyndham, designed to identify and develop young multicultural and Indigenous footballers from the region, after first joining forces in 2023.
North Melbourne women’s football general manager Erin Lorenzini said the partnership was an opportunity to invest further in the game in the Wyndham region.
“This new partnership with the Werribee Football Club builds on North Melbourne’s long-standing connection to the City of Wyndham and is a fantastic opportunity to strengthen both the game’s presence in the region and our women’s football and talent pathway programs,” she said.
“Our VFLW team will continue to train and play games at North Melbourne’s home of Arden Street Oval but will now have access to Werribee’s state-of-the-art facilities at Avalon Airport Oval.
“Werribee is an important hub in the City of Wyndham, and we look forward to working with them to introduce more people to football and grow the pipeline of talent in the region.”
Werribee chief executive Mark Penaluna said the partnership would support greater local participation in women’s football.
“This partnership will provide enormous opportunities for local female players to take that important and challenging step to the elite level and enable our club to begin our journey into women’s football,” he said.
“The ongoing relationship we have with North Melbourne has been beneficial to both clubs, to football and the community, and this venture is a natural progression for both.
“We believe this model is the best outcome for growing the female game in Wyndham for current and future players, plus others wishing to get involved in women’s football.”
North Melbourne’s connection to Wyndham spans more than 16 years.
The club’s VFL program was affiliated with the Werribee from 2008-2017, while its community arm, The Huddle, operating out of its satellite office at Avalon Airport Oval, has delivered programs to more than 50,000 children and young people across the region since 2016 to strengthen their education and employment outcomes through the power of sport.
Most recently, members of North Melbourne’s AFL team visited schools and hosted a clinic in the region as part of the AFL’s annual community camp program.
The North Melbourne Werribee Kangaroos and reigning VFLW premiers kick off their 2025 campaign on Friday, April 18 against Carlton at Arden Street Oval.
