Greenvale has made the call to pull its women’s side ahead of the Essendon District Football League premier division season.
The Jets were set to play in premier division for a second straight season before the decision to withdraw their side.
They struggled for numbers last season, finishing second bottom, and there’s been nearly 10 clearances from players to leave the club for this year.
Early clearances included Terira Fry and Hayley Cooke, who had been mainstays of the side for a number of years.
Kayla Peake, Kiara Delia, Jii Williams, Grace Matser, Summer Sionetali, Taliah O’Connor and Riley Anderson are others to have put clearances in.
Jets’ president Bruce Kent said they had no other option but to withdraw the side.
“It is certainly disappointing after so much effort we’ve put into it over the years,” he said.
“We had no other option and tried everything. A number retired, a number were injured, a number went to the big four clubs in the EDFL and others left to go to other leagues.
“We’re very disappointed.”
The folding of a side comes less than two years after the side won the division 1 premiership.
The Jets had played off in the previous two grand finals before that.
Kent said the biggest issue for the club was a lack of under-18s girls.
The Jets last season had under-10s, under-12s, under-14s and under-16s, but that wasn’t flowing onto the next age group with not enough girls wanting to keep playing.
He said they hadn’t had an under-18 side for seven years meaning they didn’t have players fielding into the senior team.
The Jets were set to play in an expanded 10 team premier division competition this season.
Caroline Springs joined the competition, Strathmore was promoted and Maribyrnong Park wasn’t relegated.
An EDFL spokesperson confirmed the Jets had withdrawn their women’s side.
“The team was placed in premier division with a fixture that was released late last year, so EDFL operations is now working on contingencies for a new fixture.
“Greenvale FC has been an incredible driver of female participation in the region and we wish the club all the best in its efforts to resume its senior women’s program in the future.”
