Caroline Springs will join the Essendon District Football League women’s premier division next season.
The EDFL released its women’s premier division fixture last week, with the competition to expand to 10 teams.
The Lakers will join premier division, while Maribyrnong Park, which finished bottom this season, has avoided relegation.
Strathmore, which won division 1 this year, will return to the top flight after two seasons in division 1.
The Lakers top side has been playing in the Western Football League women’s competition where it has been a powerhouse of the competition.
Since the WFL started its own stand alone division, the Lakers have made the grand final every year, including winning two premierships.
The only season the Lakers haven’t made the grand final in a completed season was in their first year in 2017 in a combined EDFL-WFL competition.
This year the Lakers reserves side played in the EDFL women’s reserves competition with the Western league having only one division.
On the club’s social media, the Lakers said they were excited for the challenge.
“We’re excited to share that in 2026, our senior women will join the premier division of the Essendon District Football League senior women’s competition, and our reserves women will return to the Western Football Netball League senior women’s competition after spending a year with the EDFL,” it said.
“We would like to thank both the WFNL and EDFL for their ongoing support of this move and both teams are excited by the challenges that face them in 2026.”
Maribyrnong Park has recruited well in the off season, adding some more young talent to its list as it hopes to build on last season.
The women’s premier division season will be expanded to 16 rounds, the biggest season ever.
The action kicks off on Good Friday with Strathmore taking on Keilor in a twilight contest, providing a bumper finish to what’s set to be a big day at Lebanon Reserve with the men’s sides also facing off.
Those two will have the following week off as Hillside unfurls its flag against Aberfeldie at Shark Park to continue the action, and 2025 grand finalist Oak Park hosts Maribyrnong Park.
Essendon Doutta Stars will commence its season against Moonee Valley at Nipper Jordan Oval, with Greenvale hosting newcomer Caroline Springs at Section Road.
There will be more Anzac Day action in premier division with every side embracing the action as 25 April falls on a Saturday, the grand final rematch between Oak Park and Hillside to be played in the twilight.
A three-week finals series between the top four sides is set to commence on the weekend of 15 August, with the grand final currently slated for the weekend of 29 August.
Tara Murray
