VFL Women’s club Darebin has produced some of the AFLW’s biggest names \u2014 think Daisy Pearce, Katie Brennan and Darcy Vescio.<\/p>\n
But now the club’s future is under threat.<\/p>\n
The Falcons are not aligned with either an AFLW club or a VFL men’s club, and it is starting to hurt financially.<\/p>\n
As the VFLW has grown in professionalism and AFL\/W clubs have gotten involved the cost to run a team in the state league has grown.<\/p>\n
The Falcons have so far funded their seasons with sponsorships, partnerships, council and government grants, but Darebin president Jane Ryan said those campaigns are no longer enough.<\/p>\n
“[It’s] over $100,000, which is a lot for a community club to find \u2014 particularly a women and girls only community club,” she said.<\/p>\n
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Jane Ryan has been on the Darebin board for five years. (Supplied: Emily Mogic)<\/p>\n
Because of this Darebin has asked the AFL to help them partner up with an AFLW club.<\/p>\n
“We have approached other AFL clubs in Victoria and interstate for partnership opportunities,” Ryan said.<\/p>\n
“We believe there are potential opportunities in the coming years. That is what we have put in our proposal currently being considered by the AFL.”<\/p>\n
The ABC approached the AFL for comment but did not receive a response.<\/p>\n
Pushing on despite barriers<\/p>\n
The Falcons have been at the forefront of much of the growth and development of women’s football in Victoria.<\/p>\n
But if the club was to leave the VFLW it would not be the first time that one with a rich history in the game has had to bow out.<\/p>\n
Just last month 143-year-old Victorian club Preston was booted out of the VFL after desperately trying to hang on amid significant debt.<\/p>\n
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The Falcons’ independence means they don’t have the facilities other VFLW teams do. (Getty Images: Daniel Pockett\/AFL Photos)<\/p>\n
Despite the difficulties of Darebin’s position in the competition, staff are focused on the positives.<\/p>\n
Darebin’s VFL Women’s head coach Cameron Williams said the financial constraints had a flow on effect on the day to day running of the team, but that difference was also a selling point.<\/p>\n
“We don’t have the same cash to splash on the program [but] we don’t try to sell ourselves as something we’re not,” Williams said.<\/p>\n
“We really emphasise that coming to Darebin and becoming a Falc allows players to grow and develop not only as players, but as people.<\/p>\n
“And just be somewhere where they can be themselves and really enjoy their footy.<\/p>\n
“I always say that happy players are good players, so that’s the environment that we really try to build.”<\/p>\n
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Williams says playing for Darebin encourages growth not only on the footy field but as an individual. (Supplied: DAEJ Media)<\/p>\n
This attitude has also helped the team not fear the prospect of playing better resourced sides.<\/p>\n
“We really try to embrace the challenge,” Williams said.<\/p>\n
“You don’t grow unless you’re challenged.<\/p>\n
“It can be frustrating or tough to come up against a side with seven, eight or nine AFLW listed players and not having the same luxury as those clubs to bolster the team.<\/p>\n
“But when we do come up against VFLW squads we’ve shown that we’re a really competitive side.”<\/p>\n
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The Falcons have had to change home bases multiple times. (Getty Images: Dylan Burns\/AFL Photos)<\/p>\n
In recent seasons the Falcons have also had to change home bases multiple times.<\/p>\n
Not being able to use the club’s spiritual home of AH Capp Reserve in Preston has meant moving across Melbourne’s northern suburbs before settling at RMIT University and Preston City Oval.<\/p>\n
Weighing it all up<\/p>\n
Young star Lulu Beatty has experienced both sides of the VFLW experience, having played at Darebin and Carlton.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She now plays for Richmond in the AFLW.<\/p>\n
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Richmond signed Lulu Beatty to its AFLW list for the 2025 season in June. (Getty Images: Morgan Hancock\/AFL Photos)<\/p>\n
“I think that when you’re in an aligned club you get a lot of opportunities in terms of access to facilities and coaches,” Beatty said.<\/p>\n
“But I think what you really get at Darebin that you don’t get at other clubs is that you are the most important thing.<\/p>\n
“You’re prioritised, the club is so proud of you, and you have that real community support behind you.”<\/p>\n
In Beatty’s experience those differences do have an impact on field, but perhaps not in the way many would think.<\/p>\n
“The brand of footy is very team orientated,” Beatty said.<\/p>\n
“I think you can get a bit lost in clubs [where] everyone wants to be on an AFLW list because it can get really selfish.”<\/p>\n
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Beatty says the brand of footy at Darebin is different to that of AFLW aligned clubs. (Getty Images: Kelly Defina\/AFL Photos)<\/p>\n
Beatty noted that Darebin does not lure the players AFLW aligned clubs do.<\/p>\n
“It’s hard because you don’t attract the talent that wants to get drafted as much, [but] you do attract those older players who are there to finish their career and are [still] really good,” she said.<\/p>\n
Beatty is a tale of success in terms of being drafted at both types of clubs.<\/p>\n
“There’s a lot more personal sacrifice if you want to get drafted [from a non AFLW aligned club],” she said.<\/p>\n
“I think personally getting back on the list this year, the only place I reckon I would’ve been able to do it was Darebin.<\/p>\n
“But I also then had to go out of my way, spend a lot of money and time, and put that into my own development away from the club.<\/p>\n
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