There's no doubt that 2022 is going to be a big year down at the Castlemaine Football Netball Club.
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The 162-year-old Magpies are entering a senior women's side into the Central Victoria Football League Women's competition.
The CFNC will continue building on the success of its junior and youth girl's programs as the foundation for the open age Magpies squad.
"This has been a long time coming, " CFNC president Caleb Kuhle said.
"We're the second-oldest football club in Australia and for us not to have a senior women's team was odd.
"To be able to make this historic move into the CVFLW brings us into the 21st century."
The AFL Central Victoria commission approved the club's application last week, which now takes the league to nine teams for the 2022 competition, up from the original five in its inaugural 2018 season.
"We are proud to be able to offer an opportunity for our local female footballers to continue playing the game they love in a highly competitive premier league," Kuhle said.
"At CFNC, we want to provide optimal opportunities for budding sports people across central Victoria and welcome our adoption into this league.
"We have worked tirelessly behind the scenes to get this opportunity off the ground and can't wait to see what 2022 has in store."
Golden Square premiership player Tiahna Cochrane has been named as head coach and Georgia Banks will be in charge of women's football operations.
Kuhle said a major focus was to get local players associated with what marked a new chapter in the Magpies' long history as a sports club.
"When the Bendigo Junior Football Netball Club first had under-18 girls we were quite successful, but for the players there wasn't really anywhere locally for them to continue playing in Castlemaine," Kuhle said.
"Many of them then headed off to different clubs.
"To now have a league such as the CVFLW, which has really grown into a strong competition, it gives local players the opportunity to play at their club.
"With Tiahna Cochrane as coach, she brings a wealth of experience to the team and is a great friendly and competitive person to have in charge."
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Kuhle said the overall growth of the CVFLW in recent years showed the strong expansion of the women's league.
"If we can get each of the BFNL clubs with a senior women's team it would be really special," he said.
In addition to the CVFLW side, Magpies will also enter its first A-Grade BFNL netball squad for the first time since 2017.
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