South Hobart wins Women’s Super League call-up

SOUTH Hobart is to replace the Olympia Warriors in the Women’s Super League next year.

Football Federation Tasmania yesterday announced the clubs to compete in the 2018 season.

South Hobart will join 2017 participants Clarence United, Hobart Zebras, Kingborough United, Launceston City, Taroona, Ulverstone and University in the competition next year.

Promotion and relegation will be introduced from the end of the season.

FFT chief executive Mike Palmer said earlier this month that Olympia would not be invited to compete in 2018 because the club’s WSL side had failed to consistently maintain two teams, but Warriors president George Mamacas said at the time the club would defend its right to compete.

South Hobart president Victoria Morton said yesterday that her club’s inclusion in the WSL was several years in the making.

“We’ve had girls’ teams probably about four years now, so we just haven’t quite been old enough [previously],” Morton said.

“We’ve started to build our club up with female participants from lower age groups, and now the ability to be able to [compete] in the Super League means that we can play women at the highest level, and that’s something that’s really exciting for the club.”

Palmer said yesterday that only the eight teams that will compete next year were invited to nominate for a place in the competition.

“We’re very happy with how the Super League’s gone,” Palmer said. “We understand that it needs to build in time and it needs to grow in popularity, but as we come into the third season we’re very pleased with the quality of football and the level of interest, and the growing number of players.”

Olympia did not provide a comment yesterday.