'That is big'; first grade competition to increase by half for 2024 season

Lake Albert, Henwood Park, Yoogali FC and Charles Sturt will all enter the first grade women's competition, boosting team numbers from seven in 2023 to eleven this year.

With two sides coming from existing Football Wagga clubs, the increase in size of the top grade has slid somewhat under the radar.

Hanwood head coach Anthony Zucatto is looking forward to reviving a local rivalry with Yoogali in the women's competition.

"I didn't realise it was that big of a competition number, that is big," Zucatto said.

"It's going to create a little bit of local rivalry for us which is good, we lost that last year with Leeton United going back to reserve grade, a nice little local derby [with Yoogali] will make things interesting so I'm looking forward to that.

"Lake Albert, we've never actually played them, so that's going to be interesting as well."

While he's looking forward to some variety in their opposition this season, Zucatto hopes the increase doesn't drop the overall skill level in the group.

"It's good to have teams, but if the competition isn't there, I don't know about that, I'd rather see less teams and better quality but you don't know if that's the case until halfway through the season, we'll see what we've got at the end of the year," he said.

The disbandment of the Wagga City Wanderers women's program at the end of the 2023 season may negate some first-year jitters though.

Zucatto said he hopes that the influx of high level players will have a positive domino effect on the competition, if they spread across clubs.

"The competition they've been playing in the last couple of years is obviously at a higher level so they should bring that back with them and bring it through to the players that didn't get to experience that as well, get them up to a higher level just like they've experienced in the last two, three years," he said.

"I expect even the coaching staff that was with the Wanderers will be spread back into those clubs that they're going to as well."

After losing their first game of 2023 in the Leonard Cup grand final, Zucatto said his side has unfinished business and new sides won't scare them from fielding their best side.

Locally, South Wagga president Stephen Burns said the club is for the expansion of the first grade competition.

"We welcome new clubs with open arms, I think it'll be good for the competition and create a greater spread of players and hopefully strengthen the competition," Burns said.

"I think it's absolutely fantastic for the competition, we need to be filling from the top down and to have a full suite of teams now in the first grade ladies competition is great and I know our ladies have welcomed it as well."