Old clubs add new look to TFL

Goals are already being kicked ahead of the official start of the 2020 Toowoomba Football League season.

SAVE: Rockville goalkeeper Amy McDonnell, saves a Hayley Gray shot during last year’s TFL Premier Women’s division grand final. Can Rockville defend their title in 2020?.

FOOTBALL : Goals are already being kicked ahead of the official start of the 2020 Toowoomba Football League season.

Growth and significant player retention at a senior level has seen several clubs and new teams, and the competition has welcomed back some familiar faces.

Hawks have returned to the fold in the Premier Men’s and Women’s divisions and are joined by St Albans who lace up in Premier Men’s.

“I think it’s going to be an absolute bumper of a season,” Football Queensland South West vice president Snow Green said.

“A lot of the clubs have more teams this year, and we’ve welcomed the likes of Hawks and St Albans back.

“We’ve retained a lot more players in the 16-and 17-years- old bracket compared to past seasons, which is a very good sign.

“That’s the result of all the hard work the volunteers put in at all the clubs – without them we wouldn’t have a competition.

“And the growth in the women’s divisions – going from six teams to 11 is phenomenal. I don’t think you’d see much better growth that in any women’s competition around the region.”

Significant player and coach movement in the off-season will also make things exciting for the neutral fan.

“I think a lot of the player talent has evened out as well which will be great for fans,” Green said.

“Willowburn and USQ (Premier Men) have new coaches this season, and having a team in Brisbane is going to make things a little tougher for Willowburn.

“But you can’t rule either of them out because they both have winning cultures.

“I think what we will see is the rise of teams like West Wanderers and Rockville.

“It might take a little while for Hawks and Saints to get up to pace, but it will be great to see some of those old rivalries form again.

“In the women’s competition, I think Willowburn and Rockville will come back to the pack a little bit.

“A team like USQ might give them a real shake.

“It’s going to be a very exciting year in all the divisions, and it will be interesting to see how it all pans out.”

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