The Western Bulldogs will field a team in next year’s VFL Women’s competition, after the Club strengthened its partnership with VU Western Spurs.

The Bulldogs and Spurs have developed a strong relationship in the last three years, and in 2018 the Spurs’ senior VFLW team will be known as the Western Bulldogs and will wear the red, white and blue colours.

The Spurs’ four other competing women’s teams will retain their name as the VU Western Spurs, to continue its strong connection to the community.

The Western Bulldogs VFLW team will spread its home games between Victoria University Whitten Oval and Henry Turner Oval in Footscray.

“We have developed a fantastic partnership with VU Western Spurs over the years, and it makes perfect sense for us to form a closer alignment,” said Western Bulldogs Director of Football, Chris Grant.

“The partnership will allow female players to enter the system at youth girls level and have a pathway through to the Bulldogs VFLW team, and potentially the Bulldogs AFLW team.

“It also allows us to develop players, coaches, strength and conditioning staff and volunteers 12 months of the year, with opportunities for those in the Spurs system to receive exposure to the elite AFLW level to fast-track their development.”

VU Western Spurs were formerly affiliated with St Albans Football Club, and recently moved to Footscray after forming partnerships with Victoria University, City of Maribyrnong and the Western Bulldogs.

Bulldogs’ ruckman Jordan Roughead has been an assistant coach of the VU Western Spurs VFLW team for the last three seasons.

“With AFL Women’s Football continuing to take centre stage and the ambitious plans for the future of the game, the VU Western Spurs are very excited to be building on the already successful three-year partnership we have enjoyed with the Western Bulldogs to now create clear pathways into the VFLW and AFLW,” said VU Western Spurs President Karen Hayes.

“This will establish a great foundation for our community club to extend exciting elite sporting opportunities for our current 160 players, together with future generations of women footballers.”

The partnership between the two organisations will also provide opportunities for VU Western Spurs’ off-field staff to integrate into the Western Bulldogs’ administration in the areas of commercial, marketing and communications.