It hasn't taken long for the influence of AFL Women's inaugural season in the ACT, with AFL Canberra's junior participation numbers going through the roof to their highest levels in more than 30 years.
This season, which was launched on Wednesday, they'll have 125 junior teams - the first time they've had that many since 1984.
Ainslie player Elise Doherty, 7, is forming part of the junior footy resurgence.
Photo: Rohan ThomsonThe growth was largely on the back of the highly successful AFL Women's, which kicked off earlier this year and was an outstanding success in terms of crowds and television ratings.
There will be 13 more junior girls teams, with two new age groups created - under-10s and under-12s.
AFL Canberra operations manager Garry Lawless said the birth of NRL club Canberra Raiders in the early 80s had played a role in the drop off of junior participation in the ACT.
He felt the resurgence was down to the boom first season of the AFLW, as well as GWS Giants playing games at Manuka Oval.
The Giants played their first AFL game in Canberra in 2012 and are into their sixth season of a 10-year deal to play three games in the ACT every year.
"Generally speaking when there's a major event you'll see a spike in any sport," Lawless said.
"This year there'll be 13 new female teams and they're all in the youth age groups so AFL Women's league has certainly had an impact.
"Which has come about directly through demand and I think the demand's come from the profile of the AFL Women's."
Eastlake defender Sam Patron said he was loving the increased numbers - more kids meant more people to play footy with.
The 13-year-old from Alfred Deakin High added he'd noticed the increase in junior girls and put it down to the AFLW.
"The girls starting up [the AFLW] is really good as well, especially with them having rolemodels in the actual league, having good rolemodels playing [in the AFLW] to make them want to play, which is good," Sam said.
"There's just a lot more girls around, which is good."
David Polkinghorne covers the Canberra Raiders, local rugby league, Canberra Cavalry, racing and cycling, along with every other sport, for The Canberra Times.
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