HUNDREDS of women's football players from around Australia will be able to take the field in new, specially designed uniforms after the latest round of Toyota Good For Footy Gear Grants were announced.
From the Katherine Camels in the Northern Territory to the Kingborough Tigers in Tasmania, 100 clubs across the country have each received $1600 in funding for jumpers that are specifically produced for female footballers.
>> FULL LIST OF 2022 TOYOTA GFF GEAR GRANTS RECIPIENTS
Women's teams have often used jumpers that were designed for men, but the explosion of participation numbers has prompted a surge in demand for female-specific jumpers and shorts.
Recipients of last year's Gear Grants are already sporting their new jumpers at clubs including Edithvale-Aspendale, Yarraville-Seddon Eagles and Manor Lakes in Victoria.
Almost 250 clubs applied for this year's grants program, with half the successful teams hailing from Victoria (30 clubs) and NSW/ACT (20). Clubs from Queensland (14 clubs), Western Australia (13), South Australia (12), Tasmania (seven) and the Northern Territory (four) will also be sporting new guernseys this year.
The 2022 recipients have been revealed ahead of the AFLW Toyota Good For Footy Round, which kicks off on Friday night with a clash between Gold Coast and Geelong at Metricon Stadium.
>> FULL LIST OF 2022 TOYOTA GFF GEAR GRANTS RECIPIENTS
Now in its third year, the Gear Grants program has provided a total of $480,000 to more than 300 clubs in a bid to encourage women and girls to keep playing their favourite sport with confidence, and to attract more female players to Australian Football.
Participation rates in women's and girls' football have skyrocketed since the NAB AFL Women's competition began in 2017. In 2016, there were about 950 community teams; today, there are more than 2500 teams across the country.
The Gear Grants are part of the broader Toyota Good For Footy program, which has been running since 2008. It helps grassroots footy clubs raise money to support the game they love, including via the Toyota Good For Footy Raffle, which will run again in 2022 and has helped over 640 clubs raise more than $8 million.
