The AFL is paying tribute to the women involved in all levels of football with events and activities designed to mark the national Women’s Round this coming weekend. AFL Queensland will be profiling women from all areas of the game this week starting with current Queensland and All-Australian Captain Jo Butland.
 
What started as something new and different to challenge the ex-Matildas goalkeeper, playing AFL has now become something that she has taken to the highest level and in the process, become a role model for aspiring girls playing football in Queensland.
 
Based in Cairns, Butland is a committee member of the Peninsular Girls Football Board, as well as coach of her North Cairns club team and the North Queensland U16 representative girls team.
 
Once she eventually decides to hang up the boots in an already decorated playing career, Butland is looking forward to continuing with coaching and is currently relishing the experience of mentoring the younger generation of female footballers.
 
“I’m really enjoying coaching at the moment. I think it’s important to have females coaching the young girls coming through,” Ms Butland said.
 
“You can really relate to the girls a lot more and it’s good to be a role model for the younger girls who are just starting.”
 
Jo will captain the Queensland team at the AFL Women’s National Championships in Perth this week starting on Tuesday.
 
Career highlights
  • 3-time All-Australian (including Captain)
  • International Rules Representative
  • Queensland Captain
  • Captain-Coach North Cairns
  • Coach North Queensland U16 Girls Team
2009 Women’s National Championships
 
The biennial Women’s National Championships will be held in Perth from Wednesday 3 June until Sunday 7 June. The Division One final will be played at Subiaco Oval as the curtain-raiser to the West Coast v Geelong AFL match.
 
The championships provide an opportunity for the nation’s most talented female footballers to represent their State or Territory. (Please note: Tasmania isn’t fielding a team but is supplying umpires).
 
These are the 11th championships and will be contested under a trial two division format:
Division 1
Australian Capital Territory
Queensland
Victoria
Western Australia
Division 2
New South Wales
Northern Territory
South Australia
Host WA – 2nd tier WA team
 
The best emerging female field umpires will also be involved in the championship and will receive expert coaching from the WA Football Commission Umpiring Department.
 
Victoria has won the last two championships and Western Australia has been the runner-up.
 
The following venues will be used during the championships: East Fremantle Oval, Claremont Oval, Fremantle Oval, Steel Blue and Subiaco Oval.
 
2009 Women’s National Championships Fixture
 
Wednesday 3 June 2009
10.30am          WA v QLD      Steel Blue
1.45pm            VIC v ACT      Steel Blue
10.30am          NSW v Host    Claremont Oval
1.45pm            SA v NT          Claremont Oval
 
Thursday 4 June 2009
10.30am          WA v VIC        South Fremantle
1.45pm            QLD v ACT    South Fremantle
10.30am          SA v NSW      East Fremantle
1.45pm            NT v Host        East Fremantle
 
Friday 5 June 2009
Rest Day
 
Saturday 6 June 2009
10.30am          ACT v WA       Claremont Oval
1.45pm            VIC v QLD      Claremont Oval
10.30am          Host v NSW    East Fremantle
1.45pm            NT v SA          East Fremantle
 
Sunday 7 June 2009
12 noon           Division 1 Final            Subiaco Oval
9am                 Division 2 Final            South Fremantle