STOP poaching our girls.
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That’s the message from a frustrated Twin City president Harry Wilhelm as his senior women’s team continues to struggle this season.
The Wanderers were hammered 10-0 by Melrose last Sunday, injuries reducing the team to little more than a handful of players when the game was stopped.
Wilhelm said the gulf between the top and lower teams had never been wider and blamed the power clubs who continued to raid their playing stocks.
The Twin City veteran said the “big four” needed to act in the best interests of the competition rather than personal gain.
“I’d love to talk to the coaches of those four sides who continue to poach our best players,” Wilhelm said.
“I know for a fact one of Hotspurs’ better players at the weekend was asked to join one of those clubs next year and that’s a shame for the competition.
“We lost three players from last year’s teams to those clubs and had we still had another two who left mid-season then we would have had a more than competitive side.
“I don’t think there needs to be a rule change, I just think some clubs need to back off and give the clubs that are developing, trying to be more competitive, an opportunity to do that by keeping a group together.
“There’s nothing more appealing than to be invited to play in a side that may be contending for the championship or league, but if these girls are left alone they may stay loyal to their clubs and in the long term make for a better competition.”
Wilhelm said despite the recent hidings, Wanderers were committed to senior ladies soccer.
“The ladies competition is suffering through a lack of numbers in general,” he said.
“Some clubs have a really good program for the girls with age sides in all divisions — we don’t have that at the moment.
“We’re a better club for having a senior ladies team and choose to play in the top tier rather than the reserves because we believe the development of those girls is fast-tracked.”
The Wanderers take on Albury Hotspurs on Sunday for the wooden spoon.
“Hopefully that is an incentive for us to beat them,” Wilhelm said.