Ms Ross, 17, created a Facebook group called North East Border AFL Women's Team in the hopes of providing an opportunity for women to play beyond the rapidly growing junior ranks.

Though she's still eligible to play in the AFL North East Border's youth competition and the Murray Bushrangers, the Murray High year 12 student said she had created the group with an eye towards the future.

“This issue has been that there have been overage girls who have been told they can't play,” she said.

“That's fair, rules are rules, but it means they're left with nowhere to play.

“I'll be in that position next year, I turn 18 later this year, so decided, along with a few other girls, to create the page.

“The coaches from Lavington, Wodonga Raiders and Thurgoona have jumped on board to help out.

“We're hoping to put together an open team in the long run.

“We only made the page just over a week ago and already there are 90 people in the group.”

Thurgoona youth girls coach Tim Madden will run the group's first training session, to be held on Easter Monday afternoon at Ernest Grant Park from 3:30pm.

Mr Madden said the success of the inaugural AFL Women's competition earlier this year, as well as the continued development of youth pathways was bringing more women into the game.

“There's obvious interest in the game after the AFLW competition, a lot of girls who want to give it a go,” he said.

“You only have to look at how much the junior competitions have grown.

“I'm probably a little bit shocked in terms of how many women want to give this a go.

“Pretty much everyone I've spoken to has said that if this was around when they were growing up they would have loved to play.”

Training sessions will be held in the short term, with hopes that intra-club and later, full matches, will be played against teams from places like Benalla, Shepparton or even Melbourne.

“It's all about getting the ball through the hands,” Mr Madden said.

“Some might not like it, some will come to it with a high skill level having played juniors.

“It's really about having a bit of fun and building everything up from there.”