Panthers offer Dockers path

An agreement between Carey Park Football Club and the Dalyellup Dockers will give players from junior teams a greater opportunity to play league for the Panthers, helping ensure the future of the club.

The number of junior teams at Kelly Park is set to increase from two to potentially five, just two years after the club had no teams outside of its three senior outfits.

Carey Park president Michael Martinson revealing to the South Western Times the club planned to have teams in the Year 4, 5 and 6 competition as well as a Year 10 team, which was last year’s Year 9 team at Dalyellup.

“This gives the kids an avenue to go into senior football as a group,” he said.

“We want to help keep the majority of the kids together.

“They (the Dalyellup Dockers) will also have access to our facilities, including the ground to potentially play night matches.”

Martinson said the club would also field two youth girls teams in 2017.

The two clubs began talks early in the year, according to Martinson, with negotiations finalising last month.

Martinson said the club had also applied to host an Auskick program, with plans to host the junior sporting events on a Friday night.

The club has also signed Dalyellup’s Year 11 coach, Tim Verhaaf, as the colts coach for next season.

“That appointment gives us grounding to access the players at Dalyellup,” he said.

Martinson said the colts began training on Monday and players were welcome to start pre-season early.