West Australian coach and former Football West women's standing committee member, Conrad McKelvie, says West Australia's best young footballers are switching to AFL.

McKelvie's comments on the ABC Sport's website outlined that the lack of NPLW competition and professional pathways for female footballers in WA are leading to the code-switching.

​"The reality is even if we start moving towards that, it is going to probably be five years down the track before we are at a situation where clubs are at a level where they can even be considered in the same breath as the eastern states NPL programs," he said.​

​"Top players from the league are going to AFL instead because the opportunities and the standards are better at the moment.

​"You have got players who have played premier league here [in Perth] who have had no look in at the Glory, who have now gone to play for the Fremantle Dockers or the West Coast Eagles team.​

​"Those teams are full of ex-soccer players."​

PLUS...

The women's game in WA – Boom or Bust?

The 2018-19 W-League season saw Perth Glory appear in their third grand final in five years.

TWG journalist Neil Bennett originally covered this issue back in July, where he noted that despite increase in participation rates of nearly 40% across the state, only three of six Women's Premier League teams field a junior side.

He noted that Football West's proposed State Football Centre would likely form a key part of any sustainable football pathways in the state going forward.

“The recent Federal Election saw commitments from the Federal Labor Party for $20m and $16.25m from the Federal Liberal Party,” Football West CEO, James Curtis told Bennett at the time.

“This was following a $37m election commitment by the previous Premier, Colin Barnett, in the 2017 State election.

“With $16.25m on the table with the Federal Government, Football West is working hard to ensuring the State Government commits to delivering this project and our aim is to see it delivered on time as part of a successful bid for the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia.”