In a statement, FFA said today that due to funding issues the Mariners will not be part of the new W-League season kicking off in November.

It's a blow for the club's players with a number - including star striker Michelle Heyman - eyeing up places in the national team for next year's World Cup.

And while Heyman is sure to be snapped up swiftly, it offers an opportunity for south coast to press their claims with their NSW champion Illawarra Stingrays - a team going for their third NSW Premier League title in a row.

In a week when the south coast region's governing body spoke of their long-term plan for an A-League club exclusively on au.fourfourtwo.com, part of those plans were to host W-League games.

It was in response to a boom in female registrations on the south coast, up 18 percent, claimed south coast football.

And the region has a ready-made, well organised and successful structure already in place with the Stingrays.

Bill Drossos, an advisor/director of Football South Coast on W-League, A-League and FFA relations, told au.fourfourtwo.com today's that they will seek a meeting with Grantham to press their claims for inclusion in the 2010 W-League.

"Time's not on our side but luckily we have a structure in place, a booming club with real growth in numbers and yes this is a chance to showcase what the south coast can do," he said.

A number of Stingrays - a club set up by former Matilda turned TV star Amy Taylor - played for Central Coast last season including the highly talented Heyman.

"On the south coast, our female players are very engaged with the community and you've just got to look at the crowd for last season's NSW Premier League grand final of around 2500 to realise we'd be a strong addition to the W-League," said Drossos 

He was confident south coast would not need the financial backing of Football NSW to get their team up for the new season, which kicks off in November.

"I'd think we'd be more than capable of filling the void left by the Mariners," he added. "Yes, we'll be putting our case forward."

In a timely move, national coach Tom Sermanni and a selection of Matildas will visit the south coast region next week as part of a pre-planned visit.

And it's been confirmed that Sydney FC will play a couple of W-League games at WIN Stadium this season as part of an alliance agreement signed by the A-League club and football south coast.