A growing number of women and men are signing up to play Australian Rules in Europe and there are hopes a women-only league will be established in Switzerland in the next few years.

Key points: Australian Rules has 4,487 players in Europe where mixed matches are currently played

Australian Rules has 4,487 players in Europe where mixed matches are currently played 44 per cent of Australian Rules players outside of Australia are women

44 per cent of Australian Rules players outside of Australia are women The first all-women's tournament was played in Europe on March 9, strengthening hopes for an all-women's league

Katherine Dellar spent her childhood playing AusKick with the boys, and played Australian Rules for the Australian National University in Canberra.

When the 30-year-old moved to Switzerland 18 months ago she had no idea the sport would once again become part of her life.

"Geneva has a large expat population, a lot of those are Australians, and I heard via word-of-mouth about people who were trying to get an AFL team together," Ms Dellar said.

"I had no idea that I would have the chance to play AFL when I moved to Europe, so it was a really nice surprise."

In late 2018, Ms Dellar was a member of the Geneva Jets team that travelled to nearby Winterthur to play in a three-team tournament.

The Geneva team was made up of both men and women and returned home undefeated after this inaugural Swiss inter club tournament.

The Geneva Jets AFL team, featuring Perth local Katherine Dellar (far left), after becoming inaugural Swiss Champions in November 2018. (Supplied: Katherine Dellar)

Men and women play mixed games

Ms Dellar and her Swiss teammates play a modified version of the game featuring nine players on the field.

In 2019, teams will play 20-minute halves in five round-robin style tournaments.

The three teams are from Geneva, Winterthur and Basel and there are plans for a fourth side from Zurich to join the league in 2020.

"So far the Swiss League is mixed," Ms Dellar said.

"The league organisers have agreed on a few basic rules to reflect the mixed nature of the competition and ensure women aren't tackled dangerously.

"Our game does feature full-on tackling. It is proper AFL rules but with just nine on the field at any point in time."

In Geneva the game is played on a smaller rugby field, using rugby goals for one set of goals along with some homemade point posts.

"I think the skill level is surprisingly high," Ms Dellar said.

"What's really nice about it is that there is such a mix of age ranges. In the Geneva team we have people in their 50s and teenagers and everything in between.

"You have some players who are slightly more skilled, slightly more fit, but the standard and the spirit in which we play means that people of all skill levels can get involved.

"It's quite a small field so there's a lot of sharing the ball around."

The combined German/Swiss team after winning the Gallia Cup in Paris earlier this month. (Supplied: Katherine Dellar)

Australia Rules is for everyone

While the Geneva team is made up of almost all Australian expats, there is a player from Canada who spent his teenage years playing the game in Ontario and British Columbia.

Many of the Winterthur players are former rugby players who have been taught Australian Rules by an Australian/Swiss dual national who developed a love the game while living in Australia as a child.

Swiss teacher Ulrike Senti, 24, fell in love with Australian Rules when she studied abroad in Tasmania a few years ago.

Ms Senti says handballing in Australian Rules is a challenge for players in Europe as they are not used to a bouncing ball. (Supplied: Ulrike Senti)

She wanted to continue playing once she returned to Europe and after a long search, she discovered the Winterthur Lions team.

Ms Senti is now the head of women's development for AFL Switzerland.

"It's a really challenging game but that's what I love about it," she said.

"No-one is perfect at the beginning, you just need to practice and it needs different skills which is why I really like it.

"You not only have to run fast but you have to get to know the ball's bounce. Handballing is also a big challenge for people from Europe because were not used to a bouncing ball."

Ms Senti said having Australian teammates playing in the Swiss league reminded her of life in Tasmania.

"It is awesome to have Aussies in terms of footy and also in terms of my language," she said.

"I'm still practicing talking to them and getting to know Australian culture even better.

"I already fell in love with Australia when I was in Tasmania so that's why I really enjoy my job."

AFL Switzerland's head of women's development, Ulrike Senti, and president Stefan Burgener. (Supplied: Ulrike Senti)

Global spread of women in AFL

According to the AFL there are 4,487 participants playing in Europe and 1,165 of those are female.

More than 180,000 people play outside of Australia and 44 per cent of those players are women.

The countries with the biggest female participation are Papua New Guinea, South Africa and the South Pacific Nations.

The Australian Football International Cup has been held in Melbourne every three years since 2002 and features a men's and women's competition.

An all-female Australian Rules tournament, the Gallia Cup, was held in France on March 9 and saw teams from Germany, England and France and the Netherlands take part.

Ms Senti was part of a group of Swiss women who combined forces with some German players to field a side in the Cup.

They ended up winning the tournament.

"It was the first all-women's competition that we have seen," Ms Dellar said.

"In the past couple of years the women's element has been growing rapidly.

"I certainly think AFL seems to be giving some European women the opportunity to get involved in sport where they might not have otherwise had that opportunity because you don't really see much of it around to be honest."

The European Crusaders face-off against Fiji during the 2017 Women's International AFL Cup. (Supplied: AFL Media)

Women's league in the works

Both Ms Dellar and Ms Senti hope to see an all-women's competition established in Switzerland.

"The mixed comp is great at the moment, but the dream would be to have individual women's teams from different cities that can play against each other," Ms Dellar said.

"Hopefully this tournament in Paris has generated some momentum and certainly one of the next exciting things on the horizon is the Euro Cup."

The Euro Cup is an annual nine-a-side tournament in which national sides face-off to contest for the title of champions of Europe.

The 2019 event will be held in Norrtalje, Sweden.

"The Swiss men's team played last year and for the first time we will be sending a women's team," Ms Dellar said.

"We will see how that goes in terms of generating a bit of publicity for AFL in Switzerland, particularly for the women."