MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 01: Majak Daw of the Tigers walks off the ground during the Werribee Tigers v Box Hill Hawks VFL practice match at Aegis Park on March 1, 2014 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)

North Melbourne will endĀ its 10-year affiliation with VFL side, Werribee, and field a stand alone team in the competition in 2018.

The club announced the decision on Monday evening.

ā€œThis is a significant step for us as a footy club and in line with our strategic aims and objectives heading into an exciting new era,ā€ GM Football Cameron Joyce said.

ā€œThere is a lot of work to be done in order to prepare for next season, but firstĀ and foremost, we are focused on ensuring that our current alignment with Werribee ends on the highest possible note.ā€

 

North will be the sixth Victorian side to have its own stand alone side in the competition, .joiningĀ Collingwood, Essendon, Geelong, Richmond and the Western Bulldogs,

Werribbe will not have an affiliation to an AFL side in 2018, but the Roos maintain they will still work closely with the club.

ā€œWe have extremely strong ties with Werribee and I am pleased to say that this will still be the case going forward,ā€ North CEO Carl Dilena.

ā€œWe will be looking at ways to continue our work together in the Wyndham region to help develop talent, both boys and girls, and grow the game.

ā€œWhile we will go our separate ways on the field, the same canā€™t be said off the field and we will use our existing goodwill to further build and enhance our relationship in an effort to achieve some positive outcomes for the Wyndham community.ā€

The Roos were affiliated with Port Melbourne from 2003 to 2005, North Ballarat and the Tasmanian Devils in '06 and '07, North Ballarat and Werribee from 2008 to 2015 and Werribee in 2016 and '17.