News

Football and netball clubs across the Barwon region are being encouraged to book a Read the Play session in 2026, with a strong focus on the organisation’s Huddle Up program.

The call comes following the release of national data highlighting the prevalence of cyberbullying connected to junior sport. The report, released by the eSafety Commissioner in partnership with Sports Integrity Australia, found nearly one in five young athletes have experienced cyberbullying linked to community sport.

Read the Play has been responding to this issue for almost a decade through its Huddle Up program, which supports young people to better understand cyberbullying, respectful online behaviour, peer pressure, help-seeking and the role they can play in creating safer club environments.

Since 2021, more than 2,100 young people have participated in Huddle Up across community sporting clubs and groups.

Read the Play’s own program data shows the issue remains highly relevant for young people in community sport, with almost two in five Huddle Up participants reporting that they or someone they know had experienced cyberbullying. Of those, only one in four said they or their friend had sought help.

Encouragingly, Read the Play’s 2025 data also showed strong outcomes, with 91 per cent of participants reporting increased confidence in accessing support if they or someone they knew was being cyberbullied, while 88 per cent said the program improved their understanding of cyberbullying and ways to reduce its impact.

As the governing body for football and netball in the Barwon region, we recognise the important role clubs play in creating safe, respectful and supportive environments for young people. Cyberbullying and online behaviour are no longer issues that sit outside club life. They are part of the modern sporting environment and clubs need practical, age-appropriate support to help young people navigate them.

In 2026, Read the Play’s Huddle Up program will be a key focus for delivery across football and netball clubs.

The program is available free to local clubs and is recommended for young people aged 14 to 16 years.

Clubs are encouraged to book their Read the Play session early and make Huddle Up part of their 2026 wellbeing and player development planning.

Book your Read the Play session:
https://readtheplay.org.au/club-bookings/

AFL Barwon has today released The Rise of the Surf Coast Suns, a short-form documentary capturing the journey behind the region’s first new senior football and netball club in more than four decades.

Produced with the support of AFL Victoria, the documentary explores how the Surf Coast Suns progressed from concept to competition while navigating community debate, resistance and the complexities that come with establishing a new club in one of Victoria’s fastest-growing regions.

Through interviews with key figures involved in the club’s formation, The Rise of the Surf Coast Suns provides an authentic and compelling insight into the determination, resilience and belief that ultimately led to the club’s acceptance into the Bellarine Football Netball League.

The film was screened for the first time at last night’s Surf Coast Suns club dinner. The Suns Netball and Football Presidents, Claire Sadler and Jay Williams, said the documentary captures the heart of the club’s journey and the collective effort that helped bring the senior program to life.

“The Surf Coast Suns story is one built on community, passion and progression. This documentary captures far more than football and netball, it highlights the journey of a club that has grown from a strong junior foundation into a thriving senior program, driven by the commitment of so many people both on and off the field.

“To see the pathway from juniors through to seniors showcased in this way is something our entire club can be incredibly proud of. It reflects years of hard work from our players, coaches, families, volunteers, committee members and supporters who continue to shape the culture and future of the Surf Coast Suns.

 “The film also shines a light on the importance of creating opportunities for young people to stay connected to their local community through sport, while building an environment where players can develop, belong and represent the Surf Coast Suns with pride. 

“We appreciate the opportunity to be involved alongside AFL Barwon in telling this story and look forward to the official release of the documentary.”

Head of AFL Victoria Greg Madigan attended last night’s screening. He said the club’s story would leave a lasting impact on the broader football community.

“The journey of the Surf Coast Suns Football Netball Club is a remarkable story of vision, resilience and community spirit. To see the club take the field in 2026 as the first new senior club to enter the league in 41 years is a significant milestone, not only for the Surf Coast Suns, but for football and netball across the broader Barwon region.

“Congratulations to President Jay Williams, Netball President Claire Sadler and the incredible team of volunteers whose hard work and belief have turned this ambition into a reality. Their efforts have already generated enormous excitement and engagement throughout the community.

“AFL Barwon is also to be commended for the collaborative work undertaken alongside the club to help guide and support this historic outcome.

“We wish Senior Coach Trent Rogers, and everyone involved with the Surf Coast Suns the very best for the inaugural season and for many successful years to come.”

AFL Barwon CEO Kate Patterson acknowledged the collaborative effort behind bringing the project to life.

“Huge thanks to AFL Victoria and their partners for giving us the opportunity to tell the story of the Suns and their historic entry into the BFNL.

“We’re also very grateful to Jay, Claire and the incredible community they’ve built at the Suns, for allowing AFL Barwon to help share their story through this documentary.  It’s been so exciting to see it all come together, even more so with both their footy and netball sides already notching up their first wins early in the season!

“I would also like to acknowledge Lance Fidler for his outstanding work in producing the documentary. He’s done such a beautiful job in capturing the spirit of the Suns.”

Geelong West want to take the leap from developing to delivering.

By Ben Andonoudis

The Geelong West Giants have built a strong foundation off-field.

Now, the club's GFNL section is starting to see improvements on field, as the Giants push for Geelong League senior Men's football finals for the first time since their merger in 2017.

Impressive performances against Colac and Leopold were signs of a team on the rise despite falling short of the four points on both occasions.

Round three saw the Giants breakthrough for a 13-point win over St Albans, which was backed up last week with a 75-point victory over North Shore.

Now the club is focused on turning those improvements into consistency.

Director of GFNL football and former senior captain, Tony Costa has felt the vibe around the club and knows that there are positive signs.

“From a club perspective, we're happy with the growth we're seeing in our young group at the start of the year”, he said.

In a league where experience typically defines contenders, the Giants’ average age of just over 20 gives the club optimism.

There are three clear metrics the playing group is working towards this season: training standards, fitness, and personal accountability.

Early signs suggest they're translating.

“We've started the year extremely fit and strong”, Costa believes.

This year shapes as a step forward towards the higher rungs of the ladder. A ninth-place finish last year instilled belief the group is now building on.

“We'd love to be fighting for that 5th spot putting ourselves in a position to play finals football because it's been a very long time”, Costa said.

“That next band, in the GFNL, that 5 through to 8 is really tightly held”.

For Costa, sustaining those standards over time will deliver sustained success.

As a club formed by a merger between two historic clubs in Geelong West St Peters and Geelong West Sporting Club, the Giants have an extensive history that is helping shape it's identity post-merger.

“Our past players come from quite a number of clubs and so when you talk about community," Costa explains.

"It's not just a linear line, there's a number of clubs that have come together to create what this is today."

An important aspect of any club is the need to develop juniors and players who will sustain the club long-term.

It's something that the Giants value highly, with now 20 junior teams across netball and football in the GFNL program.

“One of the opportunities that we see within our club is how we develop our juniors and really create a pathway for them into different areas of the club”, Costa said.

Looking to the future, Costa and the club are keen to see the club continue to develop.

“We're quite excited about what this next part of the journey looks like for our football club."