General Updates
New Updates
GFNL
Senior Football
19/4/25 - Leopold vs St Joseph's
BFNL
Senior Football & A Grade Netball
18/4/25 - Torquay vs Barwon Heads
Senior Football
19/4/25 - Portarlington vs Newcomb
A Grade Netball
19/4/25 - Anglesea vs Ocean Grove
We have attached posts for you to share below on your social media for the live streamed matches. AFL Barwon may also add you as a collaborator to our posts if your club is featured.
Good Friday is the perfect opportunity to get out and support local sport, with a full day of football and netball happening at Torquay and Modewarre.
Here’s a look at what’s on this Good Friday:
Spring Creek Reserve (Torquay)
Football:
-
2:10pm - Seniors (Male) – Torquay vs Barwon Heads
WATCH LIVE ON AFL BARWON TV - 5:00pm - Senior Female Div 1 – Torquay vs Barwon Heads
Netball:
Mount Moriac Reserve (Modewarre)
Football:
Netball:
Drysdale Sporting Precinct
Football:
It is with a heavy heart that we share the news of the departure of our Senior Male Football & All-Abilities Coordinator, Simon Riddoch.
Simon has been an integral part of the AFL Barwon team and the contribution he has held within the football community has been invaluable. Simon has been a passionate person and well known across all leagues in the region, however his impact in the BFNL, GFNL, CDFNL, All-Abilities and U18 competitions with leading the way to continually grow in a positive aspect has not gone unnoticed.
Simon’s last day with AFL Barwon will be the 2nd of May and we wish Simon all the best in the future, I am sure he will not be a stranger and will be seen out and about in the footy community.
Local Media
Football
Senior Football
- U18 Male Football Match Day paperwork and Footballs are available from AFL Barwon office.
- U18 Male grading games (x4) start 26th April 2025.
- Last possession rule has been removed from reserve grade football, reach out to Jock Hillgrove
- All Abilities fixture requests reminder to send your clubs fixture request times and dates to Simon Riddoch.
- All Abilities players looking for a game of football – Bell Park is recruiting please contact Bell Park All Abilities football coordinator.
- Player points are being applied to CDFNL, BFNL, GDFNL, GFNL & Senior Women’s football, starting this week and are ongoing from, Monday to Friday, Clubs are reminded that player points may not be available to be granted on Saturday match days in season 2025
2025 CDFNL's Football Game times with the day beginning at 8.45am and stretch out each game start time as follows.
NOTE if the senior game is ready to start at 2pm please proceed to start the game.
Under 12’s 8.45am
Under 15’s 9.50am
Under 18’s 11.10am
Reserves 12.40pm
Seniors 2.15pm
Otway home game start times:
U12 - 10:00
U15 - 11:10
Res - 12:40 as per other league games
Sen - 2:15 as per other league games
Playing Times
Playing times for Seniors, Reserves Under 18 and Under 15 games will be no later than:
Home & Away Games
|
|
Start |
Quarters |
¼ time |
½ time |
¾ time |
|
Seniors |
2.15 pm |
20 min + TO |
5 min |
15 min |
5 min |
|
Reserves |
12.40 pm |
18 min |
5 min |
5 min |
5 min |
|
Under 18’s |
11.10 am |
15 min |
5 min |
5 min |
5 min |
|
Under 15’s |
9.50 am |
15 min |
4 min |
5 min |
4 min |
|
Under 12’s |
8.45 am |
12 min |
3 min |
4 min |
3 min |
If early games (prior to Seniors) are running behind time at half time the last 2 quarters are to be shortened accordingly to allow the game to finish on time. This provision is NOT applicable in finals games
12.1.1
All Senior Home and Away matches shall commence (no later than 2.15pm) The Reserve Grade matches are to commence at 12.40pm, with 10 minutes grace.
12.1.2
Any Club not ready to commence play at the expiration of 10 minutes grace shall be fined unless an acceptable excuse can be given to the League. Any Club not ready to commence a Senior Grade game by 2.40pm or a Reserve grade game by 1pm shall forfeit the match, and in addition shall pay the appointed Umpires' expenses for that match. Timekeeper’s cards will be taken as final as to the time of the start of play. Umpires will note on their report the cause of any delay in starting, and whether either, or both teams were responsible for such late start. If, in the opinion of the CDFNL Board, the failure of any Club to commence before the designated forfeit time was occasioned by circumstances outside the control of that Club, the CDFNL Board may, if they see fit, order such match to be played.
13 Time of Quarters
All Senior grade matches shall consist of four quarters of 20 minutes duration with time on to be added to each quarter to which it is incurred. All Reserve grade matches shall consist of four quarters of 18 minutes duration. Time on is only to be applied in the Finals Series. All Under 15 matches shall consist of 4 quarters of 15 minutes, and Under 18s shall consist of 4 quarters of 15 minutes.
Last Possession clarity for U15 and below
Both clubs agree prior to the game to play NO last possession rule
if both clubs reach agreement then play the game as per normal AFL Laws of The Game will apply
If agreement is not reach – last possession rule will apply as per below.
20.8 Boundary Umpires & Out Of Bounds Rule
20.8.1 In all Senior, reserve, & U18’s games normal AFL Laws of The Game will apply.
20.8.2 Under 15’s and below games the following
“Last Possession” variation will apply.
A free kick shall be awarded against a player who:
- Kicks or Handballs the football over the Boundary Line without the football being touched by another Player;
- For the purposes of defining a kick, a kick shall be an intentional action, not accidental.
When the ball comes off the foot or lower leg of a player without the intent of the player being to kick the ball, it will be deemed accidental contact and will not be determined as a kick by the umpire and therefore will result in a ball-up 15 metres in from the boundary.
GAME DAY REMINDER:
After round 1 I wish to remind all clubs the requirements when it comes to player points and team sheets. Any questions on the below please do not hesitate to reach out to myself or Michael Limb for clarity.
Player Points
Players need to be registered before their PPV can be entered. You will need to notify me of any players who you may wish to be selected in the Seniors by C.O.B. Wednesday at the latest.
Team Sheets
- Team Sheets must reflect all and only players who are participating in the match.
- These must be made available to the umpires and opposition team managers and must mirror the information on the Interchange sheet. (ie; if 20 players are listed, there needs to be 4 on the bench)
- If a team has less than 20 players, AFL Barwon must be notified on the first business day following the match. 2 extra points will be added to that team’s TTP calculation for the day.
- Teams who exceed their allocated TTP will be sanctioned accordingly.
- Only registered players may participate in a game.
- Players can’t be handwritten on the team sheet unless it’s a last-minute change and you are able to generate them electronically immediately after the game.
- All matchday officials must be listed on the team sheet. This includes Coaches, Team Manager, Runner, Water Carriers, Trainers, Umpire Escort.
- Clubs with multiple senior teams must field 20 players in their division 1 Team before selecting their division 2 Team.
- Selected players cannot also run water or undertake any other on field role during their game.
Interchange Sheets
- Interchange sheets must be completed with the jumper numbers of all players who start each quarter on the bench recorded.
- Both team managers must sign off on the Interchange sheet at the end of the game.
- This is to be filled out even if there is no one on the bench.
Dear Senior Female Football Division 1 Coordinators and Coaches,
We are excited to announce that we have extended the Coaches Player of the Year award for Epworth Senior Female Football Division 1 Competition in 2025.
This year’s award is supported by our new commercial partner, P&R Food Services.
How does the award work?
Each participating Senior Female Football Division 1 Coach is to select the 5 best players on the ground from both teams (5 = Best). Therefore, you may select 5 of your own players, 5 opposition players, or a mix of 5 players from the two teams.
It is the responsibility of each Coach to update the Coaches Player of the Year Award via the following link NO later than 9.30 am the following Tuesday of the match.
Enter Votes weekly here: https://forms.gle/eGbS9uR78L4fJqVH8
Votes will be published on the AFL Barwon website frequently with the running tally of the vote leaders.
If you have any questions, please contact Lisa or Sean.
Please refer to this video as a coaching resource, with information on Sling Tackling at 6.50 min.
Junior Football
Just a quick note to let you know that the grading fixtures for the first two weeks have now been entered into PlayHQ for both competitive and non-competitive competitions.
Please note that Week 2 of the non-competitive competitions is not yet finalised and will be entered into PlayHQ later this week. We’ll let you know once that’s been updated.
I've also added a couple of additional resources for your reference:
- The 2025 Junior Football Match Guide
- The Non-Appointed Umpire Match Report, which is to be used when there is no AFL Barwon appointed umpire to competitive games of football. Please pass this on to all competitive team managers or post it in umpire change rooms.
If you have any questions or notice anything that needs our attention, feel free to get in touch via email.
Resource Links
Football Umpiring
Please follow the below button to view umpire appointments. This is a live document that will update each week on Thursday afternoons. The link to the document will not change, so you may like to bookmark it for convenience.
There is also a link currently at the top of the Bulletin.
Netball
Senior Netball
ATT: Netball Coordinators & Administrators
With Bellarine having kicked off last week, and the remainder of the GFNL commencing this week, please be reminded of scoring processes!
Position Tracking and Scoresheets
- ALL PLAYERS must be listed on both of these documents before the game commences. These lists MUST be the same.
- Players cannot be added after the commencement of play to EITHER document.
- FIRST QUARTER STARTING POSITIONS ONLY on scoresheet
-
- ALL POSITIONS including changes, recorded on position tracking sheets
- This includes goaler chnages being notated on scoresheets via a bracket in the GS/GA boxes.
- Please do not use landscape position tracking sheets.
Failure to complete these documents correctly may lead to loss of premiership points, goals scored AND/OR monetary fines.
- Goals must be entered as goals and attempts – not misses. i.e. Should read 3 goals from 5 attempts – not 3 goals and 2 misses.
- Attempts are not required for 15&U and below.
- Any player who does not take the court must be removed from the PlayHQ line up – please refer to position tracking sheets for this data.
- Player positions MUST be entered for A Grade matches.
- Any player who is handwritten on must be added to the PlayHQ line up (if they took the court)
-
- DO NOT use the ‘fill in player’ button – use ‘club players’ only.
-
- If you’re unable to add players to the line-up, you’re welcome to flick us an email as we check paperwork each Mon-Weds.
Please be reminded that 19&U games are now 12-MINUTE QUARTERS, in line with C Grade.
Please find attached the updated timekeeper and scorers information document.
Players are NOT PERMITTED to take the court UNLESS THEY ARE REGISTERED IN BOTH PLAYHQ & NETBALL CONNECT.
“Every player must be a registered member of their club on the clubs Netball Connect and PlayHQ databases.
Penalties for not registering players with their club before they take the court: Loss of 4 Premiership Points and $50 fine to the offending club on each occurring occasion.”
In the event of extreme weather conditions above 28 degrees, the following steps must be taken:
16.7.1 All quarters will be reduced and breaks extended by the following:
- Saturday 11,13,15 & 17 & Under Matches:
-
- 7-minute quarters
-
- 3 minute ¼ & ¾ Breaks, 5 minute ½ Break.
- C Grade, D Grade, E Grade and 19&U Matches:
-
- 7 minute quarters
-
- 3 minute ¼ & ¾ Breaks, 5 minute ½ Break.
- A Grade & B Grade Matches:
-
- 12minute quarters
-
- 5 minute ¼ & ¾ Breaks, 7 minute ½ Break.
16.7.2 Please ensure sunscreen is readily available courtside for players and umpires.
16.7.3 In the event of weather conditions of over 35 degrees it will be up to the discretion of the two clubs and umpires as to whether games will go ahead.
16.7.4 Clubs will be emailed on the Friday to advise if the above changes will be put in place on the weekend’s matches. It is up to the clubs to inform both club umpires of these changes on match day. AFL Barwon will notify Panel Umpires of any changes.
Clubs will be emailed on the Friday/Tuesday for AFL Barwon Junior Netball matches of over 35 degrees at 3:30pm the decision will be made by AFL Barwon to cancel the matches.
At this stage, shortened quarters will not need to be enacted, however, should anything change, club presidents will be contact via mobile text message.
Following on from the successes of last year, we are excited to announce that we have continued the Coaches Player of the Year award for both A-Grade Netball Competitions in 2025. This year’s awards is supported by our new commercial partner, P&R Food Services.
How does the award work?
Each participating A-Grade Coach is to select the 3 best players on the court from both A-Grade teams (3 = Best). Therefore, you may select 3 of your own players, 3 opposition players, or a mix of 3 players from the two teams.
It is the responsibility of each A-Grade Coach to update the Coaches Player of the Year Award via the following link NO later than 9.30 am the following Tuesday of the match.
Votes should be entered via the link emailed directly to presidents and coaches.
Votes will be published on the AFL Barwon website frequently with the running tally of the vote leaders.
All Match Day resources can be found on our BRAND NEW ‘AFL Barwon Netball’ website.
Camryn has spent a lot of time redesigning this site to best support clubs moving forward.
This also includes the NEW Match Day Operations Manual, which we hope will support new administrators, or even those who have been in the role before.
**Please note some of the old pages on the website still exist as we transition, but the below site will be your source moving forward.
https://www.aflbarwon.com.au/netball-resources
10. Club Umpires
10.1 Umpires officiating at the 17&U, 19&U, E Grade, D Grade and C Grade matches must have a minimum C Grade Umpires Badge.
Note: Special circumstances will apply for the assessment and badging of trainee umpires. These will be determined by AFL Barwon.
REMINDER: clubs are required to email through their umpire rosters by the conclusion of each round to
Uniform Requirements – Club and Panel Umpires
9.8 Club Umpires are to be dressed appropriately in umpire’s attire: White t-shirt or jumper, white or navy shorts or skirt, correct sports shoes. White or navy tracksuit pants/leggings and white rain jacket are permitted.
9.9 Panel umpires are to be dressed appropriately in umpire’s attire: White t-shirt or jumper, white or navy skirt or shorts, and correct sport shoes. Penalty: $20.00 fine to the offending Club or Panel Umpire
Purchase uniform from our online shop
https://shop.locosportswear.com.au/collections/afl-barwon
Pre-Game Checks – Club and Panel Umpires
12.9 Club and panel umpires shall ensure that players:
- 12.9.1 Are wearing NO jewellery, earrings or piercings. NO taping of piercings allowed NOTE – wedding ring or medical alert bracelet may be taped.
- 12.9.2 Fingernails are short & smooth. NO taping allowed.
- 12.9.3 NO gloves except where a qualified and registered medical certificate is provided to the officiating umpires prior to the player taking the court for medical conditions requiring the wearing of gloves.
- 12.9.4 Sunglasses are not permitted.
CDFNL Netball
Paperwork - CDFNL
- Starting positions on scoresheet
-
- ALL POSITIONS including starting positions and changes, recorded on POSITION TRACKING SHEET – this sheet forms part of the official scoresheet.
-
- THIS INCLUDES GOALER CHANGES BEING NOTATED ON SCORESHEETS VIA A BRACKET IN THE GS/GA BOXES
- ALL PLAYERS must be listed on both of these documents before the game commences. These lists MUST be the same – position tracking sheet should be in the same order as the scoresheet for ease.
-
- Players cannot be added after the commencement of play to EITHER document as per competition rules.
- Please do not use landscape position tracking sheets – new position tracking template attached if preferred.
Data Entry - CDFNL
- Goals must be entered as goals and attempts – not misses. i.e. Should read 3 goals from 5 attempts – not 3 goals and 2 misses.
-
- Attempts are not required for 15&U and below.
- Any player who does not take the court must be removed from the PlayHQ line up – please refer to position tracking sheets for this data.
- Player positions MUST be entered for A Grade matches.
- Any player who is handwritten on must be added to the PlayHQ line up (if they took the court)
-
- DO NOT use the ‘fill in player’ button – use ‘club players’ only.
-
- If you’re unable to add players to the line-up, you’re welcome to flick us an email as we check paperwork each Mon-Weds.
CDFNL Representative Coach Applications for the Association Championships are now open!
Express your interest here: https://forms.gle/WPRPn8bVot7w2fBr7
The CDFNL will be entering six junior teams into the Netball Victoria Association Championships in 2025! Teams will compete across two divisions in the 13 & Under, 15 & Under, and 17 & Under age groups.
Coaching Requirements
Netball Vic requires all coaches must hold at minimal Development Level accreditation, and have a current Netball Victoria Membership.
Applications close: Thursday 10th April 2025.
15 & Under & 17 & Under – Key Dates
- Tryouts:
- Sunday 27th April
- Tuesday 29th April
- Sunday 4th May (optional)
Training Sessions:
- Sunday 11th May
- Sunday 18th May
Association Championships Tournament:
- Sunday 25th May at Darebin Netball Association, Thornbury
Division 1 Only – Junior Interleague:
- Saturday 15th June at Colac
13 & Under – Key Dates
Tryouts:
- Sunday 11th May
- Tuesday 14th May
- Sunday 18th May (optional)
Training Sessions:
- Sunday 1st June
- Sunday 8th June
Association Championships Tournament:
- Sunday 22nd June at State Netball Centre, Parkville
Division 1 Only – Junior Interleague:
- Saturday 15th June at Colac
For more details please contact Tracey Tann - 0438 058 409
The CDFNL will be entering six junior teams into the Netball Victoria Association Championships in 2025!
Teams will compete across two divisions in the 13 & Under, 15 & Under, and 17 & Under age groups.
Please note in details below : There are different dates for the 15/17 & Under compared to the 13 & Under due to Netball Vic tournament dates.
Applications close: Thursday 24th April
Cost: Estimate $50.00 (if selected)
15 & Under & 17 & Under – Key Dates
Tryouts:
- Sunday 27th April
- Tuesday 29th April
- Sunday 4th May (optional)
Training Sessions:
- Sunday 11th May
- Sunday 18th May
Association Championships Tournament:
- Sunday 25th May at Darebin Netball Association, Thornbury
Division 1 Only – Junior Interleague:
- Saturday 15th June at Colac
13 & Under – Key Dates
Tryouts:
- Sunday 11th May
- Tuesday 13th May
- Sunday 18th May (optional)
Training Sessions:
- Sunday 1st June
- Sunday 8th June
Association Championships Tournament:
- Sunday 22nd June at State Netball Centre, Parkville
Division 1 Only – Junior Interleague:
- Sunday 15th June at Colac
For more details please contact Tracey Tann - 0438 058 409
Register your interest here: https://forms.gle/JBqeTi24JXd31h6E8
Junior Netball
Representative Netball Fixtures
The representative teams will have a few weeks off their weekly competitions over the school holiday and Easter period. Games will resume on Monday 28th April.
Fixture Released – Grading Rounds 1 & 2
The fixture for grading rounds 1 and 2 has now been released on PlayHQ and available through the public website.
Resource Links
Netball Umpiring
10. Club Umpires
10.1 Umpires officiating at the 17&U, 19&U, E Grade, D Grade and C Grade matches must have a minimum C Grade Umpires Badge.
Note: Special circumstances will apply for the assessment and badging of trainee umpires. These will be determined by AFL Barwon.
REMINDER: clubs are required to email through their umpire rosters by the conclusion of each round to
9.8 Club Umpires are to be dressed appropriately in umpire’s attire: White t-shirt or jumper, white or navy shorts or skirt, correct sports shoes. White or navy tracksuit pants/leggings and white rain jacket are permitted.
9.9 Panel umpires are to be dressed appropriately in umpire’s attire: White t-shirt or jumper, white or navy skirt or shorts, and correct sport shoes. Penalty: $20.00 fine to the offending Club or Panel Umpire
Purchase uniform from our online shop.
12.9 Club and panel umpires shall ensure that players:
- 12.9.1 Are wearing NO jewellery, earrings or piercings. NO taping of piercings allowed NOTE – wedding ring or medical alert bracelet may be taped.
- 12.9.2 Fingernails are short & smooth. NO taping allowed.
- 12.9.3 NO gloves except where a qualified and registered medical certificate is provided to the officiating umpires prior to the player taking the court for medical conditions requiring the wearing of gloves.
- 12.9.4 Sunglasses are not permitted.
Please be reminded of the statewide ‘If they’re wearing green, they’re under 18’ umpiring initiative!
Our underage umpires will be out in force with both leagues commencing this weekend, and while NO umpire deserves to be abused or disrespected – there is absolutely no place in our competitions for disrespect of our underage umpires.
Don’t be a by-stander if this occurs – please stand up and support our umpires, and advise AFL Barwon of any instances whereby this occurs.
If you club needs additional wristbands please reach out to
Club Development
New Updates
A warm welcome to our recently appointed new football coaches, please don't forget to register by following the below link.
An increasing challenge clubs are facing is the support to community members for mental health and wellbeing. Those not familiar with the vast numbers of resources, programs, toolkits and guides make sure you check out the Mental Health & Wellbeing Page on the AFL Help website.
Pride in Sport Webinar
Want to learn more about Pride in Sport and how they can support you and local clubs? Register for the online event - https://events.humanitix.com/pride-in-sport-information-session Monday May 12) to learn how we can work to make sport more inclusive for LGBTQ+
NEW: Bunnings Legend of the Tongs
A nation-wide search to find, recognise, and reward local community legends who fire up the BBQ every weekend, serving up snags in bread to raise much-needed funds for their clubs. for more information.
Nominations are open now! Closing: 24 August 2025.
https://www.bunnings.com.au/campaign/legend_of_the_tongs?msockid=2323575318206ea025f2427c192f6fc2
2025 PILA Goal Post Subsidy Program - Now Open
The 2025 PILA Goal Post Subsidy Program is now open for all AFL Victoria affiliated clubs.
Subsidy will provide up to $1000 towards the cost of new posts for your ground.
This program is open until 30 June, 2025
Further information and the application form can be found at https://pila.com.au/subsidy/
We want to hear about your club!
AFL Barwon and AFL Victoria want to better understand your clubs’ structures,
challenges and priorities so we can better support, not only your club, but club volunteers across the state for 2025 and beyond.
The best ways to complete the survey are to:
- Complete as a whole committee at your next committee meeting; or
- Get a few members of your committee to complete the survey separately in their own time.
No matter how the survey is completed, we appreciate your time and insight regarding your clubs’ structures, challenges, and priorities.
To complete the Club Health Check, please click here - Club Health Check
The 2025 City of Greater Geelong Sport and Recreation Census is now live and we would love to hear from your club.
The aim of the Sport and Recreations Census is to
- Understand the constraints on pavilions and reserves
- Identify gaps, opportunities and address challenges
- Understand sport and recreation trends
- Understand who, when and how our people are using council assets
- Obtain data to support our strategic planning for our future.
Commercial Partnerships
New Updates
Club Warehouse offers a wide selection of first aid kits tailored for sporting clubs. Starting at just $35, the 66-piece D3 First Aid Kit provides all the basic essentials, making it ideal for junior sporting clubs needing a simple kit for each team. Alternatively, for more comprehensive coverage, equip yourself with the Sports Trainer Complete Medical Kit, the ultimate solution for managing sports injuries and emergencies.
As an AFL Barwon member, you can enjoy 10% off Club Warehouse’s Complete First Aid Kits by using the code CWFIRSTAID2025 at checkout or emailing
Don’t miss out—this offer ends May 1st!
The Hoops Raffle is here for 2025, with great prizes on offer as the Cats look to raise funds for the Geelong Cats Community Foundation to support the Club’s important community initiatives.
First prize in the draw is a 2025 Ford Everest Ambiente $64,607 (drive away), while other prizes include spending The Ultimate Day with the Cats, two 1859 memberships for the 2026 AFL season, game day experiences, hospitality packages and more.
The Geelong Cats annual Hoops Raffle is a vital fundraiser that directly supports the Cats Community and its wide range of impactful programs and initiatives. From heartfelt moments through Cats Wishes and Ward Walks, to building connection via BioCATS, Game Development, The Resilience Project, and the Dulux Community Bay, every ticket sold helps bring these programs to life.
Tickets in The Hoops Raffle are $10 each with bundles available and can be purchased from Wednesday 16 April 2025 to Thursday 8 May 2025.
