Netball across the Barwon region is experiencing a period of sustained and organic growth, reflecting the sport’s strong connection to community, accessibility for participants of all ages, and the ongoing population growth occurring throughout the region.

Across the 2024/25 Summer Netball season, 2,980 participants took to the court under the AFL Barwon banner, a 16% increase on the 2,563 participants recorded in 2023/24. Participation has continued to grow in 2025/26, with 3,224 participants now involved in summer netball competitions across the region, representing a further 8% increase on the previous season.

The AFL Barwon summer competition is a junior-based program open to all clubs across the Barwon region, catering to 11&under, 13&under, 15&under, and 17&under age groups. The growth in participation has also been reflected at team level. In 2024/25, 311 teams were fielded across AFL Barwon summer competitions, up 14% from 274 teams in 2023/24. That figure has grown again in 2025/26 to 338 teams, an 8.7% increase, placing increased demand on competition structures, scheduling, and facilities. This rise highlights families returning each season, new participants discovering the sport, and clubs working hard to meet growing demand.

While this growth is a positive outcome for the sport and broader community, it has also presented new challenges. AFL Barwon’s ability to expand its offerings has been limited by the region’s current facilities. Without sufficient courts, AFL Barwon’s capacity to support competitions beyond junior levels such as mixed, male, senior, and master’s competitions, is restricted. New facilities would allow for greater diversity in participation opportunities and help meet the evolving needs of the community. 

To accommodate the increased number of teams each week, AFL Barwon has been required to expand competitions across seven club venues throughout the region. This approach has allowed competitions to continue to operate; however, it has also highlighted the limitations of the current facility network.

Unlike some other sports, the region does not currently have full access to a centralised, purpose-built regional netball facility capable of hosting large-scale competitions. As a result, AFL Barwon has been required to carefully manage available court space and scheduling.

In practical terms, this has meant the introduction of 10 byes into the weekly fixture, ensuring competitions remain manageable and venues are not over-utilised. While necessary, this outcome means that some teams and participants are unable to play every week, something AFL Barwon recognises impacts the overall participant experience.

AFL Barwon Head of Netball Sophie Allison said “Participation continues to grow strongly, with over 3,200 players across 338 teams this season. It’s such an exciting prospect to see so many players and their families looking to participate each year and each season. We are so excited to continue to support this growth and expand on the opportunities we are able to provide for our netball community.”

The increase in netball participation has occurred organically, driven by population growth, strong club engagement and the sport’s ability to offer flexible and inclusive competition opportunities. However, this success has also revealed a growing gap between demand and the infrastructure currently available.

As more teams enter competitions each season, the pressure on existing courts continues to grow. Without additional facilities, the ability to further expand competitions or improve scheduling outcomes remains limited.

AFL Barwon continues to actively engage with Netball Victoria and maintain ongoing conversations with local government and councils to advocate for future netball facility development across the region.

These discussions focus on ensuring netball infrastructure is considered as part of broader sport and recreation planning, alongside other growing sports. AFL Barwon is committed to ensuring that netball is not left behind as participation continues to rise and communities expand. While short-term solutions will continue to be explored to support competitions in the immediate future, AFL Barwon remains focused on long-term planning and collaboration to create sustainable outcomes for the sport.

The continued growth of netball across the Barwon region is a positive story, one driven by community connection, participation and opportunity. With the right planning and investment, AFL Barwon aims to ensure that this growth can be supported well into the future for players, clubs and volunteers alike.