The Athlete’s Foot and AFL Barwon have agreed to an exciting three-year partnership.

Locally owned and operated, The Athlete’s Foot has 150 stores in Australia and New Zealand, with their local Geelong store located in Market Square. The Athlete’s Foot are the experts in fit, making them one of the largest specialty athletic and lifestyle footwear retailers.

The Athlete’s Foot will be the naming rights holder of the highly successful AFL Barwon Female Festival of Sport Breakfast, which will take place on Friday May 31^st at GMHBA Stadium.

The partnership with Athlete’s Foot has a strong focus on providing opportunities to the local community, with AFL Barwon members receiving opportunities to attend exclusive VIP events.

The Athlete’s Foot team will be looking for ways to support clubs and players through the setup of product sales activations at major events and competition days within the region.

“We’re extremely enthused to partner with The Athlete’s Foot to promote and support their approach to ensuring players within the AFL Barwon region, can prioritise performance and wellbeing with trusted experts to support their sporting journeys. The integration of The Athlete’s Foot within our local community is paramount, and their support of the upcoming AFL Barwon Female Festival of Sport is testament to this integration”, AFL Barwon Region General Manager, Edward Wilson said.

Naomi Duncan, Marketing Assistant at The Athlete’s Foot stated, “The Athlete’s Foot is excited to work in partnership with AFL Barwon to help ensure the area of Geelong and surround has a thriving sporting community. Our team are committed to providing absolute customer satisfaction, caring professional service and quality products, with a perfect fit each and every time.”

Tickets for the AFL Barwon Female Festival of Sport Breakfast supported by The Athletes Foot can be purchased at www.intix.com/event/female-festival-of-sport-breakfast-2024

To check out The Athlete’s Foot range of products, locations, or careers, simply go to www.theathletesfoot.com.au

Three-time Mathieson Medallist, Club Captain, Geelong Football Netball League Interleague Representative, Club Best and Fairest winner, the list of accolades could go on when you discuss the career of Newtown & Chilwell star Matt McMahon.

This weekend Matt clocks up the outstanding achievement of playing his 250 Senior match after starting his career as a 17 years ago.

AFL Barwon spoke to Matt earlier this week about this weekend’s milestone with Newtown & Chilwell hosting Lara.

AFL Barwon: 250 games is an incredible effort. Congratulations! How have you been able to get to this milestone and stayed playing at such a high level? How is the body feeling?

Matt McMahon: Looking back now it feels like a long time ago when I was making my debut as a 17-year-old, but I guess the desire to compete and my love for the club, coaches, teammates, past and present, has been the main factor in continually showing up and has now got me to this milestone.

No doubt the body has seen better days, and it takes longer to recovery from games, even training at times, but that doesn’t outweigh the enjoyment I get from being around the club and running out with the boys each week.

AFL Barwon: You have remained a one club player throughout your senior career, what has kept you at Newtown & Chilwell? What is so special about the club?

Matt McMahon: It’s something I am proud of being is a one club player. It has been an easy decision for me along the way. I just feel fortunate for the support the club has shown me over the years, the relationships I’ve formed, best mates I’ve made, all those things make it such a special place for me and a reason why I feel I owe the club so much.

AFL Barwon: You are a three-time Mathieson Medallist which an incredible achievement in its own. Is there one of these seasons you credit as your best?

Matt McMahon: It’s hard to compare your individual years but my favourite years are those when you are competing at a high level against the best teams in the competition. As a player and teammate, I felt I had a big contribution to that standard which makes those years more memorable.

AFL Barwon: it must be tougher to keep playing and finding the time to train when you have younger kids. You must have a very supportive family.

Matt McMahon: Yes, obviously the combination of kids and footy has its challenges but if anything, it puts football into perspective. It made me look at it in a whole new way.

Seeing the enjoyment our kids get out of it, for me, is probably one of the best parts of playing. I know on reflection in years to come it will be something we all look back on with great memories. 

I’m proud watching my whole family embrace being a part of the club.

Mads (Wife Madaleine McMahon) and the kids and also my parents, have all been incredible and I feel extremely lucky to have their support over the years.

AFL Barwon: You’re giving back to the club by coaching junior teams, how are you as a coach and is coaching where you think you’ll end up post career? 

Matt McMahon: I get so much joy watching our kids play footy but also just growing up within the club. The coaching side of it is great fun and something that’s hard to stay away from as you feel like you have a fair bit to give, but to be honest I haven’t thought too much more about coaching post career. When the playing days are done, I look forward to helping out and giving back to the club wherever I can.

The AFL Barwon community congratulates Matt on wonderful achievement and all the best for the weekend’s celebration.

AFL Barwon is excited to announce a new partnership with Marathon Food Industries, leaders in locally produced and great-tasting snack products.

Marathon is a family and community inspired business that strives to provide Australians with tasty and high-quality snack foods. The Victorian based company has continued to keep its sense of family over their 60-year journey, with continual investment back into community sporting clubs.

Marathon and AFL Barwon will partner for the next three years, with the plan to bring their delicious dim sims and snack food products to the Region. Marathon dim sims are a staple in AFL Barwon community club canteens, with the plan to work with clubs to continue to grow this presence.

“We’re excited by this newly formed partnership with Marathon, and what our respective organisations have in store to support Clubs across the Barwon region. Noting the passion and commitment to community sport, AFL Barwon welcomes Marathon and we’re collectively looking forward to this partnership successfully serving the community for years to come”, AFL Barwon Regional General Manager, Edward Wilson said.

Jenny Dardalis Marathon, Managing Director stated, “As an organisation deeply rooted in family values, Marathon is thrilled to partner with AFL Barwon to strengthen community ties and support local football and netball. Our commitment extends beyond just a sponsorship; it's about fostering long-term relationships and creating meaningful impact in the communities where we live, work and play."

To learn more about Marathon’s, history, and its product range, simply go to https://www.marathonfoods.com.au  

There wouldn’t be many Saturday afternoons in football season that you wouldn’t see the presence of Chris Jones on a ground somewhere in the Barwon Region. Chris recently clocked up the remarkable effort of officiating 500 matches of football locally over roughly a 10-year period.

He decided to grab the whistle after a playing career at local clubs Inverleigh, Grovedale, and Geelong Amateur, where he retired from the game in the middle of the 2006. Unfortunately, 3 head knocks over a short period led Chris to hang up the playing boots. This eventually become a blessing for the local umpiring fraternity.

Umpiring certainly wasn’t front of mind or something that Chris had planned to do after footy, although he was missing the game, and was wanting to get active, so he took up the whistle. 

Over his distinguished umpiring career, he modestly described his ability to continue to perform at the highest level through staying fit and undertaking recovery accordingly. “People who know me, know I love running which might be a weird thing to say”. Thios running base, staying healthy and recovery sessions following up to 4 games accross a weekend. “I do a lot of recovery in the sea water at Eastern Beach accross a Sunday. I am pretty sore on a Sunday night” Jones explained.

Despite umpiring his own matches accross the weekend, he also shares his learnings to the young umpires. “The biggest thrill I get at the moment is seeing the up-and-coming junior umpires progress through. I have been lucky enough to have been umpiring for a lot of their senior debuts, which is really awesome. It’s something I take great pride in with coaching the junior development field umpires as well. Seeing them progress to Senior ranks is really rewarding.” Jones stated.

Chris described umpiring as the “best seat in the house” especially being able to watch Mathieson Medallists, Matt McMahon and Harry Benson up close. These were two players who he described as some of the best he has umpired over recent times. 

AFL Barwon Director of Football Umpiring, Jock Hillgrove described Chris as an ‘absolute gem’ in the umpire fraternity.

“He is always available to do multiple games if needed, and clearly having reached 500 games so quickly, it is a testament to Chris’s commitment. He has also been our Field Development Coach over the last 5 years and is very supportive of all those that have taken up field umpiring. He is a great mentor for everyone around him”.

Hillgrove regards Jones as a ‘very genuine well-liked person’ and emphasised how highly respected he is across our AFL Barwon Region.

“I’m so pleased for Chris on his milestone knowing that he has so much more to contribute to his journey as an umpire and umpire coach, I have great respect for his passion and commitment to umpiring “, said Hillgrove.

Jones doesn’t plan to hang up the whistle anytime soon with him, “I have still got the passion in me to continue going”.

The AFL Barwon community congratulates Chris on wonderful achievement and look forward to seeing him continue to set the standards for those emerging umpires. 

This week is a celebration of Community Umpiring across the AFL, if you are looking to get involved umpiring, simply go to https://play.afl/umpire