Clubs setting up a registration form 

Please ensure that you are making your registration form visible, understanding some clubs will hide their registration form if you are, for example, at capacity or offering registration initially to previous participants before making it visible. 

Rego fee set >$0.  

We are aware of the eagerness by clubs and stakeholders to receieve an update on the fixtures in a bid to plan for the 2025 season.

The 2025 Bellarine FNL and Geelong FNL fixtures are planned to be released prior to the AFL Barwon office closing on December 20th.  

Clubs will be advised if there is any further update on the status of either of these fixtures.

There is a great opportunity for players aged 13–17 to stay active and have some fun during the off-season in the AFL Barwon Geelong AFL Nines Youth Competition.

Please share this information with your players and families to encourage their participation. It’s a fantastic way to keep them connected with footy and having fun with their peers.  

What is AFL Nines? 
AFL Nines is a modified version of Australian Football that’s designed for fun, fitness, and inclusion. It’s non-contact, played with smaller teams, and perfect for players of all abilities. This competition offers a relaxed and social environment, ideal for young players to enjoy footy without the intensity of the regular season. 

Event Details: 

• When: Thursday 12th December 
• Time: 4:00pm - 8:00pm
• Location: Belmont Common
• Cost: FREE 
• Contact: Tim Downes, AFL Victoria – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Registration details: 

• Register a team: Click here to register your team 
• Register as an individual: Click here to register individually 

ATT: Netball Directors and Coordinators 

AFL Barwon are please to announce the appointment of Maddie Okely, to the role of Netball Umpire Coordinator.  

Maddie joins us after 7 years at Netball Victoria, and brings with her a wealth of experience in not only umpiring, but many other facets of netball, which will enable her to support and continue to drive umpiring within the region.  

We are excited to have Maddie as part of the team and look forward to working with clubs and umpires in 2025. 

Education Opportunities 

Safeguarding Children and Young People 
ATT: Netball Directors, Coordinators, Safeguarding Officers 

Netball Australia are thrilled to release a free course outlining the Netball Australia Safeguarding Children & Young People Course.  

This course will be integrated in to the Foundation Umpire Course and Foundation Coach Course as well as becoming part a mandatory part of the re-accreditation pathway, meaning all coaches and umpires must complete the course every four years to maintain their accreditation.  

It is highly recommended that all coaches, umpires, officials and volunteers complete the course. 

Register now 

Select for Netball Success 
ATT: Coaches, Selectors, Netball Directors, Coordinators 

With many teams planning ahead for 2025 and conducting trials, make sure you coaches and selectors are educated in the principles of team selection with this free course from Netball Australia. 

Register now 

Worksafe Umpires in the Field Workshops 
ATT: Netball Directors, Umpire Coordinators 

Looking to upskill your umpires ahead of the 2025 season? Netball Victoria will support you to host an Umpires in the Field workshop to provide further education and development for your umpires. 

Learn more

ATT: Netball Directors and Coordinators 

As we prepare for 2025, we are asking clubs to please review their currently approved uniform as per the attached uniform register. 

All players must be adorned in uniform as per what is listed in this register, so it is important that all clubs review and amend any records that are required.  

Any player who is not in appropriate uniform can be removed from the court.  

Please review and provide this feedback by January 24th 2025. 

Please contact Sophie Allison (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) with any questions regarding the above information 

ATT: Netball Directors and Coordinators 

In season 2025, it has been determined that a 19&U Division 2 Competition be facilitated on Friday evenings, alongside our established 13&U, 15&U and 17&U Midweek Competitions.  

Friday nights have been determined as the best option for the immediate future, when taking into consideration feedback received across the board. This will continue to be reviewed in line with competition growth in the coming seasons. 

With many clubs currently completing trials, please be informed of this offering, and inform your members. 

If you are able to confirm post trials, whether your club will be entering a 19&U Division 2 team, please do so via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

ATT: Club Umpire Coordinators and Umpires 

Spray Jacket ordering winder is opening this weekend! Get your oders in this side of Christmas to ensure they are ready for dispatch prior to the season commencing

Umpire Jackets – CLICK HERE

The jackets will be available every order window 1-7th of each month from October – June of each year. 

Next order window is Dec 1st – 7th 

Umpire T-Shirts

Stock for this item is held more regularly, so orders can be placed at any time. 

T-Shirts: Click here

 Umpire Shorts & Skirts

Stock for this item is held more regularly, so orders can be placed at any time. 

Shorts: Click here 
Skirts: Click here

In recent weeks, the AFL communicated to all umpires and umpire coaches nationally the 2025 Umpire Education Module requirements. 

The Umpire Education Module serves as an important aspect delivered by the AFL to provide continuous improvement and professional development to all umpire and umpire coaches across Australia.  

Most notably, all umpires and umpire coaches will initially be marked as 'unavailable' for appointments within OfficialsHQ. Completion of the educational module via the AFL LMS will automatically update your availability status in OfficialsHQ to ‘available’, allowing you to be considered for match appointments. Umpires will only become eligible for match appointments upon finishing the education module. 

We kindly request that you complete the Umpire Education Module as soon as possible to allow us to appoint you to matches once the season commences.   

If you require support to complete the education module, a user guide with step-by-step instructions is available here. 

If you have questions about the module content, please reach out to our team at AFL Barwon Umpiring (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) or for technical assistance please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or you can watch the how-to videos. 

Win 1 of 3, $50 VISA vouchers simply by re-registering (current umpires) or registering (new umpires) for 2025 and completing the 2025 Umpire Education Module in the AFL LMS by Monday December 16th 

We will be conducting a lucky registration draw on December 18, 2024. Winners will be notified and if unable to collect from Highton Office by Friday 20th December will be posted to your registered address in OHQ. 

** To register, log into your OHQ account and you will be directed to create an AFL ID and link to your OHQ Account or if you already have an AFL ID account link it to your OHQ account. 

This will give you a single sign in to all your AFL accounts and direct access to the LMS for all your umpire and coaching courses. 

2025 Training Commencement: 

• AFL Barwon Geelong Umpires – from 5.30pm, Monday 3rd Feb. 2025 at Kardinia Park, then each Monday and Wednesday excluding Public Holidays 
• AFL Barwon Colac Umpires – from 5.45pm, Wednesday 5th Feb. 2025 at Lake Oval Colac, then each Wednesday excluding Public Holidays. 
• Practice Matches – from late Feb. 2025 (all umpires must be registered and have completed 2025 Umpire Education Module to be appointed) 

2025 Season Commencement: 

• BFNL, GDFNL, CDFNL – Saturday 5th April (CDFNL stand alone games 29th March) 
• GFNL, AFLBW Senior and U18W – Saturday 12th April
• U18 Boys, AFLBJ U16/14 Boys/girls – Saturday 26th April 
• AFLB All Abilities – Possibly 3rd or 10th May 

Mid-season Break:

• Monday 7th and Wednesday 9th July (leading into the General Bye and week 1 of GDFNL split round) - No AFL Barwon Umpire Training Colac and Geelong 

 All competitions (excluding GDFNL - Bye) play on Kings Birthday weekend. 

All Senior Men’s and Women’s competitions and U18 female have 2 Bye weekends 

CDFNL competitions have 3 bye weekends. 

U18 Boys and Junior boys and Girl’s competitions have 1 Bye weekend (12th July) 

There will be a much greater presence of Senior Female Football playing on Saturdays under the LGA’s Fair Access Policies, fixtures are yet to be determined at this time. 

On the 06/12/2024 a AFL Barwon Child Safeguarding email update, which included a survey, was sent to Presidents & Secretaries of all Clubs asking where you see your club at in relation to Child Safeguarding obligations & compliance.

Just a gentle reminder that we require a response by the 31/01/2025. Thank you. 

Youth mental health education opportunity. 

Ahead of the Game is a free program for players (12 years-18 years), their parents and coaches. Funded by Movember and partnering with the AFL, Ahead of the Game has delivered 1000+ sessions and reached 18,000+ young players nationally in 2024.

Ahead of the Game provides young players with the tools to deal with life’s challenges, and the confidence to support their mates through tough times, whilst also empowering them to look after their own mental wellbeing.

The program has been designed to have localised Delivery Partners come to community clubs to deliver at a time that suits during the season. 

Further information and to register your interest found here - https://play.afl/movember-ahead-game 

The list of funding and grant programs designed to help Victorian community football expanded this week with the Victorian Government announcing two new opportunities for local clubs. 

 Applications are now open for the Regional Community Sports Infrastructure Fund (RCSIF) and the 2024-25 Local Sports Infrastructure Fund (LSIF) to help local footy clubs and communities plan, design and build the sport facilities they need. 

There are a number of funding programs available to support local football clubs, leagues and families across Victoria. Below is a summary of programs currently open and available. Find out whether any of these programs could apply to your club or family.  

Regional Community Sports Infrastructure Fund (RCSIF) 

The program is designed to help regional communities plan and build, including upgrade existing facilities for women and girls, community facilities, all abilities infrastructure and planning to encourage more people to get involved. 

More information here

Telstra Footy Country Grants 

Local footy clubs across the country can apply for Telstra Footy Country Grants, a partnership between the AFL and Telstra that will deliver $2m per year for a four-year period to community football. 

More information here.

Please contact Tim Secombe (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) with any questions regarding the above information.