Future

AFL Barwon Future of Football & Netball Project Media Statement

AFL BARWON FUTURE OF FOOTBALL & NETBALL PROJECT UPDATE – 16.02.2024

In September 2023, the AFL Barwon Future of Football & Netball Project commenced with the approach to capitalise on regional opportunities and address strategic challenges across Male & Female, Junior & Senior, Football & Netball across the Barwon region.

Following the release of the AFL Barwon Senior Male Football & Senior Netball Proposal on December 5 in conjunction with the third Townhall Forum, AFL Barwon & Clubs have actively engaged in understanding where they see themselves within the proposed model.

On Tuesday evening (February 13), AFL Barwon met with Presidents & representatives from BFNL & GFNL Clubs to discuss their indicative positions on the proposal, providing AFL Barwon with collective feedback as to their points of satisfaction and contention.

KEY THEMES:

Upward and downward movement between leagues/divisions was a supported concept across half of BFNL & GFNL Clubs;
Volunteerism numbers and workload a challenge and a consideration for this within the proposal;
Concerns on future APPs (Allowable Player Payments (i.e. salary cap)) & Player Points allocations (i.e. Total Team Points) - how these should be structured and where maximums and minimums should be set;
Strong desire to maintain history and community connection between Clubs across the Bellarine & Geelong; and
Acknowledgement that new Senior Clubs need a secure and sustainable pathway to participate in the future.

INDICATIVE PROPOSAL POSITIONS:

In favour of the Proposal as presented to Clubs on December 5:

Bell Park FNC, Geelong West FNC, Ocean Grove FNC, Portarlington FNC, South Barwon FNC, St. Joseph’s FNC, and St. Mary’s SC.

Not in favour of the Proposal as presented to Clubs on December 5:

Anglesea FNC, Barwon Heads FNC, Colac FNC, Drysdale FNC, Geelong Amateur FNC, Grovedale FNC, Lara FNC, Leopold FNC, Modewarre FNC, Newcomb FNC, Newtown & Chilwell FNC, North Shore FNC, Queenscliff FNC, St. Albans FNC, and Torquay FNC.

NEXT STEPS:

Following Tuesday night’s meeting, AFL Barwon acknowledged there is more work required to further develop and supporting the structures that assist in addressing equalisation, sustainability of APPs & Player Points, as well as the support to Clubs with volunteerism and other strategic challenges, whilst providing a landscape that allows new Clubs to enter in the future, which supports growth opportunities, and prioritises Club sustainability.

The AFL Barwon Commission is due to meet on several occasions in the coming weeks and will continue open dialogue with all Clubs (inc. GDFNL & Junior-only Clubs), with continuous updates on the progress of the AFLB Future of Football & Netball Project.

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AFL Barwon Future of Football & Netball Project Statement | Senior Male Football & Senior Netball

Since the commencement of the AFLB Future of Football & Netball Project in September 2023, AFL Barwon has strived, through extensive consultation, to develop a competition structure that addresses regional opportunities and challenges. This has seen a number of possible options discussed with Clubs for consideration and feedback. Following these discussions, the AFL Barwon Commission have passed a number of motions to ensure Football and Netball in the region continues to increase participation numbers and provides the most competitive competitions across Male & Female, Junior & Senior, Football & Netball.

This update pertains to Senior Male Football & Senior Netball.

A significant change has been made based on the Updated Proposal released earlier this month, primarily recognising feedback that not all Bellarine FNL clubs currently have a desire, or means to compete at the GFNL level, however some Clubs do see this at a desirable goal.

The AFL Barwon Commission has passed the following motions, with respect to changes to the competition structures for the Bellarine FNL & Geelong FNL:

The adoption of two-year movement cycles between the Bellarine FNL & Geelong FNL. The first cycle is 2024 & 2025, and the second cycle is 2026 & 2027.

The previously proposed Club Championship framework is adopted to generate Club performance standings across Senior & Reserves Male Football, A & B-Grade Netball, with the standing position at the end of the Home & Away (H&A) seasons used to calculate ranking (e.g. 12 points for finishing 1st and one point for finishing 12th).
Non-mandatory promotion from the Bellarine FNL to the Geelong FNL at the conclusion of every two-year movement cycle. If the highest ranked Bellarine FNL Club declines this opportunity, the offer will be extended to the second-highest ranked Bellarine FNL Club.

An acceptance of this opportunity by either the highest or second-highest ranked Bellarine FNL Club to move from the Bellarine FNL to the Geelong FNL will result in the movement of the lowest ranked Geelong FNL Club, as per the Club Championship standings.

If neither the highest nor second-highest ranked Bellarine FNL Club accepts this offer, then there will be no movement from the Geelong FNL (the offer to move into the Geelong FNL will not be extended to any Bellarine FNL Club ranked third or below).
A tiered approach is to be adopted for 2025 onwards across the Bellarine & Geelong FNLs, in determining APPs (Allowable Player Payments) and TTPs (Total Team Points), for both Football & Netball. In-line with the 2024 season and previous years, Clubs will continue to be consulted first before final decisions are made re: APPs & TTPs for the following season;
The acceptance of an 11th & 12th Club into the Bellarine FNL pending successful applications to the AFL Barwon Commission that meet criteria for a new Club entry. Applications are currently open for Clubs within the AFL Barwon region, that are currently not in the Bellarine or Geelong FNLs. Applications close 11:59pm, April 24 2024.

A 2025 or 2026 acceptance of an 11th & 12th Club into the Bellarine FNL is subject to criteria adherence and consultation with Bellarine FNL Clubs; and
The criteria to be reviewed during the 2027 season to assess if any further changes are required.

In reflecting on these significant decisions for the future of the Senior Male Football & Senior Netball community sport landscape within the Barwon region, AFL Barwon Chair Michelle Gerdtz reflected with the following comments:

"The AFL Barwon Commission are very grateful for the time and effort all Clubs have put in over the last six months. The consultation process has been extensive, and we have appreciated the individual thoughts, ideas and club feedback provided during this process.

The key outcomes for AFL Barwon at the commencement of this project was to create a competition landscape that promoted greater pathways, competitiveness, and opportunities for Clubs to succeed, as well as providing an entry point for new Clubs to be established and enter Senior Football and Netball with success.

By expanding the Bellarine Football Netball League to include 12 teams, we now see the opportunity for Surf Coast Suns to enter Senior Football and Netball and the mechanism has now been created for movement between the Bellarine FNL and Geelong FNLs".

In addition to the changes announced today, significant work has transpired within the Project for Female Football, at both Townhall Forums and the 2023 Female Football Forum, with resulted in (but not limited too) the adoption of a two-year day-of-play transition period, with the intent to have Saturdays as the primary day-of-play of Senior Female Football in 2025.

The Project will begin addressing the Junior Football & Junior Netball competition landscapes during the 2024 season.

AFL Barwon wants to take this opportunity to again thank all stakeholders for their ongoing involvement and consultation to date, as we collectively continue to strive to provide the best community sporting landscape possible.

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AFL Barwon Senior Male Football & Senior Netball Proposal - Statement

Over recent years, AFL Barwon have received a clear message from Clubs that there was a need to evolve the current model to ensure sustainability and equitable competitions. We are in a fortunate position in the Barwon region to be seeing growth in our football and netball programs, however we recognise that as the Geelong region evolves we must stay ahead of the curve. We need a model that will ensure that we continue to foster participation and relevance of our great games into the future.

AFL Barwon has presented Clubs with a proposed model for the future of Senior Male Football & Senior Netball within the Barwon region. The proposal was presented at AFL Barwon’s third face-to-face consultation session with clubs on its Future of Football & Netball Project. The proposed model includes a vision for a divisional competition structure, enabling the top-placed Club in a division to move up a division and the bottom-placed Club in a division to move down a division, every three years.

The launch of the Future of Football & Netball Project came after earlier consultations with Clubs identified necessary changes to elevate our regional Senior leagues and address structural elements hampering club growth and sustainability. It has seen open and transparent discussions held across multiple sessions with affiliated Bellarine, Geelong, Geelong District and Junior-only Clubs, with the aim of enhancing Club sustainability and harnessing regional opportunities into the future across our Female & Male, Junior & Senior, Football & Netball competitions.

AFL Barwon has actively engaged with clubs throughout the consultation period, including at Club Forums, one-on-one consultations and in smaller feedback groups. We have used the feedback provided to work from several initial concepts to the proposal presented on Tuesday, 5 December.

AFL Barwon Chair, Michelle Gerdtz, thanked clubs for their involvement throughout this process.

“Last night wrapped up our official consultation process with clubs on the future of senior football and netball project. The process has allowed the Commission to refine and adjust the model based on Club and individual feedback. The engagement we have had with clubs has been positive and we thank all our stakeholders for allowing us to work with them during this process”.

“One major highlight of the model is to ensure that results from senior football AND netball are considered when looking at the movement of clubs between divisions, every three years. Netball is a vital component in our region and this model ensures a whole club approach when assessing performance and participation”.

“We are in a fortunate position in the Barwon region to be seeing growth in our football and netball programs and this model will ensure that we continue to foster this growth into the future”.

To review the entire proposal, please visit the link below:

AFL Barwon Future of Football & Netball Project – AFL Barwon Senior Male Football & Senior Netball Proposal

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Bellarine Football Netball League New Club Entry Process Update

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The AFL Barwon Commission delivers this release, to provide an update for all interested parties within the Football & Netball communities of the Barwon region, with particular emphasis on the future of the Bellarine FNL.

In-line with the New Club Entry application process that closed on 24 April 2024, AFL Barwon firstly received an application from Surf Coast FNC for entry into the Bellarine FNL. As part of an extensive review of Surf Coast FNC’s application, several face-to-face engagements have transpired, with one final engagement scheduled to take place on Monday night (May 27).

All Bellarine FNL Clubs have been invited to attend a meeting with AFL Barwon on Wednesday 29^th May to be provided with a secondary consultation opportunity (following the most recent on April 22), following the conclusion of AFL Barwon’s engagement with Surf Coast FNC. This opportunity for Bellarine FNL Clubs to be engaged is pivotal to the success and future of the League, and AFL Barwon is looking forward to this evening.

As part of the New Club Entry application process that closed on 24 April 2024, AFL Barwon also received a second application from a Club within the AFL Barwon region. As part of an extensive review of this Club’s application, including several face-to-face engagements, the Club has opted to withdraw its application for entry into the Bellarine FNL for 2025. AFL Barwon is supportive of this withdrawal noting the Club did not meet all four pillars of entry criteria – Facilities, Financials, Participation and Club Development.

Following this withdrawal, the Club has requested continued confidentiality noting the public significance and attention with originally expressing an interest in moving leagues, within the local community. AFL Barwon respects this request and will continue to honour this, noting the conclusion of their application process.

AFL Barwon looks forward to concluding the New Club Entry application review process for Surf Coast FNC, to provide certainty and a future for their Football & Netball programs, as well as certainty on the future of the Bellarine FNL. Any change is significant and the AFL Barwon Commission is grateful for the ongoing engagement of all stakeholders, in ensuring that equitable opportunities for participation and sustainability continue to be prioritised within the Barwon region.