The Barwon Bulletin - May 8
THE BARWON BULLETIN
The official noticeboard for AFL Barwon Club Officials & Volunteers.
To recieve email notifications of the Barwon Bulletin, please contact
EDITION 37
May 8, 2025
(LAST UPDATED - May 9, 2025)
(Umpire appointments are updated Thursday 4pm)
Navigation
General Updates
New Updates
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AFLB TV Live Stream Schedule
GFNL
Senior Football
10/5/25 - St Mary's vs Grovedale
BFNL
Senior Football
10/5/25 - Queenscliff vs Geelong Amateur
A Grade Netball
10/5/25 - Anglesea vs Portarlington
CDFNL
Senior Football
10/5/25 - Apollo Bay vs Colac Imperials
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Respect Means More Than The Result
Download a Canva template via the button below to promote respect at your club!
At AFL Barwon, we are committed to creating a safe, inclusive and respectful environment for everyone involved in our game — players, coaches, umpires, volunteers, and supporters alike.
Whether you're on the field, on the sidelines, or supporting from afar, your words and actions matter.
✅ Support in an positive way
✅ Encourage fair play and sportsmanship
✅ Respect our umpires and volunteers — the game doesn't run without them
✅ Be kind online — what you say behind a screen still has real impactLet’s lead by example and make sure footy and netball remain spaces where our whole community can thrive.
If you see or experience behaviour that doesn’t align with these values, report it to your club. If there are still concerns beyond this, please don't hesitate to reach out to AFL Barwon for support.
Respect the game. Respect each other. Respect yourself.
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Indigenous Round Club Info & Toolkit
Indigenous Round will be held 19-25th of May, highlighting the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to the games of football and netball. The round celebrates the relationship between local sports and Indigenous Australia by connecting football and netball players and spectators to Indigenous culture.
Download the Toolkit below to understand how your club can get involved, as well as what AFL Barwon is doing to celebrate the round.
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Save The Date - Female Festival of Sport Breakfast
The 2025 Female Festival of Sport Week will be held from the June 30th - July 6th, with the annual Breakfast event held on the 4th of July.
Details of breakfast:
- Date - Friday July 4th
- Location - Geelong West Town Hall
- Time - 6:45am Arrival, 7:00am Start
- Host - Madi Browne
- Panellists - Coming soon
Tickets will be released on June 2.
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Game Development Officer Job Opportunity (AFL Victoria)
Reminders
Rising Star Nominations Now Open!
AFL Barwon Clubs – Rising Star Nominations Now Open!
Do you have a rising star lighting up the field or the court?
AFL Barwon, in partnership with the Geelong Times, is now calling for club nominations for the Football and Netball Rising Star Award – recognising the brightest young talent in our region.
This prestigious award celebrates standout players under the age of 21 (as of January 1) from the Bellarine and Geelong Football Netball Leagues and Female Football Competitions, who show exceptional promise and performance on the field or court.
Each month, a Rising Star nominee will be featured in the Geelong Times, with all monthly nominees remaining eligible for the overall Rising Star Award, to be presented at the end of the season. Therefore, you only need to submit the application once for the season.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Must be under 21 years of age as of January 1
- Must have played no more than 10 Senior Football and A Grade games prior to the start of the current season
Clubs are invited to submit a nomination that includes a short write-up outlining the player’s achievements and why they deserve recognition.
Nominate Here: https://forms.gle/38tcL8rEhRawV41B6
Local Scoreboards
Times Footy
Commercial Partnerships
New Updates
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Geelong Cats - Mother's Day Offer
Get ready to see the Geelong Cats take on GWS Giants at GMHBA Stadium on Sunday 11 May!
Secure your seats with this 25% off Joel Selwood Stand seats offer to AFL Barwon
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Times News Group Offer
AFL Barwon Clubs Offer to Feature in Times News Group Publications
AFL Barwon is excited to announce a new initiative with valued partner Times News Group, which will see all Geelong FNL and Bellarine FNL clubs receive dedicated editorial space in their local Times News Group publication.
As part of this partnership, each club will be provided with a half-page editorial opportunity across the 2025 season. This space offers a fantastic platform for clubs to showcase achievements, promote upcoming events, and share important community updates with a broad and engaged local readership.
With content appearing in the regionally aligned editions of the Times News Group – such as the Geelong Times, Surf Coast Times, Bellarine Times, and Golden Plains Times – the initiative ensures clubs can directly reach their local supporters and broader community networks.
To take up this offer throughout the season, please email AFL Barwon Commercial Partnerships Manager,Sean Atkinson for further details.
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City of Greater Geelong X Leisure Networks Workshop
Please come along to the upcoming COGG x LN workshop on Fair Access aiming to build the capacity and capabilities of sporting clubs and associated stakeholders.
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The Great Ocean Road Running Festival
The Great Ocean Road Running Festival, presented by Melrose is only one month away!
The Ultra Marathon, Melrose Great Ocean Road Marathon and Brooks Half Marathon are already SOLD OUT. There are still opportunities to run our remaining distances, pick from the High Sierra 12KM Trail Run, Srilankan Airlines 6KM Run, Goodness Me 1.5KM Kids Gallop or the Great Ocean Road Walk!
Lock in your registration and join us on the 17th - 18th May on the Great Ocean Road!
Football
Senior Football
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Selected Team Entry Reminder
Selected Team Entry Reminder - Senior Men’s and Women’s Division 1 Football
A reminder to all clubs that selected teams for Senior Men’s and Senior Women’s Division 1 football must be entered into the PlayHQ database by 7:00pm each Thursday night.
Clubs are required to include:
- Playing positions for 18 starting players
- 4 interchange players
- Up to 3 emergencies
Accurate and timely team submissions help enhance coverage and visibility across our media partners and provide greater exposure for your players and club.
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Under 18 Male Update
Please note that some necessary adjustments have been made to the Under 18 Round 3 fixture. These changes are part of the grading process, which is essential for AFL Barwon to gather accurate data and make informed decisions regarding post-grading divisions.
As a result, further updates will be made to the Round 4 fixture, with changes to be finalised by 5pm on Monday.
Additionally, we have been advised that Bell Park and St Joseph’s 2 will be merging their Under 18 teams.
If you have any questions regarding these updates, please contact Sean at
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Junior Football
Highton All Girls Auskick & Superkick
Resource Links
- 2025 Junior Footy Match Guide
- Non-Appointed Umpire Match Report
- Non-Competitive - Umpire Match Report
- PlayHQ - Team Manager Matchday Guide
- Local PPS BY LAWS
- E-Scoring via PlayHQ Apps
- On-Field Vests & Apparel (loco)
- Football Order Form
Netball
Netball Victoria
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Country Football and Netball Program Applications
Applications for the 2025 Country Football and Netball Program are now open
The Country Football and Netball Program helps upgrade and improve regional and outer metro football and netball clubs and associations.
Grants of up to $250,000 are available to deliver infrastructure projects that include the redevelopment and construction of courts, installation of lighting, and construction of new and redevelopment of existing pavilions, including genderneutral change rooms.If your club, association or league is interested in facility enhancements through this program you should reach out to your local Council representatives or Netball Victoria’s facilities team. Noting that all applications must be submitted via a local government authority.
The 2025 Country Football and Netball Program applications close on 7 July 2025.
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Reminder to update details in Netball Connect
Please update all details in Netball Connect under User > Administrators > Our Organisation.
Most importantly, please ensure all committee members are listed as a contact, even if they do not use Netball Connect in an administrative capacity. You can select 'No Admin Access'. Please also ensure all contacts have at least one role listed.
Junior Netball
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Representative Netball Fixtures – Monday 12th May
Barwon Junior Netball Championships (FINALS Round 1)
- 13&U (5:20pm): Geelong Central NA v Colac & District FNL; Bellarine FNL v Geelong FNL
- 15&U (6:35pm): Bellarine FNL v Geelong Central NA; Geelong FNL v Colac & District FNL
- 17&U (7:50pm): Geelong FNL v Bellarine FNL; Geelong Central NA v Colac & District FNL
Geelong Central Netball Association
- 13&U Geelong FNL vs The Randos @ 7pm, Kardinia Park court 3
- 13&U Bellarine FNL vs CC Eagles Red @ 7pm, Kardinia Park court 1
- 15&U Geelong FNL vs Southern Star Diamonds @ 7:55pm, Kardinia Park court 1
- 15&U Bellarine FNL vs GCNA Turquoise @ 7pm, Kardinia Park court 4
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Midweek Netball Update
Thank you to everyone for a fantastic first round of Junior Midweek Netball!
See below some important reminders which were sent to clubs earlier this week.
Fixture Round 3:The fixture for Tuesday Round 3 (13th May) has now been released on PlayHQ. The Friday Round 3 fixture will be released later today.
Earrings:Please be reminded that earrings are not permitted to be worn or taped within AFL Barwon Competitions.
Please see the relevant competition rule included below:
- Umpires shall ensure that players:
- Are wearing no jewellery, earrings, or piercings. No taping of piercings allowed
- NOTE – wedding ring or medical alert bracelet may be taped.
Umpires should ensure that players are checked pre-game, and any player with taping or earrings in will not be permitted to take the court. Please remove all jewellery prior to umpires conducting their checks.
Selecting Team Line Up:All teams must have a team line-up selected each week for names to be printed on the scoresheet. This must be completedno later than 10am game day(ideally the night beforehand).
Teams are asked to check that all players are listed on both the scoresheet and position tracking sheet prior to the game starting. If handwriting a name on the scoresheet (player must be registered), please ensure both first AND last name is recorded in legible writing otherwise this player will not be added to the game line up when entering results.
Scoresheets:See attached example scoresheets (Junior Only on Page 3-4) and key pointers below.
- Players must be listed on both the scoresheet and position tracking sheet prior to the game
- Scoresheet used for: 1st quarter starting line-up; goals/attempts allocated to GS or GA; centre passes; progressive score
- Goal attempts are only required for the 17&U age group
- Position tracking used for: 1st quarter starting line-up; all other position changes, including rolling substitutions and quarter break changes.
- Make sure to annotate when there is a goaler change on the scoresheet so goals can be assigned accurately
League & Media Votes:Clubs can select players each game to be displayed as media votes on PlayHQ. Coaches can nominate media votes by writing 1, 2 or 3 (1 being best) next to the players’ names on the scoresheet, or clubs can enter this themselves through PlayHQ within 24hrs of the game concluding.
Umpires will complete B&F league votes after each Friday night game from Round 5 onwards (post-grading). Midweek umpires are not to be asked to complete club B&F votes. Our umpires have other duties to complete post-game before often going to umpire another game or play themselves.
First Aid:Clubs are reminded that they are responsible for providing first aid kits for all teams. Ice packs are available with the Competition Coordinator at each venue.
- Umpires shall ensure that players:
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Midweek Netball Venue Maps
See attached the venue maps for each of our midweek netball venues this season.
Resource Links
Netball Umpiring
Clubs are required to email through their umpire rosters by the conclusion of each round to
Junior Umpires Starting This Week
With a new season comes new umpires on their very first games! We are so excited to welcome them to umpiring, and look forward to seeing their development over the course of the season. We wish them the best in their umpiring journey!
Please be reminded of the green wristband initiative – if they wear green, they’re under 18!
It goes without saying, however, it is an expectation that all spectators, players, team officials, and anyone present at matches, will not engage in any sort of disrespectful behaviour towards these officials. Poor behaviour will not be tolerated.
If you wouldn’t say it to your own child, grandchild, relative or friend, don’t say it to our umpires!
Club Development
New Updates
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New Concussion Hub
New: Play.AFL Concussion Hub
‘If in doubt sit them out’
The AFL has launched a new concussion hub. One centralised location where our community coaches, umpires, volunteers, players and parents can brush up on their concussion smarts.
Action: Check out the more than 150 educational assets on the new hub https://play.afl/concussion
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Webinar: Connecting Communities - Australian Sports Commission
Webinar: Connecting Communities - Australian Sports Commission (ASC): May 12 @ 1-2pm
ASC is bringing together leaders from across sport to discuss their experiences in utilising sport volunteering to connect communities across the country. They will also share their insights on how National Volunteer Week provides a fantastic platform to enhance the experiences for our current and future volunteers in sport.
Get ideas on how you can get involved with National Volunteer Week celebrations.
Action:register to attend Register Here
Reminders
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Club Health Checks
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 committeemeeting; or
- Get a few members of your committee to complete the surveyseparately in their own time.
No matter how the survey is completed, we appreciate your time and insight regarding your clubs’ structures, challenges, and priorities.
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New Competition For One Club To Win $4K+
Overall, we have had approximately 44% of clubs in Victoria respond to the 2025 Club Health Check.
With a goal of 60%, a new opportunity for clubs who complete the Club Health Check has launched.
Clubs who complete the survey before 11:59pm June 9 go in the draw to win a prize worth $4,100 ex GST ($2k cash + 12 footys)!
N.B.: All responses submitted during the competition period (before 09/06/’25) go in the draw to win the prize, so all previous responses since late last year will be eligible. N.B.: Each club would only be entered once for one or more surveys complete.
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Webinar: Sport Integrity 101 for Community Club Volunteers
In the lead up to National Volunteer Week 2025, this webinar by Sport Integrity Australia is designed to empower and educate community volunteers on the importance of integrity in sport. Clubs will gain insights into best practice for promoting fair play, safeguarding children, and strategies to tackle common volunteer challenges.
Action: Register for the webinar and encourage other volunteers at your club to register as well.
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Trainers Course Opportunity
We have been approached with the opportunity for club trainers to complete their level 1 trainer’s course.
The cost is $299 per person with the date TBC pending registrations.
If you are interested, please email
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. -
Mental Health
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 theMental Health & Wellbeing Page on the AFL Help website.
Our Mental Health partners in Read the Play and Tackle your Feelings also provide wonderful programs and services for clubs too. More information can be found at our Mental Health Page on the AFL Barwon website.
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Container Deposit Scheme
Local football clubs across the state will be supported to raise funds and become more sustainable through a new partnership between AFL Victoria and Victoria's Container Deposit Scheme (CDS Vic). CDS Vic provides the opportunity for Victorians to return eligible drink containers for a 10-cent refund.
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GRANT - Toyota Good for Footy Raffle
The Toyota Good for Footy Raffle is back for 2025! If a club has never engaged with the program, they can now register for free via the link below.
Clubs who have previously registered are automatically re-registered and can start fundraising Immediately.
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GRANT - 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.
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GRANT - PILA Goal Post Subsidy Program
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
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City of Greater Geelong Fair Access Workshop
The City of Greater Geelong is excited to present a Fair Access Workshop.
The introductory workshop will be led and delivered via partnership with Regional Sporting Assembly - Leisure Networks. The workshop aims to progressively build the capacity and capabilities of the sporting Clubs and associated stakeholders in identifying and eliminating systemic causes of gender inequality in policy, programs, communications, delivery and allocation of community sports and recreation infrastructure.
We welcome Clubs across the G21 region to learn how we can collectively and inclusively develop sustainable and equitable practices in a sport and recreation environment.
Date: 14 May
Time: 6.00pm
Location: Online or in person at Wurriki Nyal 137-149 Mercer Street Geelong, VIC 3220
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City of Greater Geelong Sport and Recreation Census
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.
