This year saw record numbers trial for our eight AFL Barwon teams across Bellarine FNL and Geelong FNL, with one 13&U team, two 15&U teams, and one 17&U team in each league.

Congratulations to all athletes, coaches, and umpires for their dedication and achievements, making this a standout year for AFL Barwon.

Three coaches from the program have outlined the highlights of their experiences, with all results listed below. 

GFNL 15&U Championship Recap

Author: Jill Leader (Coach)

The GFNL 15&U team went through the Barwon Junior Competition undefeated. We had a very talented group of players who were all extremely versatile and we made the most of the time we had together. We developed strong connections on and off the court and I was honoured to be part of such a special group of players.  

The highlight of our season was when Bellarine pushed us into on overtime game for the Grand Final.  The girls were able to call on those connections and get the job done, finally winning after a tense and exciting match. 

The Association Championships was a challenge for us, having to replace our starting GD a week before the tournament and having no practice time, but again the girls faced the challenge with gusto.  We played really well against the top teams, just falling short and showed that the experience will be incredible for all the players. 

We had 6 of our girls Talent Identified and I’m so excited to see all the players develop over the next couple of seasons. 

GFNL 15&U Reserve Recap

Author: Jade Bartz (Coach)

Coming into this program for the very first time, has been one of the best experiences. I was pleasantly surprised to see that this team become very close, very quickly and this bond only grew stronger throughout the season. They motivated each other and every game, training session and the Association Championship’s displayed the closeness.  

Coaching these girls was a privilege and was something I looked forward to every week. They never failed to put a smile on my face, and we were guaranteed to have a laugh. From the first game it was clear this team had depth, it didn’t matter who was on the court, they looked like they had been playing together for years. It was amazing to see their netball knowledge expand over the season. 

These girls made it to the semi-finals of the Monday night competition and despite not making the Association Championship finals, displayed a team brand of netball, every single game. I am beyond proud of these girls and being able to form strong bonds with them all. I absolutely hope to do this again next year! 

This program is nothing but positive and uplifting for their netball journeys and an opportunity to grow at a coaching level. 

GFNL 17&U Recap

Author: Lisa Van Halen (Coach)

What an enjoyable and successful BJNC season for the U17’s GFL rep side. We started the season strong playing Colac and Bellarine in the first 2 rounds, coming away with strong wins. After round 3, we only had one more win for the season and finished 3rd on the ladder. We had a few injuries and illnesses throughout the remainder of the season and did not play with our whole team again until the first final. It was great to see the girls come together and win the 1st final against Bellarine and make it into the Grand Final. Going into the Grand Final we did not win against GDFL Raiders, who finished top of the ladder undefeated. The Grand Final was close all game, but we came away with the win!!! The Premiership was ours!! 

What a big day it was at Associate Champs on Sunday 25th May. Our first of 9 games was at 9am. We won 4 games against some strong and talented teams for the day. The team showed their skills and talent and came close to winning a few games against the top sides. 

It has been enjoyable and rewarding to coach all 11 girls and watch them develop as individuals and as a team over the 4-month season/program. 

Three teams from each league competed in the Barwon Junior Netball Championships, a competition entered into by representative teams in the region. This competition helps our players, coaches and umpires develop their skills against the very best in the region. All six teams made finals for this competition with some hard-fought battles during the final’s series, including extra time. We had 4 teams make the Grand Finals with the Geelong FNL 15&U and 17&U teams both taking out the Championship.

Our two 15&U reserves teams competed in GCNA’s Monday Night Junior competition. This competition is an open junior competition, with our teams graded in the highest division, often playing against older opposition. Both teams had amazing seasons, playing against each other in the first round of finals, before Bellarine FNL continued to play in the grand final. 

All eight representative teams took part at Association Championships this year, with some tough battles against strong teams throughout the day. Congratulations to our BFNL 15&U Reserves team for making it to the first round of finals. We were fortunate to have 12 athletes’ talent identified in the 15&U age group and invited to trial for the 2024 Talent Academy later this year. Eight umpires also officiated for Association Championships with multiple officiating Finals and invited to the junior umpire program. 

Congratulations to all athletes and coaches involved in this program, as well as the umpires who represented the Leagues. 

This year AFL Barwon also took an inaugural All Abilities team to compete in Association Championships. Congratulations to the players that were selected from each club. It was a fantastic day for the team, with some very competitive games. The team made it through to finals, taking out third place in a down to the wire match. Everyone loved it and we will certainly continue this into the future.