AFL Barwon is proud to announce a new partnership with Beyond Bank, extending through to the end of the 2027 season. This partnership brings together two community-focused organisations with a shared commitment to supporting local clubs, participants, and the wider Barwon region.

As one of Australia’s largest customer-owned banks, Beyond Bank is dedicated to helping individuals and communities thrive. Their strong focus on local engagement aligns seamlessly with AFL Barwon’s strategic direction to foster inclusive, sustainable, and well-supported grassroots football and netball competitions.

AFL Barwon Football and Netball clubs now have the opportunity to access the Community Reward Program through Beyond Bank. By linking their savings accounts to their chosen community organisations, club members can help their clubs receive annual donations from Beyond Bank. This initiative fosters community growth and support by allowing customers to actively contribute to their preferred clubs and local organisations.

AFL Barwon Region General Manager, Edward Wilson, highlighted the significance of the partnership, stating, “The community approach that Beyond Bank brings to the region is one that resonates significantly with AFL Barwon, and we’re looking forward to the support this partnership will offer and provide to affiliated clubs and other stakeholders in the years to come.”

Beyond Bank Community Development Manager, Cam Murnane, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration, saying, “We are excited to partner with AFL Barwon for the 2025 season. The football and netball clubs in this region play a vital role in our community, offering a wonderful space for connection and support to participants and their families throughout Greater Geelong and the Bellarine. We look forward to collaborating with both AFL Barwon and the individual clubs to offer support wherever possible.”

Beyond Bank continues to build lasting relationships that extend beyond banking, empowering individuals and clubs to thrive both on and off the field. To find out more about Beyond Bank’s services and opportunities, simply head to https://www.beyondbank.com.au.

AFL Barwon is excited to share that Liam Clark has been selected for the VFL Development Squad for the 2025 season. This well-earned promotion reflects his dedication, professionalism, and continuous growth as an umpire. 

Liam’s strong officiating credentials include his appointment to the 2024 GDFNL Grand Final and the 2023 BFNL Grand Final, demonstrating his ability to manage high-stakes games with composure and authority. His consistency in decision-making, game awareness, and leadership on the field has made him a standout within AFL Barwon’s umpiring ranks. 

The VFL Development Squad is a key pathway for umpires striving to reach the highest levels of the game. Liam’s inclusion is a testament to both his individual talent and the quality of AFL Barwon’s umpiring development program.

AFL Barwon Director of Football Umpiring Jock Hillgrove praised Liam’s achievement:

“Liam has shown tremendous growth over the past few seasons. His ability to read the game, stay composed under pressure, and officiate at a high level makes him a deserving selection for the VFL Development Squad. We’re excited to see where this next step takes him.”

Liam’s success highlights the strong pathways available for umpires within AFL Barwon. With a focus on skill development and progression, the program continues to produce officials ready for the next level.

Liam will join Henry Buckley who was promoted to the VFL Development Squad earlier this year.

Congratulations to Liam on this outstanding accomplishment! We wish him all the best as he embarks on this exciting new chapter in the VFL Development Squad.

If you are looking to take up Football Umpiring in 2025, simply click here for more information.

The Geelong Football Netball League (GFNL) Round 2 senior football clash between St Mary’s and Newtown & Chilwell will take on a twilight twist, with the highly anticipated match kicking off at 6:00 PM.

To accommodate the later start, earlier football matches will also have adjusted times, ensuring a smooth lead-up to the senior fixture. However, all netball games will remain at their standard times, allowing supporters to enjoy a full day of top-tier GFNL action.

The twilight match presents a great opportunity for both clubs to showcase their talent under lights in what is expected to be a highly competitive contest.

Full match times for all GFNL fixtures can be found here.

AFL Barwon has been closely monitoring the situation surrounding North Shore Football Netball Club and its efforts to establish a sustainable football program for the 2025 season.

AFL Barwon, AFL Victoria, and the North Shore FNC Executive have been engaged in ongoing discussions to explore a viable path forward. Discussions were held on December 18th, where AFL Barwon expressed concerns about their football playing numbers. At this meeting, AFL Barwon presented the 2025 Action Plan for the Greater North Geelong Future Football project.

On February 13th, AFL Barwon issued a letter to North Shore FNC, providing the club with an opportunity to demonstrate its ability to field Senior and Reserve football teams in 2025. This was prompted by the fact that, at the time, North Shore FNC had no registered Senior male footballers.

Despite some verbal assurances, North Shore FNC had been unable to provide the relevant written confirmation to this request and show reasonable cause by February 28th, AFL Barwon requested a meeting on March 3rd, at which North Shore Co-President representing netball was the only representative in attendance.

Due to lack of confirmation by North Shore FNC, AFL Barwon had no choice but to begin planning scenarios for the 2025 season without North Shore FNC participating in the 2025 GFNL football competition as a contingency.

AFL Barwon is still assessing North Shore FNC’s ability, in its current form, to meet AFL Barwon By-Law 13.2, which states: “All Clubs must field teams in Senior & Reserve football grades, and all Netball grades from A Grade down.” Noting a netball exemption has been in place in recent seasons. It is not a viable solution to only have one senior football team.

Whilst this assessment is still taking place and there has been an increase in registrations, there remains some work to be done regarding North Shore’s ability to field senior and reserve football teams in 2025. AFL Barwon must take proactive steps to support all clubs and players. While every effort is being made by North Shore FNC in establishing a sustainable football program, the ongoing uncertainty necessitates careful planning to protect the integrity of the competition and the interests of all participating clubs.

AFL Barwon remains committed to supporting all clubs within the region to ensure a strong and sustainable football and netball competitions.

Further media comment will be provided through our official media partners as updates become available.