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AFL Barwon welcomes two new directors

The AFL Barwon Commission is pleased to announce the appointment of Sarah Naylor and Kim Cummins as Directors.

Sarah and Kim will fill the vacancies created by the resignations of Commissioners Michael Overman (in January) and Lachlan Young (in March). Kim will assume the remainder of Michael’s term, which continues beyond this year, while Sarah will complete Lachlan’s current term, concluding at the 2025 Annual General Meeting. As such, Sarah will be eligible for election later this year, while Kim will not be up for election at this time

Kim is a CPA-qualified professional with 20 years’ experience in the sports, venues, and major events industry. He has held senior roles with some of Australia’s most recognised organisations, including the MCG, Marvel Stadium, the AFL and Visit Victoria, where he led the development of major event partnerships and funding strategies. He brings deep expertise in financial management, governance, and strategic planning, and has advised boards and executive teams on major projects, commercial growth strategies, and stakeholder engagement across both government and community sectors.

Sarah Naylor adds a unique blend of financial acumen and deep community involvement to the Commission. She has spent the past eight years in finance and analyst roles at local wheel manufacturing company Carbon Revolution, developing a strong foundation in financial strategy, analysis, and operational support within a high-performance, innovation-driven environment.

Outside of her professional career, Sarah has contributed 14 years of volunteer service to the Geelong West Giants (and previously Geelong West Cheetahs Football & Cricket Club). Most notably, she served as Executive Chair from 2019 through to the end of 2024, demonstrating a long-standing commitment to leadership, teamwork, and community development.

The AFL Barwon Commission extends its sincere gratitude to Lachlan Young for his valuable contribution during his time as a Commissioner, after being formally elected at the 2022 AFL Barwon Annual General Meeting and was serving the final year of his three-year term.

AFL Barwon Chair Michelle Gerdtz welcomed the new appointments and acknowledged the contributions of the outgoing Commissioners:

“We are thrilled to welcome Sarah and Kim to the Commission. Sarah’s financial expertise and strong community involvement, alongside Kim’s extensive experience in the finance, sports and major events sector, will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen our efforts to enhance grassroots football and netball across the region.

We extend a massive thanks to outgoing Commissioners Michael Overman and Lachlan Young for their dedicated service and valuable contributions to AFL Barwon.”

 

Lachlan made the difficult decision to step away from his role in March to focus on family commitments. The Commission fully supports and respects this decision.

Lachlan shared the following reflection:

“I have thoroughly enjoyed the past two-and-a-half years working with clubs, stakeholders, commissioners, and the incredible AFL Barwon staff, and will miss the opportunity to give back to grassroots football and netball in our region.

However, family will always come first, and I know this is the right decision for myself, those closest to me, and AFL Barwon as the organisation heads into a busy and exciting new phase.”

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P&R Foods sign on to service AFL Barwon Clubs

AFL Barwon is proud to announce a new partnership with P&R Food Services, who come on board as the Official Food Distribution Partner of AFL Barwon.

Under the partnership, P&R Food Services will secure naming rights for a variety of key AFL Barwon assets. This includes the Football and Netball Coaches Player of the Year Awards for both the Geelong Football Netball League and the Bellarine Football Netball League, along with the Division 1 Female Football Competition. Additionally, the company will hold the naming rights for the Division 3 Male Under 14 Football Competition and the Division 2 GFNL 17 & Under Netball Competition.

P&R Food Services will also be the exclusive food supplier for all AFL Barwon GFNL and BFNL Finals Series matches. The knowledge and experience help by P&R will offer exceptional support to clubs over the finals period. This will ensure high-quality food options are available for spectators and participants during the most exciting part of the season.

To further support junior football, P&R Food Services will proudly host a community event for the Under 14 Division 3 P&R Food Services Cup, with the goal of helping participating clubs raise much-needed funds for their local junior football programs. This initiative highlights P&R’s commitment to giving back and making a meaningful difference at the grassroots level.

AFL Barwon Commercial Partnerships Manager, Sean Atkinson, said the partnership is an exciting alignment with a respected and experienced industry leader,

“We’re thrilled to welcome P&R Food Services as a Commercial Partner of AFL Barwon. With more than 20 years of industry experience and deep knowledge of the food services landscape, P&R Foods bring a level of professionalism, reliability, and care that will be beneficial for the region. Their commitment to the community and passion for grassroots sport made them a natural fit. collaboration is poised to strengthen AFL Barwon clubs by providing them with dependable supplies and robust support."

Peter Mullen, Owner Operator of P&R Food Services, expressed his enthusiasm about the new partnership with AFL Barwon:

“As a long-term supporter of local sport, we’re thrilled to announce a new three-year partnership with AFL Barwon. We’ve proudly supplied numerous clubs across the region in recent years, and we’re excited about the opportunity to further strengthen our support of community football and netball into the future.

We are dedicated to being a one-stop shop for sporting clubs. Our extensive and ever-growing range of products includes dry goods, dairy, frozen and fresh foods, confectionery, beverages, packaging, cleaning supplies, and more. We take great pride in delivering exceptional service and understand the unique challenges faced by volunteer-run clubs.”


About P&R Food Services

P&R Food Services is a proudly locally owned and operated family business, established in 2003 by Peter and Rhonda Mullen. With over two decades of experience in the food service industry, P&R has built a strong reputation for reliability, quality, and personalised customer care.

The company tailors its delivery process to each club's needs—typically, drivers will provide an estimated time of arrival approximately one hour prior to delivery. For clubs that are not always staffed, access can be arranged via key or drop box, with drivers placing goods away as required. 

P&R Food Services is committed to supporting local clubs and helping them operate efficiently and effectively. Clubs can reach out with orders or inquiries via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone at (03) 5222 6877.


Photo

From Left: Jessica Mullen (Manager - P&R Food Services), Tim Secombe (Club Development Lead - AFL Barwon), Peter Mullen ((Owner & Director - P&R Food Services) & Andrew Bews (Business Development Manager - P&R Food Services)

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Good Friday – April 18 Fixtures

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JOB ALERT - AFL Barwon Volunteer Work Experience - Media & Communications

AFL Barwon provides governance and strategy development for Football and Netball across the Barwon region.

This opportunity is ideal for individuals seeking hands-on experience in Communications and Media within a sporting environment.  

The work experience role is a voluntary position requiring availability every Thursday for the duration of the 2025 Football & Netball season.

The position description for the role can be found here.

To apply, please send your resume and a brief explanation of your interest in this opportunity to Sean Atkinson, Commercial Partnerships & Communications Manager at AFL Barwon, via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Applications will be monitored and actioned as they are received.

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AFL Auskick names its first recruit of 2025

Team NAB AFL Auskick has named its first recruit of the year, with six-year-old Charlie Smart from Barwon Heads Auskick Centre in south-west Victoria joining the team.

The 2025 Team NAB AFL Auskick coaches Nick Daicos and Katie Brennan encourage all registered Auskickers to enter via submitting a video online for a chance to join the team. They are on the lookout for NAB Auskickers who show teamwork, dedication, and passion! 

Selected Auskickers will have the opportunity to invite an Auskick teammate of their choice to join them for a remarkable experience, attending an AFL Grand Final. 

Eleven lucky winners will be announced during the Seven Network’s AFL match broadcast, with Charlie being the first lucky Auskicker to join the team accompanied by his chosen nominee – his best friend, Ethan Jennings.

Charlie and Ethan will join their fellow Team NAB AFL Auskick recruits at the MCG in Melbourne for a once-in-a-lifetime Grand Final experience, where they take centre stage and present the winning grand final team with their premiership medallions. 

Charlie is from Barwon Heads and is a huge Geelong Cats supporter, with Tom Stewart being his favourite player. When he’s not kicking the footy with his friends at Auskick, Charlie can be found playing with his soft stuffed footy inside or sleeping with his footy cards close to his chest!

When Charlie watches the footy, he loves pretending he’s out there playing alongside his idols, and often has to be told to keep the noise down when his siblings are sleeping!

He has been friends with Ethan since three-year-old kindergarten, where they bonded over an equal love of watching and playing footy. After checking the footy ladder on the fridge is up to date, Ethan falls asleep each night cuddling his mini Sherrin. He squeezes in some sneaky shots at goal on the way to school, before organising his footy cards to trade at lunch. He can’t wait to join his best mate, Charlie on the MCG on Grand Final Day.

As part of being selected as a Team NAB AFL Auskick recruit, Charlie has the chance to be crowned the 2025 NAB AFL Auskicker of the Year which will be announced during Toyota AFL Grand Final Week.

The lucky NAB AFL Auskicker of the Year will receive a remarkable $5,000 prizemoney thanks to NAB and will have a year full of unique experiences, including meeting their favourite players and attending AFL games and special events. 

If your Auskicker would like a chance to join Team NAB AFL Auskick and have a Grand Final experience of a lifetime, visit nab.com.au/auskick.
    About NAB AFL Auskick 
    • NAB AFL Auskick is an introductory program for kids to connect with Australian Football while having lots of fun and being active – smiles and grass stains are guaranteed!
    • In weekly sessions, kids focus on building football skills and playing in a safe and super fun setting. Expect small groups, heaps of games and parent/guardian involvement.
    • NAB AFL Auskick invites all children aged 5-12 no matter their knowledge, skill or ability, to participate in the tackle-free program.
    • NAB AFL Auskick offers an inclusive environment for everyone to get involved, with optional ‘All Girls’ Auskick programs and All-Abilities Auskick centres available.
    • More than 141,000 boys and girls participated in NAB AFL Auskick programs at more than 3,500 centres across the country in 2024 – setting a new record!
    • Auskick participants have the chance to feature in mini games during halftime at elite AFL and AFLW matches throughout the season. A once-in-a-lifetime experience for many kids!
    • Upon signing up, all Auskickers get an awesome pack filled with cool footy goodies not available anywhere else.
    • Visit play.afl/auskick for more details.

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