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

28 March 2024

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:

  1. 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).

  2. 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).

  3. 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;

  4. 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

  5. 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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