AFL Barwon is excited to announce that the 2023 Kempe AFL Barwon Junior Grand Finals will take place at the Lara Recreation Reserve, utilizing both of its ovals. The selection of the hosting venues was made by the AFL Barwon Staff and Commission after all AFL Barwon clubs had the chance to submit applications to host.

To accommodate ground availabilities and support the dedicated club volunteers, the Under 14 and Under 16 games will be spread across Saturday’s and Sunday’s during the final’s series.

Lara Recreation Reserve has a successful history of hosting major finals events, including the Kempe Junior Finals in 2018 and the Epworth Female Football Finals in 2019.

Chris Spence, Chair of the Lara Sports Club Football Section, expressed gratitude to AFL Barwon for entrusting their club with hosting the junior grand finals. He mentioned that the event would showcase the exceptional talent of Under 14 and Under 16 boys' football in the Barwon region. Planning for the weekend is already underway, and the Lara Football Netball Club eagerly anticipates welcoming players, families, and supporters for an action-packed program of matches.

AFL Barwon's Region General Manager, Edward Wilson, extended his thanks to Lara FNC for their support in hosting the 2023 Kempe AFL Barwon Junior Male Football Finals Series. Acknowledging the scale of these competitions, he emphasized that the two days would be memorable both on and off the field. The diligence and proactive efforts of all host Clubs - Geelong Amateur FNC, Lara FNC, North Geelong FNC, Ocean Grove Cobras FC, Ocean Grove FNC, & Surf Coast Suns FNC during the three weeks of finals was greatly appreciated.

The full schedule for the Kempe AFL Barwon Junior Football Finals Series is as follows:

Kempe AFL Barwon Junior Football Finals Series

Week 1 - Semi Finals

Saturday August 19th & Sunday August 20

Queens Park Reserve - KFC Oval and Shaw Oval (Geelong Amateurs FNC)                                 

Ray Menzies Oval – (Ocean Grove FNC)        

Collendina Reserve – (Ocean Grove Cobras FC)                        

Osborne Park – (North Geelong FNC)

Week 2 - Preliminary Finals

Saturday August 26th & Sunday August 27^th

Banyul Warri Fields - Polwarth Oval & Grenville Oval (Surf Coast Suns FNC)                 

Week 3 - Grand Finals

Saturday September 2^nd & Sunday September 3^rd

Lara Recreation Reserve - Bisinella Oval and Lara Recreation Reserve Oval 2 (Lara Football Netball Club)

The Geelong Community Foundation will fund an incredible $1.34million in community grants this year with one of the most significant grants awarded to The Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre (The SAFV Centre), a community based, not-for-profit service, offering free, confidential trauma-informed sexual assault and family violence services across the Barwon region.

The $76,000 grant funded over two years will support the ‘Respect Starts Here’ program, a primary prevention initiative targeted at community leaders and change-makers, aged 14-years and older.

Geelong Community Foundation CEO Gail Rodgers, said that reported family violence incidents in the Geelong region have increased over the last 12 months along with breaches of family violence orders.

“The impact of family violence is far reaching and affects mental health, exacerbates problem alcohol and drug use along with a number of other social consequences. Attitudes need to change and the ‘Respect Starts Here’ program is an initiative that we have funded in order to support this change,” she said.

“The plan to work with local sporting clubs to build awareness and understanding of the drivers and impact of sexual and family violence is an important initiative. We all have a role to play in creating safe and supportive environments and the Geelong Community Foundation’s funding of this program will support members of football and netball clubs across the region to build their skills and confidence to speak up and challenge disrespectful behaviour.”

According to The SAFV Centre, sexual and family violence is a serious problem that affects individuals of all genders, ages and backgrounds. In Australia, statistics show that 1-in-5 women and 1-in-20 men experience sexual assault in their lifetime and on average, one woman a week is murdered by her current or former partner. These statistics demonstrate the need for primary prevention measures in the community. The vision of this project is for Barwon communities to be respectful, safe, and underpinned by gender equality.

The SAFV Centre CEO Helen Bolton, said that the aim of the initiative was to strengthen participants’ awareness and understanding of sexual and family violence, and the drivers of violence against women.

“This includes the link between gender inequality and the attitudes and behaviours that form the foundation for sexual and family violence within our community,” she said.

“The program is offered in two streams, allowing clubs to participate at different levels: introductory or advanced. The program is focused on promoting gender equality in sport, supporting clubs through the delivery of active bystander workshops that equip members and players with strategies and tools to challenge casual sexism, gendered expectations, and the condoning of sexual and family violence. “

Through funding from the Geelong Community Foundation, The SAFV Centre, in partnership with AFL Barwon, is able to offer ‘Respect Starts Here’ free of charge to local football and netball clubs. Registration for the 2024 season is open until the 8 August, and registration forms are available through The SAFV Centre and AFL Barwon websites. 

“Sporting clubs and institutions are priority areas for addressing violence against women given that sport is an influential and integral part of Australian culture and identity.”

“Sporting teams, clubs and associations have an important role to play in the prevention of violence against women at both an individual level and more broadly as influential organisations and workplaces. Sporting clubs can hold a lot of influence over their local community and therefore is able to challenge the attitudes and behaviours that allow violence to occur.”

AFL Barwon, Region General Manager Edward Wilson stated, “AFL Barwon is proud to align our values with a community organisation that embodies similar beliefs in tackling significant societal issues.”

Operating for over 45 years in the Barwon area, The SAFV Centre is a trusted specialist organisation supporting its communities in need, offering a range of specialist support services for people impacted by sexual and family violence as well as support services for victims of crime.

As one of the largest standalone specialist sexual assault and family violence organisations, with more than 140 employees, The SAFV Centre provides free and confidential case management support to women and children experiencing family violence. It provides free and confidential trauma-informed counselling and a range of therapeutic group programs to address the impacts of trauma from sexual and family violence. They also provide practical assistance, advocacy and case management support for all victims of crime.

The SAFV Centre also offers professional training and its Primary Prevention team designs and delivers innovative projects which are informed by and contribute to the evidence base about what works to prevent violence from occurring in the first place.

To date, Respect Starts Here workshops have built the capacity of over 350 players, coaches and volunteers in local sporting clubs to speak up against disrespectful attitudes and behaviours. The pilot project with Geelong West Giants Football and Netball Team, funded by Give Where You Live, provided the following feedback:

“Workshop was amazing, I loved it and think this program is not only beneficial but necessary in order to create change in our society…”

“Please go around to every single school/sporting club/workplace etc in Geelong and present this presentation this was so educational and I think a lot of the younger and older generation can benefit greatly from this. Keep up this amazing work!!”

Family violence causes significant physical, emotional, psychological and financial harm to those who experience it. Gender inequality creates the social conditions for family violence to occur. Attitudes need to change and the ‘Respect Starts Here’ program is an initiative that we have funded in order to support this change,” she said.

AFL Barwon has partnered with the Sexual Assault and Family Violence Centre (The SAFV Centre) to be community leaders in the prevention of family violence throughout the Barwon region through the Respect Starts Here Program.

This initiative aligns with the Guidelines for Preventing Violence Against Women: Taking Action Through Community Sport. It is designed to support community leaders to promote gender equality and respect through increasing awareness and understanding of the drivers of sexual and family violence, to create an opportunity for change, and prevent local family and sexual violence. 

Sporting clubs have an essential role in preventing family violence and violence against women. They are prime environments for influence and instigators of change as they build connections and belonging within local communities.

Ocean Grove Football Netball Club has signed on as a participant of the program for the 2023 season. Spokesperson for the club, Pip Jankowski explained they understand their influence amongst the community and that the initiative is an integral part of upholding key club values.

“The Respect Starts Here Program was a good fit as it clearly aligned with two of the Club’s values – Respectful and Inclusive. We are well placed to create gender equal environments that promote respect, inclusion and safety,” Pip said.

When faced with the grim statistics that one in four women experience violence from an intimate partner by age 15, and the fact gender inequality contributes to the murder of around one Australian woman almost every week, the club’s spokesperson disclosed they were confronted.

“These statistics are confronting but important to understand and are the reason why we need to create environments of equality and respect,” Pip stated.

Taking on their own initiative, the club has assembled a Club Action Group that is designed to help inform the Respect Starts Here Program by bringing together a diverse range of people, experiences, thinking and ideas. They recognise the most important outcomes of the program are “increasing our understanding of violence against women, the drivers of violence, and how we can prevent it,” said the spokesperson.

Similarly, St. Albans Football Club, who see the Respect Starts Here initiative as a “positive step forward”, has also embraced the program for the 2024 season.

Mark Sinkinson explained the club sees the value in the program and believes it is an important way of “reinforcing what our behaviours and standards are. [The program] allows for open and informed discussion on how to address the issues,” he said.

The club is committed to ensuring the progress and success of the initiative by maintaining support for its community leaders to encourage change.

“We are continuing to reinforce our agreed standards and ensure support is provided to leaders and members who call out and action inappropriate behaviour, along with acknowledging scenarios where positive action is displayed,” stated Mark. 

Portarlington Football Netball Club undertook the Respect Starts Here one-off workshop in 2023. Club Well-Being Consultant Kelly Pickard highly recommends clubs stay educated in this space. "I would recommend it [Respect Starts Here Program] to another club to encourage them to be on the front foot with their education. Having more education can allow people to become more aware of interactions with family, friends, and themselves."

Kelly reflected on the Club’s decision to join the program “We wanted to be proactive in providing education to our club with providing netballers, footballers, committee members and coaches an opportunity to participate. Bringing the concepts to a conscious level, is a great way for the club to be proactive in preventing areas discussed in the program to surface” Kelly said.

The Respect Starts Here Program is implemented through two unique streams; Getting Started and All In. The introductory Getting Started stream includes three collaborative sessions that support clubs to identify and set priorities for gender equality in sport and build the capacity of leaders within the club to promote equality and respect.

The All In stream supports clubs to take an in-depth approach to understanding and addressing gender equality in sport. This collaborative and tailored program aims to build the knowledge and capacity of all club members from the age of 14. It identifies the club’s gender equality needs, develops a plan for action, and builds messages to promote gender equality through the club, with additional Active Bystander and Responding to Discourse training for club leaders.

Thanks to funding from the Geelong Community Foundation, AFL Barwon and The SAFV Centre are able to deliver the Respect Starts Here Program free of charge for all local football and netball clubs.

Both Ocean Grove Football Netball Club, Portarlington Football Netball Club, and St. Albans Football Club are encouraging other clubs to join the fight against family and sexual violence and engage in the Respect Starts Here Program.

“We would highly recommend that other clubs undertake the program. Sport and recreation has been identified as a priority setting with high potential for impact for preventing violence against women. The Program is well supported by The SAFV Centre and Leisure Networks, with experts who guide you through the Program.” said Pip Jankowski

“The more information that can be provided around this topic the better,” Mark Sinkinson agreed.

Author: Nine Hyde (AFL Barwon Intern)

About the Respect Starts Here Program

Registrations are now open for the 2024 season of Respect Starts Here, a program that supports our Football and Netball clubs to progress gender equality and promote respect within their club and community.

Clubs are invited to register for one of two streams, designed to support clubs who are either exploring what gender equality means for them, or a more advanced stream for clubs ready to go All in. Both streams help clubs to identify goals and actions to support gender equality, and build capacity of members to stand up for equality and respect within the club.

The program will be delivered over the 2024 and 2025 seasons and is delivered free of charge thanks to the Geelong Community Foundation Major Grants Program. Respect Starts Here is run by The Sexual Assault and Family Violence Centre.

Stream 1: Getting started

Getting Started supports your club to identify and set priorities for gender equality in sport and build capacity of leaders within the club to promote equality and respect.

Club leaders participate in 3 collaborative sessions:

1. Gender Equality Quick Wins workshop - to identify your club’s priorities for promoting gender equality and respect within your club. The outcome of this workshop will be sent to the committee for review and approval.
2. Poster display and key messaging workshop – a collaborative session to tailor gender equality and respect messages for your club based on your gender equality priorities. Along with club photos/images, the key messages will be turned into posters for display around the club and on social media to communicate the values and priorities of the club.
3. 1x Bystander action and responding to disclosure workshop for club leaders – this session builds the capacity of leaders to stand up to disrespectful attitudes and behaviours. It will teach the core elements of responding to someone disclosing an experience of sexism, bullying, sexual assault, or violence within the home.

Getting started is a program for people who take on leadership roles across the club including committee members, coaches, coordinators, captains, and informal peer leaders.

Stream 2: All in

All in supports your club to take an in-depth approach to understanding and addressing gender equality in sport. This collaborative and tailored program spans two seasons, building the knowledge and capacity of all club members from the age of 14.

The All in leadership group (Club Action Group) participates in 4 collaborative in-person sessions across the 2024 season:

1. Respect Starts Here information session and inaugural planning meeting.
2. Poster display and key messaging workshop – a collaborative session to tailor gender equality and respect messages for your club. Along with club photos/images, the key messages will be turned into posters for display around the club and on social media to communicate the values and priorities of the club.
3. Gender Equity Needs Assessment workshop and member survey – this session aims to understand the current state of gender equality in the club, the club’s priorities and goals for gender equality and respect within the club. It includes a whole of club member survey that provides an opportunity for all club members to contribute to the process.
4. Gender Equity Action Plan workshop – building on the data collected through the needs assessment and member survey, this workshop supports the club action group to create an achievable plan for action to meet the club’s gender equality goals.  Action plans are then brought to the club committee for approval.

The program expands to whole-of-club in the 2025 season:

1. 1x Bystander action and responding to disclosures workshop for club leaders – this session builds the capacity of leaders to speak up against disrespectful attitudes and behaviours. It will teach the core elements of responding to someone disclosing an experience of sexism, bullying, sexual assault, or violence within the home.
2. Bystander action workshops for members – the 90min workshops build the capacity of members to stand up to disrespectful attitudes and behaviours. Workshops are generally delivered in place of a training and are for members 14 years and up.
3. Action plan implementation sessions­– up to 3 meetings of the club action group with The SAFV Centre to check in on the implementation of the action plan (developed in the first half of the program) and identify areas for further support.

All in is a whole-of-club program. A Club Action Group of 8-12 people from across the club is convened to lead the gender equality work. The group should represent the various groups within the club including committee members, coaches, coordinators, captains, parents, and other engaged members from football and netball, and junior clubs if applicable.  Active bystander workshops are delivered to all players 14 years and up and can be extended to include parents and social members upon request.

How to Register

To register for Respect Starts Here please click here.

If you would like further information on Respect Starts Here please contact The SAFV Centre Primary Prevention team at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Face Paint, Fairy Floss and Dancing to Taylor Swift! This is Geelong Cats All Girls Auskick 2023!

Come Join the Party! The 6-week Auskick party is for any girl aged between 5 and 12 and is more than just kicking footies! Every session of the 6-week curriculum provides a different experience for the girls.

Week 1 kicks off on August 2^nd by turning up the music and inviting players to request their favourite song for a dance party experience.

In Week 2, the girls get ready to transform into their favourite character with a fabulous face painting session before hitting the field to kick goals.

Week 3 promises even more fun as the girls play the game of "Pass the Parcel," where they have a chance to win some exciting prizes.

Week 4 brings a sweet delight, with fairy floss for everyone to indulge in.

Week 5 will provide an epic session of bouncing and taking speckies on our awesome inflatables.

And hold onto your party hats for Week 6, as we keep it a secret, but we assure you it's going to be a surprise session you won't want to miss!

Come join us for six weeks of non-stop fun, laughter, and for the footy party to not be missed.

Register before August 1^st to have the chance to be in the 2023 Geelong Cats AFLW Team photo.

Click on the link start your Auskick Party Experience here https://www.playhq.com/afl/register/f84519