Funding boost for 19 country footy clubs thanks to WorkSafe Club Safety Fund
AFL Victoria, in partnership with WorkSafe Victoria congratulates the 19 country football clubs who have today been announced as recipients of the 2025 WorkSafe Club Safety Fund.
WorkSafe has been a proud sponsor of country footy in Victoria for over 20 years, with this partnership reminding regional and rural communities of the importance of staying safe at work.
As part of this message, WorkSafe reminds communities that local football clubs are community hubs for many country towns, and remaining safe at work and at community events is crucial.
Through the WorkSafe Club Safety Fund, all Victorian-based country football clubs were eligible to apply for financial assistance to make safety improvements to their facilities and to assist with occupational health and safety initiatives for players, umpires, coaches, volunteers and spectators.
Clubs were required to provide evidence of the need for a grant to improve the safety of their facilities and demonstrate that an Occupational Health and Safety or Risk Management Program is being implemented.
AFL Victoria congratulates the following clubs on their successful 2025 WorkSafe Club Safety Fund grant applications:
• Cardinia Tigers JFC
• Drysdale Football Netball Club
• St Albans Football & Netball Club
• Sandhurst Football Netball Club Inc
• Strathfieldsaye Football Netball Club
• Drouin Junior Football Club
• Gormandale Football Netball Club
• Maffra Football Netball Club
• Morwell Football Netball Club
• Mount Clear Junior Football Club Inc
• Goulburn Valley Giants Masters
• Shepparton Football Netball Club
• Myrtleford Football and Netball Club
• Frankston Rovers Junior Football Club
• Irymple Football Netball Club
• Merbein Football Netball Club
• Horsham Saints Football Netball Club
• Nhill & District Sporting Club
• Rupanyup Football and Netball Club
Head of AFL Victoria, Greg Madigan, congratulated all clubs on taking proactive measures to improve safety for their sporting community by applying for this grant.
“We know that local footy clubs are often the centre of many country towns across Victoria, a place where people spend hours of their time every week and it’s imperative that safety upgrades are made to facilities to prevent an accident from happening,” Madigan said.
“The Club Safety Fund is one example of WorkSafe’s long-standing support of country football, with 19 clubs and their communities set to benefit from the latest round of this important funding program.
“I thank WorkSafe for their commitment to country football and I congratulate all clubs who have successfully applied to receive funding to help generate positive outcomes for their communities.”
WorkSafe Victoria CEO Ash West praised each football club that had taken the opportunity to embrace the importance of safety as a team sport.
"Every club that applied for funding has shown that safety thrives when everyone plays their part and it’s engrained in the culture, just like in footy,” he said.
“I’d like to thank each of the 19 clubs taking steps to improve their facilities through this year’s WorkSafe Club Safety Fund, and I look forward to seeing how this support will benefit each community involved."
To learn more about WorkSafe and AFL Victoria’s more than two-decade partnership, CLICK HERE.
