AFL Barwon is thrilled to announce the appointment of Maddie Okely as the new Netball Umpire Coordinator.

Maddie is well-known within the AFL Barwon community and member clubs, having spent seven years as the Netball Participation Coordinator for the South West Region of Victoria during her time with Netball Victoria.

An accomplished official, Maddie holds a National B Grade Umpire Badge and is an accredited Elite Bench Official, showcasing her deep expertise in netball officiating.

Maddie’s extensive experience, gained through her professional and volunteer roles, extends beyond umpiring to many aspects of netball. This makes her exceptionally well-equipped to support and enhance umpire participation across the region.

Earlier this year, Maddie was recognised as the Senior Netball Administrator of the Year at the 2024 AFL Barwon Community Awards.

We are excited to welcome Maddie to the AFL Barwon team and are confident that her skills and experience will be a valuable asset to AFL Barwon, our clubs, and all netball umpires across the region.

The November football transfer window has officially closed, with the list of player transfers for the 2025 season provided below.

The next football transfer window will open on February 1, 2025.

Netball transfers for the 2025 season will also commence on February 1, 2025.

**Please note that only players over the age of 18 are listed. 

The Surf Coast Suns have announced Trent Rogers as the inaugural Senior Men’s Football Coach.

Rogers brings an impressive coaching and playing background to the Suns as they prepare to enter the Bellarine Football Netball League in 2026. With a personal training and high-performance business on the Surf Coast, Rogers combines a deep understanding of fitness with his wealth of football experience.

His coaching journey includes three seasons at the helm of Airport West in the Essendon District Football League, culminating in a Division 1 premiership. He has also been part of the High Performance Coaching team with the Geelong Falcons and served as an assistant coach at South Barwon last season, where the club reached the Geelong FNL Grand Final.

In his new role, Rogers will focus on becoming familiar with Surf Coast’s junior talent and building a strong foundation for the club’s senior team as they transition to the BFNL.

The Suns are confident Rogers’ expertise, passion, and vision will guide the team to success in this exciting new chapter.

AFL Barwon & gforce will continue their ongoing partnership through to the end of 2025, after agreeing to a new partnership.

gforce will continue as a proud supporter of community sport, extending into their ninth year of partnership with AFL Barwon.

They will continue to hold competition naming rights to the Under 18 Division 1 Football & Under 19 Netball competitions in the AFL Barwon region as part of the agreement.

The gforce logo will also continue to feature on the front of all Under 18 Football jumpers. 

For over 40 years, gforce have empowered young people by helping them into meaningful employment 

“Just as we empower individuals to realise their potential, we recognise the power of sport to inspire confidence, teamwork, and perseverance in the next generation. This partnership reflects how together we can further contribute to a thriving community,” affirmed, gforce CEO, Keith Baillie.

AFL Barwon General Manager, Edward Wilson, acknowledged “This partnership represents more than two community organisations working together, but rather two entities sharing equitable values in opportunity provision and paving the way for the future, for so many within our region. We’re grateful for the continued support gforce provide not just to AFL Barwon and our Clubs, but to the community as a whole”. 

To find out more about gforce and their apprenticeships, traineeships and employments solutions, go to www.gforce.org.au