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THE BARWON BULLETIN

The official noticeboard for AFL Barwon Club Officials & Volunteers.
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EDITION 68
February 25, 2026
(LAST UPDATED - February 25, 2026)
2025 Handbook
Bulletin Archive
Contact Us

General Updates

AFL Barwon Annual General Meeting TONIGHT

AFL Barwon advises that the following documents are now available in preparation for the upcoming AFL Barwon Annual General Meeting (AGM):

Stakeholders are encouraged to review the above documents ahead of the meeting.

 

AFL Barwon AGM Details

  • Date: Wednesday, 25 February 2026

  • Time: 6:00pm (adjusted time)

  • Venue: Buckleys Entertainment Centre 

AFL Barwon looks forward to the attendance and involvement of its members and stakeholders at the 2026 Annual General Meeting.

2025 AFL Barwon Annual Report

Please see the below link for copy of the 2025 AFL Barwon Annual Report

View Here
2026 AFL Barwon On-Field Style Guide

Please see the below link for copy of the 2026 AFL Barwon Style Guide for on-field apparel. 

View Here
AFL Barwon Establishes Junior Football Working Party

AFL Barwon has formally established a Junior Football Working Party, bringing together a diverse and experienced group of club representatives to help shape the future of the region’s junior pathway.

Following a call for nominations to clubs across the region, 10 individuals were selected to form the Working Party. Each member brings extensive experience in junior sport across multiple codes, along with strong, current involvement in football within the AFL Barwon region. Their collective knowledge and on-the-ground insight ensures discussions are informed by real club environments and community needs.

The group includes representatives from a broad cross-section of clubs, ensuring a range of perspectives are considered. This diversity allows for balanced and constructive conversations around the opportunities and challenges facing junior football at all levels.

Read More
Netball Participation Continues to Grow Across the Barwon Region

Netball across the Barwon region is experiencing a period of sustained and organic growth, reflecting the sport’s strong connection to community, accessibility for participants of all ages, and the ongoing population growth occurring throughout the region.

Across the 2024/25 Summer Netball season, 2,980 participants took to the court under the AFL Barwon banner, a 16% increase on the 2,563 participants recorded in 2023/24. Participation has continued to grow in 2025/26, with 3,224 participants now involved in summer netball competitions across the region, representing a further 8% increase on the previous season.

Read More
Cancelled | The Game Plan | Club Education Event

Due to unforeseen circumstances, AFL Barwon will no longer be running the Game Plan event scheduled for Sunday 1st March. 

The key operations sessions will still be delivered prior to the start of the season and will be provided as recorded and/or live sessions as appropriate. We will contact all registered participants directly to inform them of this change.

URGENT - 2026 Club Contacts List

AFL Barwon is seeking the 2026 Club contacts from all Bellarine FNL, Geelong FNL, Geelong & District FNL, Colac & District FNL, and Female and Junior Only clubs.

We are keen to ensure that we are correctly communicating with the right people at club’s so that any important information is getting through, including the Barwon Bulletin. 

It is noted that some positions may not be filled yet however, clubs can resubmit the form multiple times for any specific position and do not have to enter all club positions each time. 

We would appreciate if all information relevant to your club, was submitted by COB February 13th. 

The form link can be found below.

If you have any issues with this form, please don't hesitate to contact Sean Atkinson (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) directly.

Complete Form Here

AFL Victoria

Promotion of your club

The AFL provides a wide range of marketing assets and editable templates that you can use to promote your club.

For social media, assets are available in different sizes depending if you're posting in feed or via story on Facebook & Instagram. Include any text in your post rather than on these images for better engagement.

For Flyers, these are editable so you can tailor the image and club details to suit your audience. Only include key details such as program, location & time to make sure your message is clear and simple. Clubs yet to open/promote/ their registrations should do so as soon as possible.

Promotional Toolkits and Resources - Play AFL
AFL President Learning Module

The AFL have released via play.afl an educational piece to assist club presidents to achieve a deeper understanding of key tasks and duties. Check it out, click the link - Toyota AFL Club Help - Play AFL

This is the one stop shop for presidents to source development information, key resources and practical tools to support your club.

AFL Women & Girls Charter

Signing up to the AFL Women & Girls' Charter demonstrates a club's commitment to providing a safe, inclusive and welcoming environment for women and girls at all levels of the game. The Charter supports clubs to strengthen participation, leadership and development opportunities, while reinforcing positive club culture, respect and equality. This should be a straightforward decision for every club president in the region.

Click the link to get started

Grants

Telstra Footy Grants - 2nd round open

2nd round opened 02/02/2026 and closes 02/04/2026.

  Local football clubs across Australia have the opportunity to share in an $8 million funding boost over 2024 – 2028 through Telstra Footy Grants. $4 million was granted by the AFL and Telstra in the first two years of the program to deserving clubs Australia-wide. With another pool of $2 million to be distributed in 2026, eligible regional and metro community football clubs can apply for grants up to $20,000 – helping strengthen, sustain and grow local footy.

As the foundation of our great game and the heartbeat of communities, investment in local clubs is vital to ensuring everyone has access to play Aussie Rules and experience the health, social and wellbeing benefits that come with belonging to a club.

More Information

Coaching

Football

*Final chance to register - AFL Victoria Football Coaching Forum is this weekend.

Designed to elevate your coaching skills and knowledge. Whether you're an experienced coach or just starting out, this forum is the perfect chance to hear from some of the best in the industry. 

You will hear from AFL level coaches and industry experts in coaching related fields, such as Coaching Women and Girls, Skill Acquisition, Culture and Leadership as well as Game Plan and strategy among many other great opportunities for coaches, don’t miss it.

Further Information including the forum schedule and how to register found below

More Information
Are you Coaching in 2026?

In the lead up to the 2026 season, we’d like to remind all new and returning coaches of the following key requirements:

✔ All coaches must be registered in CoachAFL for the 2026 season.
✔ Mandatory online modules must be completed before coaching begins (minimum accreditation requirements will be shown upon login).
Further information on registering, accessing modules, or updating accreditation can be found HERE  we encourage you to ensure your CoachAFL profile is active and up to date.

Football

General Football

Football Registrations Open

Just some reminders in relation to Play HQ registrations.

Clubs are asked to ensure that their registration forms are set up on Play HQ and to remind all players to complete their Play HQ registrations when the time is right.

In addition, please ensure that you are making your registration form visible, understanding some clubs will hide their registration form if you are, for example, at capacity or offering registration initially to previous participants before making it visible.

Rego fee set >$0. 

Junior Football

Junior Team Submissions 2026

We're now asking for all Junior Football Team Entries for 2026! We ask that this please be submitted as soon as possible, and no later than March 13th.

Please read through the entire form which covers nominations for U9, U10, U12, U14 & U16 age groups for Male Football and U9, U10, U12, U14 & U17 for Female Football. There will be a separate form to fill out for Male and Female teams.

Once you make it to the end of the form and are happy with your entries by age group, please ensure you click the submit button to ensure your entries come through on our end.

AFL Barwon Junior Male Football Team Entry Form:

https://www.cognitoforms.com/AFLBARWONFOOTBALLCOMMISSIONLIMITED/_JuniorMaleTeamEntries

AFL Barwon Junior Female Football Team Entry Form:

https://www.cognitoforms.com/AFLBARWONFOOTBALLCOMMISSIONLIMITED/_JuniorFemaleTeamEntries

Geelong Cats Academy Talent ID Day

The Geelong Cats are inviting all Indigenous and Multicultural boys and girls born between 2011-2013 to their NGA Talent ID Day on Sunday 1 March at Deakin University, Waurn Ponds.

The 90-minute session will be led by Geelong Cats Academy staff and expose participants to athletic development, skill-based craft and fundamentals, and allow them to showcase their abilities in game scenarios.

To qualify for the Geelong Cats NGA the player: 

  • Must reside in the Geelong Cats zone in Victoria or the Northern Territory; AND
  • Identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous criteria met); OR
  • Have at least one parent born in Africa, Asia, Central America, South America or Oceania (Multicultural criteria met) – excluding Australia and New Zealand.

Girls Born 2011-2013: 9AM – 10:30AM

Boys Born 2013: 9AM – 10:30AM

Boys Born 2011-2012: 10:30AM – 12PM

  • Arrival: Players are asked to arrive 15 minutes prior to their scheduled start time to check in and register
  • Uniform: Players should wear their local community club training or playing uniform
  • What to bring: Both boots and runners, a drink bottle and a mouth guard
  • Cost: All Academy programs are free of charge.
  • Further Opportunities: Players that are identified at the Talent ID Day will be eligible to join the Geelong Cats Academy Emerging Talent (13-14 year olds) or Development Squad (15 year olds). The Development Squad will take part in a 5-week training program on GMHBA Stadium throughout March in the lead up to the NGA Games in the April school holidays. 

For more information about the Geelong Cats Academy please visit their website Geelong Cats Academy.

Register Here
Junior Representative Football Opportunity

School Sport Australia (SSA) presents the SSA Australian Football Championships which gives aspiring Boys born in 2012 and 2013 the opportunity to trial and represent Victoria in the 2026 SSA Championship in Melbourne this July.

2026 marks the first year that the competition will be also played at the Under 14 age group. Team Vic will be selecting 2 teams (Blue and White) which gives more players an opportunity to be selected.

Nominations for trials have just opened, and all information and a nomination link can be found here or below: https://www.ssv.vic.edu.au/team-vic/Pages/Australian-Football.aspx

Registrations for the 14 Years and Under Boys teams opened on Thursday, 15 January 2026.

The registration link is now available below:

14 Years and Under Boys

Registrations close at 11:59pm, Friday, 6 March 2026.

Football Umpiring

Umpire Practice Match Availability

Practice matches are expected to begin from late Feb. 2026, these can be from Wednesday nights through to Sundays at various times.

Only registered (OHQ) umpires will be appointed to these games, based on your availability. Please make sure you have set your “leaves” un-availability in OHQ covering these times, to avoid us appointing you.

We expect a lot of matches scheduled for Mid to late March as the seasons start to begin from April.

Club Practice Match Umpire Booking Forms

We are now accepting umpire bookings for any practice matches upcoming.

AFL Barwon umpires will be appointed based on availability on any given day/night.

Please fill in and return to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Complete Form
Officials HQ (OHQ) - Registration – AFL Barwon Umpires 2026

All Umpires, League and Club Aligned, are required to register each season in OHQ. 

Registrations open now.  

  • For new umpires you are required to create an account and then verify their account.

Registration link - https://registration-afl.officialshq.com/

An AFL ID will also need to be created, follow all prompts given, check for verification and linking emails, and complete the registration details.

  • For pre-existing umpires, you can log in to your OHQ account and the system will prompt you to re-register. 

Login link - https://home.officialshq.com/  

AFL Umpire Foundation Course

To be formally appointed, All new Umpires must complete, returning 2025 umpires this course is optional 

To access the AFL Umpire Foundation Course, see below process

Here are the steps to complete the course. 

A widget is now available on your dashboard to directly generate the LMS link 

You can still also access as below

  • Log into OHQ
  • Where your avatar is click on that and a drop-down menu will appear
  • Click on accounts
  • Then click on “connected accounts”
  • You will be prompted to generate a link to the LMS (Learning Management System)
  • Generate and click
  • You will be taken to the AFL LMS where you should automatically be logged in as your OHQ is linked with AFLID
  • Click on Umpire Accreditation
  • Click on Foundation Umpire
  • Complete all boxes (Modules)
  • Once you have done this you will be eligible to be appointed to games.

Resource Links

On-Field Vests & Apparel (loco)
Football Order Form

Netball

General Netball

Preseason Handbook

Please find linked below, the 2026 Preseason Handbook – a resource created to step you through some of the required administrative tasks at a club level. This resource includes video links and pictures, to help you navigate through items you may be unsure about.

Similarly, a match day operations document will be finalised and shared with clubs in the coming months, to support game day operations.

2026 Preseason Handbook
Team Entry Links
NEW - Geelong Barwon Netball – WINTER - Monday Women's

Continuing on from the term 4 and term 1 competitions, the partnership between AFL Barwon and Geelong United Basketball will continue, with a brand-new 15 rounds WINTER season commencing.

 This competition is set up under the "Geelong Barwon Netball" banner.

  • Teams are entered independently (don't need to be entered under the club admin accounts/be club aligned - social teams also welcome)
    • Participants who play Saturday are not excluded from this competition and may also enter should they wish.
  • Teams are paid for at the point of registration via the link above.
    • Players will then pay a $13.92 weekly fee. 
  • Netball Connect links will be provided for this competition

Geelong Barwon Netball - Winter Season Dates

Game Date

Round

Monday, 13 April 2026

Round 1

Monday, 20 April 2026

Round 2

Monday, 27 April 2026

Round 3

Monday, 4 May 2026

Round 4

Monday, 11 May 2026

Round 5

Monday, 18 May 2026

Round 6

Monday, 25 May 2026

Round 7

Monday, 1 June 2026

Round 8

Monday, 8 June 2026

BYE (King's B'day)

Monday, 15 June 2026

Round 9

Monday, 22 June 2026

Round 10

Monday, 29 June 2026

Round 11

Monday, 6 July 2026

BYE (League bye)

Monday, 13 July 2026

Round 12

Monday, 20 July 2026

Round 13

Monday, 27 July 2026

Round 14

Monday, 3 August 2026

Round 15

Monday, 10 August 2026

SF

Monday, 17 August 2026

PF

Monday, 24 August 2026

GF

 

Please feel free to reach out if you have any queries or interest in this competition

Transfers Information

Due to the change in set up, transfers will now ONLY trigger between Winter seasons, reducing some of the confusion we have previously seen. Players are able to play at different clubs across Summer without the need for transfer, but are a requirement and enforceable by-law between Winter seasons.

With registrations opening, please ensure you have email notifications on to monitor out-going clearances. Only one transfer is permitted per player, per season, as per AFL Barwon by-laws.

Turning on Transfer Notifications

To ensure you can stay on top of transfers (as they will auto approve after 7 days), please ensure someone within your club is signed up to transfer notifications.

To assign an email address to transfer notifications:

  • Click on ‘organisation’ on the menu on the left
  • From the top menu, select ‘notifications’

Enter the email address you wish to use, and ensure you toggle ‘transfers’ on.

Saturday Netball

Preseason Opportunity - Court Clash '26

AFL Barwon is excited to launch Court Clash 26 supported by The Athletes Foot — the ultimate tune-up event to kick-start your 2026 netball season in style!

Set at Kardinia Park, this high-energy, tournament-style day is designed for A and B grade squads, delivering quality match play, strong competition, and a genuine finals-like feel before the season begins.

The event is open to clubs from across the entire Barwon Region, providing match ups of non-traditional opponents. We have seen a number of calibre teams enter already - don't miss out!

Sunday 22 March 2026

Kardinia Park Netball Courts 

Teams will compete in pool matches, playing a minimum of three games (subject to final team numbers) followed by finals to award the winners - raising the intensity and excitement as the day unfolds. 

This format provides the perfect opportunity to:

  • Fine-tune combinations and rotations
  • Build match fitness and on-court cohesion
  • Test structures in a competitive, finals-style environment
  • Enjoy a fun, well-organised pre-season event 

Entry Fee: $150+GST team (Umpire fees - to be invoiced by AFL Barwon)

And the ultimate prize awaits… The tournament champions will take home a complimentary pair of The Athletes Foot shoes of their choice for every participating player — a massive reward to kick off the season.

Entries are limited - Don’t miss your spot! Register your team now at https://www.playhq.com/netball-australia/register/c0d739

Junior / Midweek Netball

Midweek Netball Update

Please see below the remaining round dates for the 2025/26 Summer competition

13&U and 15&U

  • Grand Final: Friday, 27 February

17&U

  • Grand Final: Tuesday, 3 March

Netball Umpiring

Netball Umpiring Training Session

These training sessions are to provide individuals with the opportunity to take part in an education component discussing the basic netball rules then getting out on court to have a go at umpiring in a non-competitive environment with court side support from our mentors in the program. 

Participating in two of these sessions is one of the pre-requisites for all umpires prior to starting their umpiring journey within AFL Barwon competitions. 

 
Tuesday 17 March 4:30pm-6pm, Kardinia Park Netball Complex

Tuesday 31 March 4:30pm-6pm, Kardinia Park Netball Complex

Tuesday 21 April 4:30pm-6pm, Kardinia Park Netball Complex

More Information
AFL Barwon Panel Umpire EOI

We are seeking qualified and experienced individuals to officiate A and B grade matches in the Geelong and Bellarine FNL competitions. Games are generally played on Saturdays between April - September.  

Reporting to the League Umpire Coordinator, you will be responsible for officiating A and B Grade matches in the Geelong Football Netball League and Bellarine Football Netball League.

Requirements: 

  • Minimum C Badge required, with experience umpiring seniors
  • Ability to umpire A and B Grade BFNL and GFNL games
  • Willingness to take on feedback from AFL Barwon Development Mentors 
  • Ability to deal with conflict and high-pressure situations 
More Information

Resource Links

Netball Resources
2026 AFL Barwon Pre-season Handbook

Netball Victoria

Courses & Education

AFL Barwon have coordinated to host the face-to-face component of the Netball Victoria Development Coaching Course. Please see below for details – places are limited. 

Development Coaching Accreditation is a requirement for all A Grade Coaches within the BFNL and GFNL.

!! Netball Victoria - Practical Component - Development Course !!

Prerequisites (must be completed before enrolment):

  • Current Foundation coach accreditation
  • Rules of netball exam completed within the last 4 years
  • Development Coach online component
  • 2026 Netball Victoria membership

All accreditations last for four years, and upon renewal, can follow the re-accreditation path as directed via Netball Learning. Please ensure you get onto these accreditations ASAP. 

Spread the word! Become a Community Coach with Netball Victoria

Become a Community Coach – a paid role coaching school programs and clinics across Victoria

More Information

Endorsed Umpire Tester List

Click the link for the current 2026 Endorsed Umpire Tester list
All umpire testers are required to attend a meeting and register as a tester on Netball Connect.

Endorsed Testers List (Jan 2026).pdf

Advanced Umpire Course - Netball Australia

Netball Australia have launched the Advanced Umpire Course.
Umpiring is both rewarding and challenging. This course supports umpires who are refining their skills and preparing to progress through the umpiring pathway.
The Advanced Umpire Course is a prerequisite for obtaining a National A Badge, which is required to officiate at National Championships and State League. Whether you're working towards your A Badge Accreditation or looking to further refine your umpiring skills, this course provides an opportunity to expand your knowledge and build confidence on court.
Umpires intending to continue towards A Badge testing will also be required to complete a two-hour face-to-face workshop, organised through their relevant Member Organisation.

https://learning.netball.com.au/enrol/index.php?id=2042

Netball Victoria Coaching Calendar – see here for upcoming courses.

It is a requirement for A Grade and Representative team coaches to obtain and have a current DEVELOPMENT level accreditation or higher.

Netball Victoria Umpiring Calendar – see here for upcoming courses and education opportunities.

Support & Help

Netball Victoria Online Support – Ask Netti

Got a question or need help fast? Head to our website and chat with Ask Netti — Netball Victoria’s hardest-working team member and our Virtual Assistant! Netti can help you find instant answers to your questions across all Netball Victoria content, and if she can’t, you’ll have the option to submit your query to our support team for follow-up. Connect with Ask Netti

 

Need to submit a query or Netball Connect ticket to our Support Team?

Simply send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  Save this email address for future reference - it’s a direct link to our Support Team.

If you would like to speak to someone, please include your phone number and request a call back.

Melbourne Vixens Grassroot affiliate membership

Free 2026 MV Grassroot membership available to NV affiliates and clubs. 

Join now

Commercial Partnerships

Gilbert Netball Pack Offer
Shop Now
Join Love the Game

As a Love the Game partner, your club will take a stand against sports betting sponsorship and help juniors to love the game, not the odds.  Signing up only takes two minutes, join now.

Club presidents and committee members can register on behalf of their club. ​

Not part of your club’s committee? Share this page with them so they can get involved.

Join Love The Game
GameFace is seeking Camera Operators

GameFace is looking for enthusiastic individuals to join their team as Camera Operators to film Football matches across the region in 2026.

No experience is required, with full training and all equipment provided.

It’s a great opportunity to be involved in local football and gain hands-on experience in sports media.

Apply now: www.gamefaceon.com.au/hiring

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