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Surf Coast FNC Bellarine FNL Application Outcome

The AFL Barwon Commission issues this release, to provide an update on the status of Surf Coast FNC’s application to join the Bellarine FNL.

Surf Coast FNC’s application for entry in 2026 has been ratified by the AFL Barwon Commission.

This update comes following significant deliberation between AFL Barwon and the Surf Coast FNC, assessing their application for entry into the Bellarine FNL.

This review has taken place through several face-to-face engagements, in-line with League Entry criteria, including but not limited to:

  1. Facilities;
  2. Financials;
  3. Participation; and
  4. Club Development.

In addition to these engagements, the Commission have conversed in depth with Surf Coast FNC to understand in appropriate context:

  1. Surf Coast FNC’s Strategic Plan for the future, to support their growth and sustainability;
  2. How Surf Coast FNC’s Male Football & Netball programs will expand to encompass Senior disciplines; and
  3. How Surf Coast FNC plan to become a viable Club within to the Bellarine FNL, providing mutual benefits to the Bellarine FNL with their inclusion.

As part of this process, the AFL Barwon Commission have been steadfast in ensuring all Bellarine FNL Clubs have been provided the opportunity to be consulted and engaged, as part of this process. A meeting with Club representatives on 22 April 2024, as well as last night (29 May 2024), has provided these opportunities, in addition to the AFLB Future of Football & Netball Project works that commenced in September 2023.

Following last night’s (29 May 2024) meeting with Bellarine FNL Club representatives, the AFL Barwon Commission convened a Special Commission Meeting to review the final discussions with the Bellarine FNL Club representatives, and come to a decision on Surf Coast FNC’s application to the Bellarine FNL.

The AFL Barwon Commission during this special meeting, passed a motion unanimously in favour of accepting Surf Coast FNC’s application into the Bellarine FNL, for 2026.

This decision marks a significant moment for both the Bellarine FNL, and the Surf Coast FNC. With a total participant base across Male Football & Netball programs exceeding 400, an U18 Male Football side and several years of top-age Netballers’ participation restricted, this decision provides Surf Coast FNC a platform for the future, and will contribute significantly to the future success of the Bellarine FNL.

AFL Barwon extends its gratitude to all Bellarine FNL Clubs and the Surf Coast FNC, for their respective involvements and contributions to this process.

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Ten Goal Joseph earns perfect game | Round 8 BFNL Coaches Votes

Modewarre forward Connor Joseph's 10 goal game earnt him the the 10 coaches votes in Round 8.

Geelong Amateurs midfielders continue to lead the award with 4 players on the leaderboard. Riley Ferguson leads on 45 votes, with his teammate Paddy Dowling now 5 votes behind him.

Check out all the coaches votes from Round 8 of the Bellarine Football Netball League.

Anglesea vs Geelong Amateur 

5 Jordan Keras (Anglesea)

5 Tom Gribble (Geelong Amateur)

4 Harrison Veale (Anglesea)

4 Daniel Grose (Geelong Amateur)

4 Riley Ferguson (Geelong Amateur)

3 Dylan Pettingill (Anglesea)

2 Tom Couch (Anglesea)

2 Harrison Orr (Geelong Amateur)

1 Jackson Williams (Geelong Amateur)

Barwon Heads vs Queenscliff

8 Luke Davis (Barwon Heads)

7 Angus Ford (Barwon Heads)

5 Max Scott (Queenscliff)

4 Kyle Polley (Barwon Heads)

4 Lachlan Wilson (Barwon Heads)

1 James Syddall (Barwon Heads)

1 Harry Gower (Queenscliff)

Modewarre vs Newcomb

10 Connor Joseph (Modewarre)

6 Josh Finch (club)

4 Oscar Cooke (club)

3 Matt McKim (club)

3 Matthew Farrelly (club)

3 Fin Anscome (Newcomb)

1 Ryan Jackman (Newcomb)

Ocean Grove vs Drysdale

9 Ben Fennell (Drysdale)

9 Luke Preece (Drysdale)

3 Matt Piggott (Drysdale)

3 Jacob Talarico (Ocean Grove)

3 Josh Lange (Ocean Grove)

2 Jacob Talarico (Ocean Grove)

1 Jack Jenkins (Drysdale)

Portarlington vs Torquay

8 Will Tamassy (Torquay)

5 James Goatz (Portarlington)

5 Matt Boag (Torquay)

4 Teia Miles (Portarlington)

3 Baxter Mensch (Torquay)

3 Nathan Mifsud (Torquay)

1 Dylan O’Brien (Portarlington)

1 Tom Hooper (Torquay)

 Round 8 Leaderboard

45 Riley Ferguson (Geelong Amateur)

40 Patrick Dowling (Geelong Amateur)

40 Luke Preece (Drysdale)

27 Blake Sutterby (Geelong Amateur)

26 Ryley Stuhldreier (Barwon Heads)

The Geelong Advertiser Coaches Player of the Year is an award voted by each Senior coach on a 5,4,3,2,1 basis after each home and away game, acknowledging outstanding effort by an individual player in a season.

There are individual awards for the Bellarine FNL Seniors, Geelong FNL Seniors, and the Division 1 Senior Female Football competitions.

Photo: South Barwon vs Colac: Pixled Sports Media

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AFL Barwon Female Festival of Sport

AFL Barwon Female
Festival of Sport

2025 Female Festival of Sport Breakfast

AFL Barwon with support of The Athlete's Foot, is proud to present the 2025 Female Festival of Sport Breakfast – a morning dedicated to celebrating, recognising and empowering women and girls in sport across the Barwon region.

Hosted by former Australian Diamond and elite netballer Madi Browne, the event will bring together local sporting clubs, community leaders, athletes, schools, and the wider public to shine a light on the contributions and achievements of females in sport at all levels.

Purchase Tickets to the 2025 Female Festival of Sport Breakfast

AFL Barwon Female Festival of Sport Breakfast - Book Now

2025 Events

Introducing the 2025 Breakfast Host

Madi Browne

Former Professional Netball Player

Former elite netballer turned sports broadcaster, presenter, coach, educator - and proud mum - Madi brings high-performance energy and a solution-focused mindset to everything she does.

Whether courtside, in studio, or behind the mic, she thrives on connecting with driven people and sharing stories that spark momentum.

Based on the Surf Coast, Madi is fuelled by purpose, grounded by family, and committed to creating meaningful outcomes through strong partnerships.

Introducing the 2025 Guest Speakers

  • Jaz Shelley

    Jaz Shelley

    Geelong United Professional Basketball Player

    Jaz Shelley is a professional Australian basketball player currently competing for Geelong United in both the WNBL and NBL1 South.

    A former WNBL Rookie of the Year with the Melbourne Boomers, Shelley played college basketball in the U.S. at Oregon and Nebraska, where she became one of the top three-point shooters and playmakers in Cornhuskers history.

    In 2024, she was selected 29th overall in the WNBA Draft by the Phoenix Mercury before returning to Australia as Geelong United’s inaugural WNBL signing.

  • Jaz Shelley

    Debbie Lee

    AFLW PIONEER

    Debbie Lee is the National Women’s and Girls Football Lead at the AFL and a pioneering figure in women’s Australian rules football.

    A former player and coach, she gave up a WNBL career to found the St Albans Spurs in 1992. Lee is a five-time Helen Lambert Medalist, six-time All-Australian, and former president of the Victorian Women's Football League.

    She played a key role in launching the AFLW through her leadership roles at Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs. In 2021, she became the first woman inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.

  • Taylah Hassett

    Geelong Cats VFLW Head Coach

    Taylah Hassett is the current Geelong Cats VFLW Head Coach, taking on the role in season 2025 after coaching Grovedale to Division 1 Premiership success in 2024.

    Having played football since the age of 15 years old, Taylah progressed from her community club in Colac, through to the Geelong Falcons Program, before joining Grovedale in 2022. A community minded individual, Taylah understands the importance of giving back and supporting community.

  • Meagan Mifsud

    Former President at Torquay FNC

    A life member at Torquay FNC, Meagan Mifsud has dedicated a lifetime behind the scenes towards the success and sustainability of the Torquay Netball Program. Meagan has fulfilled such roles as Club President, Treasurer, Coach, Team Manager - and just about any other role you can think of! During her time as an administrator, Meagan has been the beneficiary of league awards, including Administrator of the Year, and was also at the helm of Torquay Netball when the club won the overall ‘Club Championship’ award due to their success on the court and field. Meagan’s passion for community is something to be admired, and we look forward to hearing her story.

What is the Female Festival of Sport?

The Female Festival of Sport is an AFL Barwon initiative which began in 2022 that is designed to celebrate, recognise and empower females who work, volunteer, spectate, or participate in sports within the Barwon region & across Victoria. 

The Festival features a week of activities that enable young females to engage in our sports in a fun way, acknowledge females making positive change in the region, and brings the community together to showcase the stories of inspiring females in sport.

The feature event of the week is the Female Festival of Sport Breakfast, which falls on the final day of the Festival. The Breakfast event features a diverse panel that discuss female-related themes and topics with the aim of inspiring and empowering the audience. 

2022

The First Female Festival of Sport

The Female Festival of Sport has its first year in the Barwon region, with a variety of events throughout the week and the inaugural Breakfast event held at St Mary's Sporting Club.

2023

The Female Club Champion Award is introduced

The 2023 Female Festival of Sport featured an action-packed week of activities, with the introduction of the "Female Club Champion Award" aimed at recognising a specific female at each club. 

The breakfast feautured a panel including Daisy Pearce, Lily Edwards, Sarah Albon & Emily Green - facilitated by Renee Garing.

2024

2024 Female Festival of Sport Breakfast

Supported by The Athlete's Foot, the 2024 Female Festival of Sport Breakfast was held on Friday the 31st of May, 2024. 

Hosted by Connie Bolger, General Manager of Partnerships and Marketing at Geelong United Basketball, we heard from an inspiring panel of women in sport. The panel included Kelly Cartwright (Paralympic Gold Medallist), Ali Waight (Queenscliff FNC President), Emma Daffy (All-Abilities & Lara FNC Netballer) + Erin Hoare (Geelong Cats AFLW Player)

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Zdybel takes the lead | GFNL Geelong Advertiser Vote

Colac's Zachary Zdybel has jumped into the lead in 2024 Geelong Advertiser Coaches Player of the Year award.

Find out all the coaches votes from round 6 the Geelong Football Netball League.

Colac v Grovedale

10 Zachary Zdybel (Colac)

4 Harrison Whyte (Grovedale)

4 Joel Cooper (Colac)

4 Josh Garner (Colac)

4 Adam Garner (Colac)

2 Ben McCarthy (Colac)

2 Rory Quinn (Grovedale)

Leopold v St Joseph's

9 Paddy De Grandi (St Joseph's)

7 Marcus Thompson (Leopold)

5 Alex Hickey (St Joseph's)

4 Mitchell Burgess (Leopold)

3 Brock Williamson (Leopold)

2 James Gow (St Joseph's)

1 Oliver Tate (Leopold)

Newtown & Chilwell v Bell Park

9 Jack Sarcevic (Bell Park)

8 Ned Harris (Newtown & Chilwell)

4 Ben Lloyd (Bell Park)

3 Braden Hocking (Newtown & Chilwell)

2 Ben Worme (Bell Park)

2 Lachlan Pattern (Bell Park)

2 Will O'Dwyer (Newtown & Chilwell)

North Shore & Geelong West Giants

10 Lachlan Taylor (Geelong West Giants)

7 Emmanuel Ajang (Geelong West Giants)

5 Angus Codd (Geelong West Giants)

4 Nathan Arbon (North Shore)

3 Lachlan Hayes (North Shore)

1 David Handley (Geelong West Giants)

St Albans v South Barwon

10 Fraser Fort (South Barwon)

7 Taylor Mulraney (South Barwon)

5 Ben Kellett (South Barwon)

4 Ethan Borys (South Barwon)

4 Chris Hughes (South Barwon)

St Mary's v Lara

10 Jarryd Garner (St Marys)

8 Matt Keast (St Marys)

6 Harry Benson (St Marys)

2 Sam Bourke (St Marys)

2 Michael Rudd (St Marys)

1 Connor Linehan-Cunningham (Lara)

1 Jesse Travaglini (St Marys)

Round 5 Leaderboard

33 Zachary Zdybel (Colac)

30 Jack Sarcevic (Bell Park)

29 Harry Benson (St Mary's)

22 Tanner Lovell (Geelong West Giants)

22 Ned Harris (Newtown & Chilwell)

20 Flynn Young (Newtown & Chilwell)

19 Max McLachlan (St Josephs)

19 Ben Kellet (South Barwon)

18 Luke Webb (St Josephs)

17 Oliver Northam (St Josephs)

The Geelong Advertiser Coaches Player of the Year is an award voted by each Senior coach on a 5,4,3,2,1 basis after each home and away game, acknowledging outstanding effort by an individual player in a season.

There are individual awards for the Bellarine FNL Seniors, Geelong FNL Seniors, and the Division 1 Senior Female Football competitions.

Photo: South Barwon vs Colac: Pixled Sports Media

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AFL Barwon All Abilities Football Participation Pathway Expansion

AFL Barwon is proud to announce the expansion of the All Abilities Football participation pathway within the Barwon region.

Building on the success of the inaugural Kardinia Park Stadium Trust AFL Barwon All Abilities Football Netball League season, commencing in 2023, the 2024 season started in incredibly fashion with Round 1 of the Senior division, being played under lights at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday 27th May 2024.

This evening offered an exceptional opportunity for All Abilities Footballers from the Clubs of Bell Park FNC, Geelong West FNC, Newcomb FNC & St. Joseph’s FNC, to pull on their Club colours in front of a crowd over a 1,000 spectators throughout the evening.

Today’s announcement builds on this inaugural season, and cements a participation pathway that provides equitable and complete opportunities for more members of our local community. The establishment of a Youth All Abilities Football competition, commencing in late June 2024 will provide more participants the opportunity to play Football, within their local community.

The competition in 2024 will run for four-weeks, and provide a positive, safe and inclusive immersion to community football, for many who haven’t play nor had the opportunity to participate previously. In 2025, this Youth competition will expand to provide more game time opportunity for all participants.

This pathway expansion would not be possible without the support of the Victorian Government through Sport & Recreation Victoria funding that has supported AFL Victoria, in partnership with AFL Barwon, to deliver this participation opportunity. This funding supports those with an intellectual disability, to ensure equitable opportunities are possible throughout our region

The immediate expansion of this participation pathway is to provide sustainability support and growth opportunities to the successful inaugural All Abilities FNL and ensure the Barwon region offers equitable opportunities for All Abilities Footballers, across all age groups.

AFL Barwon is extremely grateful of the support from AFL Victoria and Leisure Networks, who have tirelessly contributed to developing this significant pathway expansion, to ensure that more equitable opportunities within our local community.

Read the full media release here

For more information, please visit www.aflbarwon.com.au/all-abilities-clubs.

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