North Shore Football Club made inquiries about joining the GDFNL earlier in the season, league says

A struggling Geelong football club which hasn’t won a game in more than 12 months reportedly made initial inquiries about joining a rival competition.

North Shore Football Club’s Will Milsome, Jacob Sammut, Abbey Watt, Edwina Wilkens, Maryian Szponar, Mark Hounslow, Harry Purcell, Brad Tregenza and Eliza Kramer. Picture: Phil Yeo

Embattled GFNL club North Shore made inquiries several weeks ago about how it could potentially join the GDFNL.

The Seagulls have been struggling for survival in recent seasons, needing to meet AFL Barwon’s key registration criteria to get on the park for the 2025 season.

North Shore are yet to win a game this year and have been beaten by an average of 193 points — their last win came in Round 4 last year when they beat St Albans by 60 points.

However, GDFNL secretary Alan Moore confirmed with this masthead the Seagulls, which were established in 1927, inquired what criteria it would need to meet to join the league.

Moore said he received a phone call from a North Shore member approximately six weeks ago.

He said he told the club it would need to provide a senior, reserves and junior football teams, plus five senior netball outfits.

North Shore netball director Edwina Wilkens, president Maryian Szponar and football coach Mark Hounslow. Picture: Phil Yeo

Moore said North Shore’s potential entry would have likely been an unpopular talking point considering the league already has two northern suburbs teams in Corio and North Geelong.

“Some wouldn’t look at it too favourably at the moment,” Moore said.

“And other northern clubs are struggling for numbers.”

While Moore said the league occasionally got inquiries from clubs about potentially joining the GDFNL, he was not aware of any others in recent years.

“We get inquiries from time to time,” he said.

“It was a brief phone call (from North Shore) and it didn’t go any further.

“They made inquiries about what they had to do and I said they would have to meet a set criteria.”

North Shore was contacted for comment.

Originally published as North Shore Football Club made inquiries about joining the GDFNL earlier in the season, league says