AFL Barwon warns North Shore that club won’t be in 2025 Geelong football plans in bombshell letter

North Shore has been caught off guard by a shock letter from AFL Barwon telling them the organisation plans to proceed without the club in 2025. Read the full letter here.

North Shore has been sent an explosive letter by AFL Barwon. Picture: Alan Barber

AFL Barwon has told North Shore the organisation is planning to start the 2025 Geelong league football competition without them as the club has been left blindsided by a bombshell letter.

AFL Barwon has been in correspondence with the North Shore Football Netball Club across the pre-season after the Seagulls reached out about their low numbers for football and netball.

SCROLL DOWN TO READ THE FULL LETTER

North Shore, which has won three games in the past two football seasons, was requested on February 14 to send AFL Barwon evidence of their numbers by the deadline of February 28.

This included written confirmation that they would be able to field both senior and reserve teams, have a minimum of 60 registered players on PlayHQ, and documented evidence that a sufficient number of players had been formally contracted.

According to a letter from AFL Barwon sent on Tuesday and seen by this masthead, North Shore had 19 registered players for the season, but club sources maintain that overall training numbers are in the 40s.

North Shore players at training last week. Picture: Alan Barber

AFL Barwon met with North Shore on February 19 where Seagulls figures questioned AFL Barwon about their requests as they believed they were unreasonable.

The governing body confirmed that there were no bylaws stating that clubs must have 60 players by a particular date.

The Seagulls walked away thinking their word that they had more than 40 players training was sufficient.

But a further meeting was held on Monday this week to track North Shore’s progress, which interim co-president Greg Dennis did not attend as he was tending to potential new recruits at the Seagulls’ training session.

A letter from AFL Barwon Commission chair Michelle Gerdtz from North Shmade clear that the organisation held serious doubts that North Shore can field two football sides in 2025.

“AFL Barwon is highly concerned by the lack of progress and response we have had in the days post the deadline of Friday 28th 2025, in relation to North Shore competing in the upcoming 2025 football season,” the letter read.

“This matter is now urgent and noting the lack of detailed response and plan received, AFL Barwon do not hold confidence in the NSFNC to proceed into this season.

“Post our meeting on 19th February 2025, where we discussed these requirements, it is still evident that registrations (19) are not at all, or even approaching, the required numbers to field two competitive sides.

“AFL Barwon acknowledges that efforts have been made with the best interests of all to establish football and netball playing lists for the 2025 season. However, due to the lack of progress towards a sustainable program for 2025, we do not have confidence in the football program as it currently stands. This gives us no option but to start planning the 2025 season without North Shore Football Netball Club competing in the 2025 GFNL football competition.”

AFL Barwon said in the letter that they would continue to help the netball arm of the club but that the club’s viability is under review.

“At this stage, AFL Barwon will support the netball program competing in 2025 should the current participant numbers remain strong, however the viability of the club is now under review and a full assessment would need to be undertaken throughout the year to understand the status of the club from 2026 and beyond,” it said.

Gerdtz ends the letter by saying: “This matter is serious, and your urgent attention to this correspondence and the three actions is required by midday 5 March 2025.”

North Shore remains adamant it will field senior and reserves sides in 2025 despite AFL Barwon’s stern warning five weeks out from their round one clash with Colac.

Dennis, who was serving as interim co-president with Edwina Wilkens, stepped aside in the wake of the letter after a difficult summer hunting recruits amid mounting pressure from AFL Barwon.

Former long-time president Dale Purcell resigned at the club’s AGM in late December, but has returned to the club to assist them, and he said their word should be enough.

“For whatever reason, they’re making the club jump through all these hurdles. For whatever reason, we had to send through all the contracted players that are signed for this year, spreadsheet of who’s on contract to them,” Purcell said.

“And we’re going to ask players tomorrow night at training night, all those that haven’t registered on PlayHQ to register, to get the numbers up.

“We are just proceeding on, we’re taking no notice of this. You got to push on.”

An AFL Barwon spokesperson said: “At this stage, AFL Barwon has no comment to make. We are working through this situation with the club.”

Originally published as AFL Barwon warns North Shore that club won’t be in 2025 Geelong football plans in bombshell letter