AFL Victoria defends secretive statewide review in country footy

Country and community footy chiefs are nervous about a “covert” review of funding and governance of the game.

Yarrawonga Football Club, pictured pre-lockdown, is one of many across Victoria. Picture: Simon Dallinger

A secretive AFL review into the administration and funding of country and community football in Victoria has raised alarm bells in footy’s heartland.

A leaked memo obtained by the Saturday Herald Sun reveals a statewide review is underway to evaluate current governance models, with findings due late this month.

The “AFL Victoria Country Governance Configuration’’ project lists funding, regional commission models and league affiliation agreements with AFL Victoria among its terms of reference.

Country footy chiefs fear it could jeopardise much needed finances and trigger a power struggle between the AFL and amateur associations.

The memo says the AFL is “carrying significant risk areas including financial aid and legal compliance for country commissions’’.

AFL Victoria head Brad Scott confirmed a “consultation’’ was underway but said it was focused on support, not a power or funding grab.

He said AFL Victoria wanted leagues to “control their own destiny’’ but the governing body needed to support those in need.

“We need to be able to support them so they don’t fall over and become insolvent and have legal issues but we don’t want to interfere and control them at the same time,’’ he said.

All 11 country commissions are funded by AFL Victoria, with four requiring additional financial assistance last year.

Six are independent and five were appointed by AFL Victoria.

The memo proposed “further evolving the governance model for all of country Victoria.’’

Former AFL Gippsland commissioner John White said the “covert’’ nature of the review had “the broader football community’’ worried.

Former AFL Gippsland commissioner John White said the “covert” nature of the review had “the broader football community” worried. Picture: Jason Edwards.

“There has been a long held perception that AFL Vic/AFL want to control every aspect of football for their financial gain to feed the high cost structure they have,’’ he said.

He said the review would “remove AFL Vic of any liabilities incurred into the future’’.

“AFL Vic, it appears, will not be supportive of leagues that endure financial hardship,’’ he said.

Scott said he was “advocating for more, not less’’.

“I’ll go kicking and screaming if there are any threats to cut,’’ he said.

“We are actually building an investment case to reinvest back into community footy so I suspect we will be fighting for a bigger slice of revenue rather than cuts.’’

But a northern Victorian league executive said: “There is some angst around the state, people are concerned by what their governance structure means.

“The overwhelming feeling is, its another opportunity for the AFL to micromanage these commissions.’’

Riddell District Football League president Brenton Knott said after breaking away from the AFL last year, the self governed league and its clubs “have a lot more say in the future’’.

“All our clubs felt they were just being pushed at every option, that it was money driven and they didn’t think they were getting value for money,’’ he said.

Another country footy chief said funding had previously been pulled from country commissions who were left “unsustainable’’ without “handing over complete control.’’

“Ultimately this means the AFL have or are seeking complete unanswerable control of all country football,’’ he said.

[e-mail]