Geelong Football Netball League presidents to meet as AFL Barwon explains competition restructure process and changes

Clubs are formulating their position on AFL Barwon’s proposal, and powerbrokers from a league are meeting. Plus, the governing body has explained a $100,000 commitment.

Picture: Mark Wilson

Geelong Football League presidents will meet on Tuesday night to discuss AFL Barwon’s new competition proposal as clubs across the region determine their formal position on the shake-up.

AFL Barwon officially presented their updated plan for the future of football and netball to club presidents from Geelong local clubs last Tuesday, with club committees formulating their stance on the tiered divisional structure.

The governing body has already met with individual clubs since Tuesday’s consultation and expects this process to continue into the New Year, with verdicts from each club to decide whether the sweeping changes go ahead.

The proposed structure, which AFL Barwon regional manager Ed Wilson described as an “ideal situation”, contains 28 teams and three divisions – Premier League (10 teams), Division 1 (10 teams) and Division 2 (8 teams) – with relegation and promotion.

However, the Geelong and District League and their clubs confirmed last week that they will not be a part of the competition and will remain as their own separate league.

Clubs are formulating their position on the proposal.

Wilson said that the overhaul, which would be adopted as early as 2025, can still go ahead in the event that less than 28 teams commit to the model.

But he doesn’t expect clubs from the Colac & District League and outside competitions to be involved.

“We are now at that point where we asking clubs where they see themselves sit within the model and this next stage will now give us a true indication as to whether we see this coming into play in 2025,” Wilson said.

“We do have clubs that have definitely stressed their concerns and what challenges might lie in the future, but one thing that we are very fortunate in the engagement that we’ve had to date is clubs have very much been open with us across the Bellarine, Geelong and Geelong and District about their future, and that’s what has allowed us to deliver that proposal on Tuesday night.

“We have presented on Tuesday night an ideal situation and what our vision for the future is. It is important that the clubs understand and see what our vision for the future is and why we’ve presented that 28 team model. But we also do believe that is important through our one-on-one consultations with clubs to understand what their position is.

“Because if we do get enough clubs that are in support of the proposal and we can see ourselves proceeding even with less than 28, and if that’s the right decision for the region, then we definitely will.”

In one of the major changes to the model, AFL Barwon has committed to investing $100,000 over three years to support clubs in Division 2 after feedback from clubs.

This will be organised through AFL Barwon’s newly added Club Development Lead position, with outgoing Leopold vice-president Tim Secombe starting in the role last week.

The promised cash injection for clubs in the bottom division would aim to help clubs in the areas that they need it most.

“It has come off the back of feedback from clubs wanting to see greater support for those clubs who end up in division two but also ‘what does the future look like’ in terms of how we support the sustainability of the clubs,” Wilson said.

“It is the development of a fund that enshrines that we as AFL Barwon as the regional body will be there to support those clubs and by building it into the proposal it shows a firm commitment from us that we are here to support.

“That support will be a case-by-case and a club by club basis based on what support they require but it is a firm commitment from us as a regional body to support clubs moving forward into the future.”

Wilson has said that the competition revamp will only go ahead in 2025 if a decision is made before round one next year, with the BFNL kicking off on the 29th of March and the GFL beginning on the 13th of April.

Originally published as Geelong Football Netball League presidents to meet as AFL Barwon explains competition restructure process and changes