GFNL 2024: South Barwon president Tim Sherman says clubs must consider what is best for the game and not fear backlash

As a decision on AFL Barwon’s competition restructure edges closer, the president of a leading club has put forward his thoughts on the divisive issue.

GFL Qualifying Final: Colac Tigers v South Barwon Swans. Football. South Barwon Swans 33 Jack Driver kicks a goal and celebrates with 6 Ben Kellett Picture: Mark Wilson

South Barwon president Tim Sherman has issued a strong message to clubs on the proposed competition restructure, declaring that they must consider what is best for the game and not fear “any potential backlash” from rivals.

Sherman has implored clubs and their committees to be mindful of the big picture as well as self-interest when making their formal decision on whether Geelong football should adopt AFL Barwon’s revamp in 2025.

The final model put forward by AFL Barwon contains three tiered divisions with promotion and relegation every three years based on performance in both football and netball.

The governing body has said a decision will be made before round one of the football and netball season, with the Bellarine FNL beginning on March 29.

South Barwon, who was the only Geelong Football Netball League club to vote in support of the restructure at a presidents vote in December, has been one of the few public supporters of the changes.

However, the accuracy of these votes has been questioned by AFL Barwon with regional manager Ed Wilson claiming responses in consultations with clubs are differing to the polling from league spokespeople.

This is because some clubs are reluctant to have their position known pubicly.

Bellarine FNL club Ocean Grove and Surf Coast, a club hoping to enter their first senior side in 2025 within the new structure, are among others who have voiced their approval for the changes.

Sherman said it was time for clubs to lock in their final decision and “back themselves”, outlining South Barwon’s view that the changes would be beneficial for both football and netball.

South Barwon’s Matthew Caldow celebrates a goal. Picture: Mark Wilson

“It’s now at the point where clubs need to consult with their committees and formalise their stance, so we can all move forward one way or another,” Sherman said.

“The use of spokespeople for the leagues has been well intentioned, but clubs should now be prepared make a clear decision, back themselves in and not be worried about any potential backlash, knowing their committees have acted in the best interest of their club and more importantly, the games of football and netball.

“Unfortunately, what has been lost here is the need to also consider what is best for our great game moving forward. I fully understand clubs wanting to put self-interest at the forefront of their decision, but as temporary custodians of the game, I think all clubs have a responsibility to also consider whether the restructure is going to be beneficial for the ‘game’ moving forward.

“We certainly believe both football and netball in our region would benefit in a number of ways, such as competition equalisation, which the intro of the points system and salary cap hasn’t quite been able to achieve. The game is much bigger than any one club, but we respect that other clubs may not share this view.”

“It only natural that some people don’t like change, but we have seen a number of clubs move between leagues in our region over the last 30 plus years, and I think most would agree they have been success stories. I guess this proposal just puts some more framework around the process of moving between leagues for those that wish to”

Geelong West coach Greg Mellor is supportive of movement within leagues, having seen it work during his time in Adelaide amateur football.

But he says there are still kinks that need to be ironed

His club are a unique case given they have a GFNL team and a Geelong & District Football Netball League side under the same umbrella.

Greg Mellor supports the movement between leagues.

“Look I support the concept of promotion relegation. I have been involved in amateur league football in Adelaide, little bit different because they didn’t have a netball team associated to that,” Mellor said.

“I’ve seen it work and I’ve seen it work really well so I support the basic concept on it. I think what we need to have more clarity on is what it looks like so that AFL Barwon come out and says ‘this is what the proposal will look like’. Is it rolling over two years or what weighing will they give to that, there probably needs to be more clarity around that.

“For us at GFL if we were in that position, let’s say we finish bottom and the bottom team drop down. Yep, we would lose some players but I would think our juniors would still stay strong and I guess the opportunity to compete well in the (division two) level, I think there is some positives in that.

“You’d want to be able to go down and then reset, rebuild and whatever – reinvest in your juniors – and come back up. You’d hate to go down and get stuck down.

What would it look like too, if our GFL side went down and our GDFL side won the premiership, you’d have two teams in the (second comp). There’s a lot of things that need to be worked out to be really clear on what they want to happen and I think AFL Barwon is getting a feel from presidents on where clubs sit.”

Originally published as GFNL 2024: South Barwon president Tim Sherman says clubs must consider what is best for the game and not fear backlash