Surf Coast Suns say they will have a target on their back when they enter in 2026 as AFL Barwon puts forward fixture solution

Surf Coast will join the senior ranks, and not everyone is happy about it. The Suns have a message for those who are opposed to their entry. Plus, how the BFNL could look with 11 teams.

Surf Coast will enter the senior ranks in 2024. Picture: Alan Barber

Excitement and relief were the overwhelming feelings from Surf Coast after its aspirations to enter the Bellarine Football Netball League became a reality on Wednesday night.

However, they know they will enter the senior ranks in 2026 with a target on their backs.

“And I wouldn’t expect anything less, and that’s the sort of stuff we have fed off the whole way. Look, none of them want us in, let’s go that little bit harder,” Surf Coast president Jay Williams.

Throughout the extensive restructure process from AFL Barwon since September last year, Bellarine clubs have generally been opposed to changes to the 10-team structure.

Concerns over inequity of the fixture, players being poached and Surf Coast’s viability have been raised, as they were at AFL Barwon’s final meeting with clubs on Wednesday night.

Some of the questioning was aimed at ensuring Surf Coast’s transition went as smoothly as possible, including giving Suns junior netball sides the opportunity to play in higher divisions where possible.

Surf Coast junior netballers are set to play in some divisions. Picture: Mark Wilson

But in 22 months time, there remains the possibility that Suns will officially enter a competition where they aren’t wanted.

How do they feel about that opposition, after years of juniors being forced to look elsewhere to continue their football and netball journey?

“I would just say that some clubs need to remember that this is local football and it is community sport. I feel like sometimes clubs can think they are some things that they are not,” Williams said.

“What would they say to their kids who are 17s or 16s that want to play senior footy in the place that they grew up in, but they can’t for no good reason? If the shoe was on the other foot, I don’t think they would have the same answers.

“Some clubs I know out there are positive about it which I think is a good mindset to have because it is just community sport, so you just want people out there playing and having a place to play.”

Wilson felt that the discourse from clubs was centred on the gravity of the situation.

“I think the big part of the conversations and discussions we have had with Bellarine clubs to date is that it is such a significant move. We only have to look back when the last club changed to the Bellarine or when the changes have been made over time, and that was back in the 90s,” Wilson said.

“When you’re having a change of this significance, that does certainly prompt a lot of questions, a lot of discussions. And from the club standpoint they want to know what the future of their league looks like, and that’s where a lot of their comments, questions and discussions have come from. It shows everyone is invested.”

HOLDING PATTERN

Uncertainty reigned supreme for Surf Coast over the past few months as they were stuck in a holding pattern.

AFL Barwon had always planned to get them in at some point, but when would it be?

In one of AFL Barwon’s updated proposals, Surf Coast was the 11th club in the slated 12-team Bellarine competition in 2025. But when an official decision was made on the future of football and netball in the region on the eve of the 2024 season, it was ruled that the 11th and 12th club would both have to apply.

Those 12-team plans were shelved last week when the other mystery club’s application was withdrawn after failing to meet the criteria.

The club’s committee had a final meeting with AFL Barwon’s restructure committee, compromised of regional manager Ed Wilson, chairperson Michell Gerdtz and deputy chair Ash West, on Monday, with their fate to be sealed on Wednesday night.

After that dinner the Suns knew their application would be endorsed by those three to the entire AFL Barwon commission – a motion that was passed unanimously at the special commission meeting that finished at close to 10pm on Wednesday night.

The only catch was, Surf Coast would enter in 2026 rather than 2025. That was partly because their junior football club had fielded their first under-18 side this year.

Surf Coast fielded its first U18 team this season. Picture: Alan Barber

“There are many factors in why 2026 was the best pathway for the club. Moving from a junior club to a senior club is a significant jump and there is a lot from an administrative, financial and also a club development standpoint that needs to be achieved before now and 2026 for the Surf Coast Football Netball Club,” Wilson said.

“Providing the opportunity to have that time for that to be achieved adequately much better than rushing through that entry to a league and have that impact them in negative ways.”

While the Suns committee was pleased with that outcome on Monday night, Williams was disappointed at first.

“Personally I was gunning for 2025 and I had a lot of energy and put a lot into it over the past 19 months thinking and hoping that it would be that, so I think initially I was a bit flat,” Williams said.

“There are players everywhere that we would have confidence that they would come and play. It would have been hard, but we were always confident that we could have done it.

“For myself I was super passionate and driven to get it done as quick as possible, that’s what I do with everything in life.”

“It only took me a couple of hours to digest it and once I digested it and went over the positives of the outcome, then I was more comfortable and happy with it. Because we won’t able to say that we didn’t have enough time.”

Williams is excited by the looming local rivalry between them and Torquay, with plenty of friendships tying the two clubs together.

“I think having the certainty now creates massive excitement. We can now tell our kids that are 14s, 16s level that they have a place to play if they want to continue in our senior teams. Sponsors now have some more exposure comoing their way with the seniors,” Williams said.

“I think the community now has a two-team prospect around the town which can create a buzz for businesses and you can build it up as a rivalry and there can be a lot of positivity generated out of that.”

DRAW DILEMMA

You don’t have to be a mathematician to know that 11 doesn’t go into 18.

The current 18-round Bellarine season allows clubs to play each other at home and away across a season, with BFNL clubs concerned over the integrity of the fixture in an 11-clubcompetition.

While there is plenty of water to go under the bridge, extending the BFNL to a 20-week season with two-byes for each side is a potential solution, a suggestion which was raised to clubs on Wednesday night.

Ed Wilson said a 20-week Bellarine competition can help solve the fixture dilemma.

“There is an option of a 20 week competition where you can be able to have significant level of equity. Naturally if you had 10 or 12, you do achieve a higher degree of equity in terms of the fixture, but 11 you can still have a degree of equity, but it would definitely mean extending the season,”

“Those details there is still a significant amount to work through moving forward but we are certainly very confident based on the decision that has been made that that can be done in a manner that is not just equitable but sustainable.”

A 12th team by 2026 hasn’t been ruled out, but it appears unlikely.

“That application process has closed and for us at the moment our sole priority at this time is supporting Surf Coast’s admission into the league in 2026, while we are supporting the other 10 clubs in the league,” Wilson said.

“At any time if a club came forward and was interested in moving between leagues or wanting to look at their own future we will always engage in those conversations, but at the moment our sole priority is supporting the evolution of the Bellarine League to an 11-club competition in 2026.”

Originally published as Surf Coast Suns say they will have a target on their back when they enter in 2026 as AFL Barwon puts forward fixture solution