Goulburn Valley, Gippsland, Wimmera: Female admin presence growing across Victoria

The “boys’ club” domination around major Victorian country football-netball league board tables is becoming a thing of the past, with more women being voted into the top job.

The “boys’ club” domination around major Victorian country football-netball league board tables is becoming a thing of the past, with more women being voted into the top job.

While some of the state’s biggest leagues are led by women, the Gippsland league is taking its commitment to women’s involvement a step further by introducing a quota of at least two females being on its nine-member board.

Carol McKinstry became chairwoman of the Bendigo Football-Netball Leaugue in 2015.

Bendigo’s Carol McKinstry was the trailblazer for female major league leaders when she became its first chairwoman in 2015.

She has another year to run in the role, and women make up close to 50 per cent of the league’s seven-member board already.

Pauline Butler was appointed chairwoman of the Wimmera league last year and will continue on next year.

The Goulburn Valley’s Jacqui Hudgson was thrust into the top job earlier in this year with chairman David Roffe stepping down unexpectedly, and she has retained the position for 2023.

Ms Hudgson joined the GV board five years ago when the football and netball competitions merged.

She had previously been a player, A grade league best and fairest winner and coach at Shepparton United and Shepparton Bears.

Goulburn Valley Football-Netball League chairwoman Jacqui Hudgson. PICTURE: ZOE PHILLIPS

Ms Hudgson was voted onto the board in 2017 with another woman, Sandy Witham, and together ensured netball had a strong voice around the table.

“It’s breaking the boys’ club mentality a little bit,” Ms Hudgson said.

“It depends how much your netball competition is involved in your league.

“Some football and netball leagues are very separate.

“But when Sandy and I came on we worked hard to make sure our league is a true football-netball league.”

Outgoing Gippsland league chairman Brett Tessari said it was on the recruiting trail for a second female on its board alongside Jodie Galea.

“It’s a diverse way of thinking I guess,” he said.

“A lot of us go on these boards after playing the game back in the ‘60s and ‘70s and think this is how things have got to be.

“But women bring a more even and strategic way of thinking and probably less emotional approach.”