Afl Goulburn Murray Annual Report 2014 / 2015

AFL GOULBURN MURRAY ANNUAL REPORT 2014 / 2015

“To promote, manage and develop Australian Rules football and netball in the Goulburn Murray region through leadership, direction and governance.”

Presented to members at the Annual General Meeting, 31 March 2016 at AFL Goulburn Murray AFL GOULBURN MURRAY

2014 / 2015 Commissioners

Nicholas Rolfe – Chairman Peter Foott Peter Nelson Andrew Chittick Greg Freer Wayne Limbrick Nick Nagle

Staff

Region General Manager – Martin Gleeson

League Operations League Operations Manager – Simon Devine (commenced January 2015) League Operations & Club Development – Grant Wilson Junior Competitions & Events – Bree Boyle AFL Barrawarn Trainee – Kailem Harrison (50%)

Development Football Development Manager – Mark Lambourn Football Development Manager – Greg Liddell Football Development Manager – Trevor Mellington AFL Barrawarn Trainee – Kailem Harrison (50%) Multicultural Development Officer – Tong Tong (casual)

Business Services Administration Officer – Melissa Wells (part time) Consultant Accountant – Michelle Adams

Region Administration Centre

Goulburn Valley Football League – David Roff (Chairman) Kyabram District Football Netball League – Wayne Ryan (President) Shepparton District Junior Football League – Chris Thomas (President) Seymour District Junior Football Netball League – Ray Steyger (President)

Office Address

Office: Kialla Park Community Centre, Reserve Street, Kialla, Victoria, 3630 Postal: PO Box 1253, Shepparton, Victoria, 3630 Phone: (03) 5823 9800 Email: [email protected]

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

In March 2016 the VCFL will wind up after in existence for nearly 90 years.

I would like acknowledge the contribution made by the VCFL and their past staff and Directors to country football over that journey. Without their hard work, vision and enterprise the face of country football would be completely different.

Effectively “the boats have now been burnt” and going forward the Regional Commissions in conjunction with AFL Victoria Country Football Department are responsible for the ongoing governance and operation of community football within their defined geographical area.

Ultimately it is the aim of the Commission to have a completely integrated model.

As has been stated and written on numerous occasions those who are merely affiliates cannot expect to receive the same level of service as those leagues that have joined the Region Administration Centre (RAC).

It is opportune to restate our strategic priority to have all leagues and umpires groups in the RAC. In time we would expect the Murray Football League, the Picola District Football Netball League and our two umpires associations to join the RAC.

The adoption of the ‘points system’ is in our view a positive step forward in relation to the costs of player payments. 2016 will give all leagues and administrators an opportunity to iron out any difficulties with a view to it becoming a reality in 2017.

Although we don’t like to single out any one aspect of football, we would like to mention that women’s football in the local area is going from strength to strength.

Once again on behalf of myself and the other Commissioners I thank Martin and all the staff for their insistence, persistence and resilience in the past twelve months. Sometimes being a football administrator, whether it be in an administrative or development role, is not the easiest job in the world.

For those within the community football structure within the Goulburn Murray region who support the RAC structure, we would also like to thank you for your continued support. All community sports rely on sponsorship and to our principal partners being Seymour Toyota, Bendigo Health and Loco Sportswear, we thank them for their support in the last twelve months.

Nicholas Rolfe Chairman

REGION GENERAL MANAGER’S REPORT

The 2014-2015 financial year proved to be one of great progress for the AFL Goulburn Murray Commission with an increase in service levels and programs for members as well as development programs bearing fruit with increased participation numbers.

Released at the end of 2014 the Commission’s Strategic Plan came to life during the year and is driving the agenda for programs and activities to further benefit the region’s football and netball communities.

At the start of the season five staff were working in new roles and with a very short administrative lead in to Round 1 the results across the year have been outstanding.

Our working relationship with member clubs and League Executives was strengthened throughout the course of the season by surveys, club FootyWeb training, workshops, club visits and a genuine connection to the volunteers who work at the coal face of our great game.

This consultative approach has elicited very positive feedback from those we work with and the delivery of programs and services has been underpinned by strong financial performances in our partner Leagues.

To provide one example of the scaling up of operations and activities this season 145 football and netball finals games were delivered across four Leagues in a hectic August and September, all bearing record overall finals gates.

From a development viewpoint junior football, female participation, school football, Auskick and club based programs were the big winners in 2015.

An ongoing challenge for the Commission in 2016 is to continue to work through some resistance from some quarters to our activities and to navigate the negative environment that we sometimes find ourselves in. Overall, this resistance has decreased markedly in the last 12 months as more and more clubs and volunteers see the value in our work and see through the misinformation driven by a select few.

Ultimately, this ‘divide and conquer’ approach stands in the way of the game having a collective voice across the region and for a collaborative and strategic approach to be applied for the benefit of all clubs.

From a personal perspective I would like to thank the Commission collectively and Commissioners individually for their support and guidance during the year both professionally and personally. The region is blessed to have a committed and passionate group of seven Commissioners who bring their various experiences and strong football knowledge to the table, with the benefit to football netball clubs across the region always as the primary priority.

As an organisation the Commission is very fortunate to have high quality staff who constantly demonstrates their commitment to providing a high level of service. The work ethic and passion for their role is excellent and staff are often prepared to go above and beyond to deliver for the benefit of clubs and their volunteers.

Specifically I would also like to acknowledge David Roff, Wayne Ryan, Chris Thomas and Ray Steyger, the respective Presidents of the GVFL, KDFNL, SDJFL and SDJFNL, and their executive members for their efforts and support of the Region Administration Centre and their collaborative approach to working with staff.

I would also like to acknowledge the support of our partners, especially our major partners in 2015 in Seymour Toyota, Bendigo Health and Loco Sportswear, who have helped us to deliver on a range of club and participation focused initiatives in the last 12 months. I would also like to welcome Fun City, Bendigo Bank and Fonterra to the Commission’s partnership family for 2016.

Finally, I would like to acknowledge the clubs and their volunteers for the enormous amount of work they contribute to the running of the game and I am looking forward to working with all clubs to help our great game remain the sport of choice in the Goulburn Murray.

Martin Gleeson Region General Manager

AFL Goulburn Murray staff with AFL Chief Executive Officer Gillon McLachlan

REGION ADMINISTRATION CENTRE

Goulburn Valley Football League (GVFL)

After a lengthy and very public discussion the GVFL joined the Region Administration Centre in November 2014 with the 2015 season being its first operating from the Kialla office.

The transition overall was a great success with the League’s administration progressing in a number of key areas. The most important stakeholder in the transition, the GVFL clubs, were overwhelming in their support of staff and their collective intent to embrace the new model was a key factor in successes achieved.

Two key projects illustrated this collaborative and research based approach. The first was the restructuring of the GVFL fixture. After a number of years of debate and much feedback from clubs a survey and research study was undertaken to present to clubs different fixturing models along with key decisions to be made. Through a dedicated workshop session clubs worked through certain scenarios and models and ranked preferences on areas that impacted on the structure of the fixture. As a result a set of parameters were developed and agreed to. These parameters have guided the formation of the 2016 fixture.

The second major study was in relation to points and salary cap following the release of the draft framework from AFL Victoria. This process allowed for the gathering of confidential data and for that information to be provided back to clubs for their information and discussion. This process was repeated in the KDFNL with the results setting the path for the roll out of the Points system in 2016 and the proposed Salary Cap in 2017.

Some of the other key high level administrative achievements for the season include:  The development of positive working relationships between club volunteers and staff and also between staff and GVFL Executive members  Growing sponsorship and advertising revenue despite only a six week season lead in  The successful staging of the Worksafe Game Of The Month hosted by Benalla against Shepparton United in May  Delegates meetings reduced to four per year focused on informed decision making  Significant growth in the social media presence of the League including Twitter and Facebook with website hits growing 144% to over 4 million hits during the season

Kyabram District Football Netball League (KDFNL)

The netball division of the KDFNL joined their football counterparts in 2015 and the transition was seamless and well supported by the netball component of the League.

The outcomes from the 2014 Governance Review were also put into play at the beginning of the season with 70% of the recommendations implemented during 2015.

A key outcome from the review was revamping and updating the football by laws and the new edition was strongly endorsed by delegates along with a delineation of the roles and responsibilities of the Executive, the Clubs and Office staff.

The constitution was also updated to reflect the modern structure with the establishment of portfolios for Executive members on the agenda for 2016.

The importance of the U18 competition and the challenges that many clubs have in fielding their thirds was also a key discussion point in the review. As a result of this process each KDFNL club underwent a Junior Development Planning meeting facilitated by Football Development Manager Greg Liddell during the year. The focus of these sessions was on each club’s individual U18 program, their playing pathway, local relationships with schools and junior clubs and their recruiting practises. Each club now has a development plan framework which will be followed up during the 2016 season to track progress.

Along with club based workshops two U18 Development Days were held for KDFNL players featuring sessions from Headspace, Victoria Police, TAC CUP coaches and the GVFUA.

The KDFNL also welcomed Strap & Wrap as their major sponsor for the 2015 season with a club rebate program also put in place for clubs purchasing strapping tape. The Loco partnership with the Commission also provided a significant cash rebate which was applied to the League’s interleague apparel.

Shepparton District Junior Football League (SDJFL)

The SDJFL had a positive season with three key achievements highlighting the year.

Firstly, a restructuring of sponsorship packages and offerings for the League led to an increase in sponsorship revenue and the securing of multiple year deals with major sponsors. This, along with increased promotional activities and record finals gates, has put the League in a strong financial position and, for the first time in their history, are providing administration grants to member clubs in 2016.

The SDJFL Interleague program was overhauled in 2015 with a focus of moving from ‘games’ to a ‘program’ providing genuine development opportunities for the selected players. This process also produced a coaching matrix which provided direction to the League’s representative coaches.

A major undertaking for 2015 was the SDJFL Primary School Review. The review ran throughout the 2015 season and engaged clubs, schools and other stakeholders to examine the structure and format of the current primary school competition and to design and recommend a model for the future.

From the Review Panel discussions, club one on one meetings and ongoing conversations with stakeholders and interested personnel a number of key themes were identified as having an impact on the future direction and sustainability of this important football nursery.

Consequently, the final report presented 11 recommendations which were unanimously endorsed by club delegates at the League’s Annual General Meeting and will be implemented across the 2016 season.

Seymour District Junior Football Netball League (SDJFNL)

The 2015 season provided the platform for the SDJFNL to implement the recommendations of the 2014 Competition Review, the most significant of which was the introduction of an U10 program.

Whilst only four clubs took up the opportunity the success of the first season has built the platform for more clubs to get involved for 2016.

In all, 87% of the 2014 Competition Review recommendations were implemented in 2015 with the remainder on track for 2016.

Goulburn Campaspe Junior Football League (GCJFL)

The GCJFL clubs voted unanimously at their Annual General Meeting to join the Region Administration Centre for the next three years.

2016 will be the first year in working with the three junior leagues in the region and this sets the platform to conduct a region wide study into the governance and operational structures of the three organisations.

Umpiring & Tribunal

The relationship with the Goulburn Valley Football Umpires Association (GVFUA) and Rochester Echuca Football Umpires Association (REFUA) continues to evolve with anecdotal feedback from GVFL and KDFNL clubs identifying an increase in umpiring standard during the season.

Unfortunately, the GVFUA relationship with the PDFNL broke down during the season and at the completion of the season the GVFUA announced a withdrawal of their services for 2016. Despite a request for mediation this issue is ongoing and is unlikely to be resolved for the start of the 2016 season.

Club Umpire Workshops involving 55 club volunteers at three venues (Barooga, Shepparton and Seymour) were delivered pre season in partnership with the GVFUA with positive feedback from those in attendance.

An Umpires Seminar was also held in June with over 100 GVFUA members and AFL Umpires Hayden Kennedy and Chelsea Roffe providing education and role modelling for current members.

A Tribunal Seminar involving representatives from all Leagues was also held leading into the season as a precursor to an ongoing education program for this important component of League operations.

Under the guidance of Simon Devine the GVFL and KDFNL Tribunals worked together during the season with sessions held on Wednesday night across both Leagues. Developing a collective approach to tribunal operations has helped to provide training and will ultimately increase consistency and better manage the workload of our volunteer tribunal members.

COMMUNITY CLUB SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM (CCSP)

Following the release of the draft Community Club Sustainability Program framework by AFL Victoria in May 2015, a designated working party convened multiple times to review and assess the feedback and the testing of the proposed framework that Metropolitan Leagues and Region Commissions undertook between May and August.

Feedback from Metropolitan Leagues and Region Commissions was comprehensive and overwhelmingly supportive of a proposed framework that addresses equalisation concerns in community football and tackles escalating player payments. While this was the case, feedback around certain elements of the program were still identified as needing further consideration, as was the proposed implementation timings and procedures.

In general, a large majority of Metropolitan Leagues and Region Commissions viewed the implementation of the Player Points System (PPS) and the Players Salary Cap (PSC) in potentially the same year, as too much for Clubs and that there needed to be a more phased in approach. Given the feedback suggested the Players Salary Cap program required further detail and investigation, the working party believes it will be best suited to a 2017 implementation, with training and education relating to the salary cap to begin across the 2016 season.

From a regional viewpoint the GVFL, Murray FL and Kyabram District FNL will support the introduction of a Total Points Cap in 2016. The Picola District FNL is the only League affiliated to AFL Victoria which has rejected the program, firstly by rejecting the draft framework in June and then again rejecting the final policy in October.

To assist in setting the 2016 Player Points Caps data was collected across all Leagues for points allocations and salary cap information with workshops in the GVFL and KDFNL presenting information back to clubs for discussion and deliberation. From these sessions proposed points caps were evaluated and determined.

MFL also collected salary cap and points data from their clubs with the Executive proposing a suitable Total Points Cap for 2016 which was ratified by the AFL Goulburn Murray Commission.

The Commission also consulted with neighbouring Leagues and Commissions to ensure that Caps in each League are not detrimental to their affiliated clubs.

Total Points Caps

The following Total Points Cap will be in place for 2016:  GVFL – 45 points  MFL – 46 points  KDFNL – 45 points

Longwood (KDFNL) applied to the Goulburn Murray CCSP Subcommittee for an allowance and have been awarded a 5 point allowance on top of their Total Points Cap for 2016.

As PDFNL are not participating in the program, all PDFNL registered players will carry a value of one point should they be recruited to another League.

The 2016 Caps are based on the data obtained during the 2015 season and will be revised at the end of 2016 with a view to a further reduction in 2017.

It is anticipated that ongoing reductions will occur in the Cap over the subsequent two to three seasons.

Salary Cap

It is anticipated that a Salary Cap policy will be introduced across AFL Victoria for the 2017 season. Further analysis and detail including a policy will be developed and communicated to clubs and leagues early in 2016.

Goulburn Murray CCSP Subcommittee

To assist with the implementation of the Total Points Cap the Commission established a subcommittee to deliberate on operational matters such as clarifying the allocation of a player’s points, evaluating a player’s playing history and also to adjudicate on special requests from clubs. The subcommittee also adjudicates on club allowance requests to ensure a uniform approach is applied across the region.

Strategic matters (e.g. the setting of Caps) remain the responsibility of the Commission.

This subcommittee comprises of the following personnel:  Peter Foott & Andrew Chittick (AFL Goulburn Murray Commission)  Martin Gleeson (Region General Manager)  Simon Devine (representing GVFL)  Grant Wilson (representing KDFNL)  Dale Norman (representing MFL)

GAME DEVELOPMENT

2015 realised some very positive outcomes with the work of the previous 18-24 months now starting to take genuine shape.

Auskick has rejuvenated over the past two years with four new centres sparking a participation rise in 2015. Over 2,000 participants are now registered in 50 centres in the region for this important 5-10 year entry level program. A highlight for 2015 was the introduction of Warma Turtles Auskick, an indigenous program based in Echuca.

11 new football teams have started up in the Shepparton District JFL Junior Division alone in the past two years which also reflects the work of Football Development Managers and a more focused development plan.

Football in the school environment also continues to grow with all primary and secondary schools in the region now having a designated AFL School Ambassador. All schools also participated in either a one day or a multi day inter school competition with 2,461 primary school and 2,225 secondary school students playing football in this manner over the past 12 months. This includes the new addition of a boys cluster day in Seymour and growth in the other boys (Shepparton and Echuca) and girls (Shepparton and Echuca) competitions.

Over 9,000 participants were involved in AFL Player Appearances in nine different towns during the season with St Kilda (Mansfield), North Melbourne (Nathalia), Carlton (Shepparton), Western Bulldogs (Echuca & Moama), Essendon (Broadford & Tatura) and Hawthorn (Cobram & Barooga) all visiting the region.

Additionally, Carlton’s Community Camp in Shepparton was a big success with over 4,000 people involved in community or school based activities over two days. The Community Camp function held at Mooroopna as part of the Camp was very well attended with supporters having a great opportunity to mix with players and coaching staff.

In partnership with Greater Shepparton City Council the AFL NAB Challenge came to Deakin Reserve in Shepparton. A massive crowd of around 9,500 turned out to see North Melbourne overcome Hawthorn in a twilight game held on Sunday 8 March.

Whilst the game provides national exposure for Deakin Reserve and is a tourism and commercial bonanza for the town there was also an opportunity for local clubs to financially benefit by catering for the large crowd. Shepparton and Shepparton United served alcohol on the day with the Ardmona, Longwood, Stanhope and Tallygaroopna all running canteens or food outlets. The money raised from these activities provided a nice financial kick start to the season for these clubs.

The Australian Sports Commission axed the Active After Schools program in 2014 and have replaced it with the Sporting Schools Program with a different delivery model put in place. AFL Goulburn Murray took on the administration of the football component of this program and in its first year 650 children were involved in football sessions run by local schools. This program has growth potential over the next two to three years.

The Boot Bank continued from its successful 2014 launch and called on parents and participants to donate their used and second hand boots. All collected boots were then screened for suitability, industrially cleaned and deodorized before being fitted with Zaidee’s Rainbow Foundation laces. The Bank was ‘open’ for two days in March for people to buy the refurbished boots for only $15 a pair, which included laces and a water bottle.

Overall, the Bank is a great success with money raised split between Zaidee’s Rainbow Foundation to promote child organ donation and to the GV Stars Access All Abilities team. A special thank you to Foott Waste, Michel Signs, Kevin Hicks Real Estate, Chris Smith & Associates and Shepp News for their support of this community based initiative.

Six Holiday Programs were held during school holidays with Echuca, Cobram, Mansfield, Seymour, Shepparton and Kyabram all hosting a one day program of fun activities and giveaways. In all 210 participants attended during the season which was down from our first year successes of 2014.

Some of the other highlights of a packed game development calendar include:  The revival of the Echuca Reconciliation Day attended by over 300 school children  116 coaches attended Level 1 Coach Courses for Senior and Youth coaches  Junior coach workshops were held in Shepparton (Lee Fraser, Murray Bushrangers), Seymour (Steve Teakel, AFL Victoria) and Echuca (Brett Henderson, Bendigo Pioneers)  The casual employment of Game Development Officers to deliver the Sporting Schools Program grows our available resources to deliver further programs  Over 500 local Auskick children were involved in AFL half time grid games  A record six players were selected in the Victorian U15 Kickstart team that played in the National Championships in Cairns in April. Congratulations to Rhys Damon (Katandra), Kyle Clark (Shepparton United), Matt Walker (CDHBU), Kai Madgwick (Mooroopna), Tyrin Atkinson (Rumbalara) and Jerome Sorgel (Mooroopna). Damon,

Clark and Walker were then selected in the Australian Flying Boomerangs Team following their performances at the Championships  Ajak Dang (Shepparton Swans) was selected in the Victorian All Nations team to play in the National Diversity Championships in Cairns in April. His stand out performances also earned him selection in the World Team selected at the end of the Carnival

MASTERS FOOTBALL

The Vic Country v Vic Metro State Masters game was held under lights at Deakin Reserve on 13 June. The promotion leading into and the game itself were both a great success.

The event ignited interest in Masters football and the momentum generated has spawned the creation of the GV Giants to join Echuca Moama United as the two Masters clubs in the Goulburn Murray offering playing and social opportunities for men over 35 years of age.

MULTICULTURAL ENGAGEMENT

Through an AFL grant the establishment of an Umpire Diversity Academy was a new innovation for 2015 and was a huge success. The Academy started with only five participants but by the end of the eight week semester had swelled to 16 participants, all from non-English speaking backgrounds. As the such program of its type in country Victoria its success provides a blueprint to establish similar programs in other regions.

AFL Chief Executive Officer Gillon McLachlan visited the Academy on a trip to Shepparton which provided a media opportunity to promote the program and the chance for the game’s most influential person to meet participants and promote the AFL message.

The Academy culminated with participants officiating in the Shepparton v Benalla U18 game on 13 June. Over half of the Academy’s participants had also officiated formally with the GVFUA by the end of the season.

2015 Umpire Diversity Academy participants

Four Multicultural Community Ambassadors were engaged locally and provided football advocacy in non-traditional communities. Our Ambassadors were responsible for networking and developing relationships as well as spearheading some key engagement activities including four bus trips to AFL games, Harmony Day activities in Cobram and Shepparton and identifying key local decision makers.

One of our Multicultural Ambassadors and Shepparton Bears ruckman Tong Tong was also employed as a Game Development Officer on a casual basis and attended school clinics and holiday programs.

A development highlight of our multicultural program was the attendance of Sirius Islamic College, Shepparton in a Melbourne based AFL 9s competition on the back of an eight week football introductory program. None of the participants had every played football before the program commenced and a boys and a girls team were able to compete in the tournament. This initiative will continue in 2016.

AFL 9s SOCIAL COMPETITION

The AFL 9s social competition was again run at Kialla Park in November and December. With little pre –promotion six teams entered the mixed competition and competed for eight weeks each Wednesday night. The competition is participation friendly and is thoroughly enjoyed by those participating. With increased promotion and an earlier start to the advertising of the competition it would be expected that registrations will grow.

FEMALE FOOTBALL

From a female football perspective the introduction of the Northern Angels in the Youth Girls competition led an 18.5% female participation increase with Auskick and school competitions also experiencing significant female participation growth. A Youth Girls Academy also kicked off this year in partnership with the Murray Bushrangers and Bendigo Pioneers with 35 girls fast tracking their football development.

Following the success and managed growth of the SDJFL Youth Girls competition and the introduction of a Youth Girls Academy the time is right for the establishment of an open age women’s team in the region. Following discussions with the Victoria Womens Football League and a number of clubs in the region Shepparton Bears have got behind the concept and will establish the region’s first open age women’s team in 2016.

This is a natural evolution for female football and helps to complete the player pathway for all female footballers in the North East.

VLINE CUP & YOUTH GIRLS SHIELD

The AFL Victoria VLine Cup and Youth Girls Shield competitions moved to Gippsland this year. A condensed playing format meant our two VLine teams played only two games in three days with both teams finishing with a one-one win-loss record.

The Youth Girls team also played two games in three days and lost convincingly to Peninsula Stingrays before bouncing back with a resounding victory against Western Rebels.

VLine Cup – Goulburn Murray 1

 Round 1 Goulburn Murray 1 11.9 (75) defeated Gippsland Power 1 10.3 (63)  Round 2 Goulburn Murray 1 3.11 (29) lost to Ballarat Rebels 1 11.9 (69)

Best Players: Kyle Clarke, Zane Barzen, Matt Walker, Broady Blakely-Dow, Jye Chalcraft

VLine Cup – Goulburn Murray 2

 Round 1 Goulburn Murray 2 4. 11 (35) defeated Gippsland Power 2 4.6 (30)  Round 2 Goulburn Murray 2 8.12 (60) lost to Ballarat Rebels 2 9.10 (64)

Best Players: Adam McCurdy, Jed Woodman, Tom Davey, Adam Pigatto, Lachlan McMahon

Youth Girls

 Round 1 Goulburn Murray 5.0 (30) lost to Peninsula Stingrays 11.18 (84)  Round 2 Goulburn Murray 14.12 (96) defeated Western Rebels 0.1 (1)

Best Players: Reni Hicks, Millie Brown, Abby Favaro, Marni Bell, Tayla Dempster

HEALTH SERVICES STRATEGY

Following the successful release of the AFL Goulburn Murray Health Services Strategy in 2014 a number of club based initiatives were delivered in 2015 taking this strategy to another level.

The highlight of these activities was the Outside The Locker Room (OTLR) program. OTLR is a four session mentoring and education program delivered in club and featuring ex-AFL players Jake Edwards and Glen Manton.

Through a funding partnership with Bendigo Health 2,297 participants from 16 GVFL, KDFNL, Shepparton DJFL and MFL clubs were involved in interactive sessions held in club covering drugs, alcohol, bullying, responsible decision making, personal branding and nutrition. The feedback from participants and the response from clubs was outstanding to this innovative and hands on program.

The GVFL, KDFNL, Shepparton DJFL U16 and Seymour DJFNL U16 held ‘Step. Back. Think’ themed rounds on 12, 13 and 20 June and the GVFL supplemented that with a ‘Report Racism’ round on 18 July. The KDFNL conducted their annual ‘Say No To Violence’ round with great effect on 16 May.

The development of a Health Services Directory resource was a key innovation and well received by club volunteers. The Directory is a free resource in the form of a flip card developed for volunteers and provides leads and information regarding valuable services which clubs may need from time to time.

KIALLA PARK OFFICE DEVELOPMENT

The Kialla Park Master Plan is an ongoing process and was finally adopted by Greater Shepparton City Council in November 2015.

Commencing in November 2013 the Master Plan was part of an arrangement with Council following the Commission’s investment in setting up offices in the Holland Maude Room at the Kialla Park Community Centre.

The finalisation of the Master Plan stalled within Council and the adoption of the Plan along with a motion to ‘commence negotiations with AFL Goulburn Murray to establish a long term lease at Kialla Park Community Centre’ augur well for a long term commitment to our current environment.

Of immediate concern is the lack of office space and the fact that we have outgrown the office environment over the past nine months. With nine staff now operating from Kialla Park the office is in desperate need of expansion and this is of the highest priority for the Commission to reach a satisfactory outcome as soon as possible with Council.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY

The Goulburn Murray region has a strong history in nurturing talented players, not only for higher honours but also to improve the standard of football locally. The status junior football has in the region has always ensured a regular participation flow has fed interleague, VLine Cup and TAC Cup Under 16 and U18s. Along the way the region’s high quality coach education courses have underpinned the player development pathway.

With the VLine Cup competition now being run in September the landscape of junior representative football is changing. Furthermore, the expectations of parents on junior coaches to provide the right development environment has increased significantly. Feedback is also being received from the TAC Cup system that many players have inferior basic skills at 15-16 years of age which inhibits growth and limits opportunities to progress.

Additionally, the success of the Youth Girls Academy in its first year by improving skill levels and game sense amongst its participants is greatly developing the Youth Girls competition across the board.

Therefore, the AFL Goulburn Murray Commission commenced planning this season for a Youth Development Academy to be established for the benefit of individuals, local clubs, league interleague programs and junior coaches.

In its full form the Academy will work on a playing and coaching level with the following as key focus areas:  To provide a quality based player development program to support the region’s interleague teams  To provide a ‘program’ focus to interleague preparations  To increase playing standards and competencies at club level  To streamline the coaching process and develop a coaching pathway alongside the playing pathway

Club football is and will always be the cornerstone of junior football. The aim of the Academy is to ‘connect’ the pathway in a more coordinated manner and to provide a more structured and focused development program for the selected participants and coaches.

Due to the significant travel distances across the region it is proposed that each age group be decentralised into two separate training groups.

One group would have a training base in Shepparton and a northern based training program would be delivered in Echuca.

Importantly, there would be some activities and sessions which would require the full squad to be assembled in the one place.

The Academy will commence in 2016 with U14 and U15 Squads with a view to expand to include U12 and U13s in 2017.

COMMUNICATIONS

The GM Gazette is a free e-newsletter and was established in December 2014 as the region’s prime source of information delivered directly to your inbox. The mailing list of over 1,300 includes all club and league contacts as well as other interested personnel and with an open rate significantly higher than the industry average it has quickly achieved prominence.

AFL Goulburn Murray is also active on social media platforms via Twitter, Facebook and TeamApp with staff utilising a mix of their personal and the AFL Goulburn Murray accounts to inform the community of activities. League based social media activities were also ramped up during the season with strong growth in impressions, views and interactions.

To provide an example of the growth experienced in social media in 2015 the GVFL, through Twitter, released 1,008 tweets, gained 692 new followers, received 1,500 mentions, 21,000 profile visits and 756,000 impressions. During the same period the AFL Goulburn Murray account released 343 tweets, gained 435 followers, received 734 mentions, 7,787 profile visits and 320,500 impressions.

Thank you to our major partners