CONTENTS AFL Victoria Strategic Plan 4 Chairman’s Report 6 Board of Directors 10 Advisory Board 11 CEO’s Report 12 VFL Report 16 TAC Cup Report 22 Victorian Competition Graduates to the AFL 26 Umpiring Report 28 Financial Report 30 Administration & Regional Staff 32 Marketing Report 38 Sponsors 39 Female Participation: 46 Youth Girls players participated in the Youth Girls Academy and there are now 39 teams across six competitions. 2 | AFL Victoria Annual Review 2010 AFL Victoria Development Development 40 Community Football 43 Multicultural Football 47 Coach Education 49 AFL Recreational Football 51 Schools Programs 52 NAB AFL Auskick 55 Female Football 57 Umpire Development 59 AFL Player Appearances 61 AFL Kickstart Indigenous Program 62 Fair Game, Respect Matters 64 Resources Available at AFL Victoria 65 AFL Victoria People 66 Structure of Australian Football 67 ANNUAL REVIEW 2010 AFL Victoria Annual Review 2010 | 3 AFL VICTORIA STRATEGIC PLAN During 2009 the strategic plan was OUR VALUES PROGRESSIVE reviewed and updated with the 2010– ACCOUNTABILITY • Strive for constant improvement 2011 Strategic Plan adopted by the AFL • Focus on delivering or exceeding • Respect the great history of our game Victoria Board. performance objectives and its role in the community but challenge the status quo OUR VISION • Responsible for our actions and results • Find new and creative ideas to innovate To be the best state-based sporting and do what we say we will • Focus on the future organisation in Australia. • Act with integrity – deal with all people honestly, ethically and transparently • Embrace change and new ideas OUR MISSION • No surprises • Create football environments that To sustain and grow Australian Football • Make decisions in a timely manner deliver safe, enjoyable and rewarding as the most played, watched and even when under tight deadlines and experiences attended sport across Victoria for the pressure • Contribute to the health and wellbeing benefit and enjoyment of participants, • Be prepared to go the extra mile of communities stakeholders and supporters, while • Persevere when faced with setbacks RESPECTFUL making a meaningful contribution to the • Promote improved environmental • Embrace and respect diversity and health and wellbeing of all communities sustainability performance at all levels inclusion – understand and value the throughout Victoria. of football and community difference in every person 4 | AFL Victoria Annual Review 2010 • Acknowledge the efforts of others OBJECTIVES and promote responsible environment • Listen intently and consider other 1. Participation sustainability awareness through football viewpoints To grow participation through quality 5. Engagement • Help team or other departments or pathways connecting all segments from To utilise Australian Football as a vehicle stakeholders in getting work done AFL Auskick to open-age football to promote healthy lifestyles, cultural • Act with humility and modesty 2. Community diversity, education, employment, safe • Work collaboratively with and among To support members, motivate and and inclusive environments through collegues, members, constituents and nurture volunteers and promote quality communities stakeholders football environments 6. Fans 3. Talent and Second Tier To build relationships with the community To deliver a talented player pathway to develop fans of the game that attracts and develops the best 7. Governance and Management Overwhelming Support: Crowd figures and general participants and enhances the TAC Cup To implement quality governance, competition standards continued to surge, another and VFL competitions management and financial models to healthy indicator for the state of our game. 4. Facilities and Environment optimise AFL Victoria’s assets and attract To provide and maintain essential facilities and retain talented people AFL Victoria Annual Review 2010 | 5 CHAIRMAN’S REPORT THE FUTURE OF FOOTBALL GRANT O’RILEY AFL VICTORIA CHAIRMAN As the curtain falls on 2010 we can with the growth of the Youth Girls continued development of the talent and reflect upon a year that underscored Football League, has seen more and community pathways in Victoria. more people than ever before embrace the strength, development, success and VFL continued change of Victorian football. our game. During the past 12 months there has Many key performance indicators – Projects are in place to continue society’s been continued focus on the VFL participation numbers, crowds and integration at all levels, particularly from competition by considering its future profile - produced positive results grass roots upwards. development needs, structural options, and genuine enthusiasm for the future As we move forward the task of funding models and facility requirements. challenges we face. managing such change is going to be This process has been undertaken by Our great game continues to evolve even greater and therefore will require the AFL Victoria Board in conjunction at considerable speed and with its focussed planning so as we can create with club input and has produced a progression comes an unswerving need our future without limitations. pleasing outcome whereby everyone is to keep pace both on and off the field It has been pleasing to have stability focussed on creating a viable, long term with all associated issues. within the AFL Victoria Board and the State League competition. Planning for football’s future is a never Certainly, there was much to garner ending charter. from season 2010, a year where interest Clearly, our relationship with the AFL “Our great game continues to surged thanks to the AFL debuts of continues to prosper. The exceptional evolve at considerable speed and Michael Barlow and James Podsiadly, support from within the AFL, across a with its progression comes an two highly decorated VFL players. raft of areas, is much appreciated. Such interest flowed over to attendance Without doubt a highlight late in 2010 unswerving need to keep pace as fans recognised a competition that was the success we experienced at both on and off the field with all again lifted its status to new heights. the NAB AFL Draft with AFL Victoria The introduction of Gold Coast Suns to achieving its best result in recent times associated issues. the competition in 2010 created much with nearly 60% of the draft numbers Planning for football’s future is a interest and expanded the exposure of originating from our state. This result never ending charter. ” the VFL as far north as Cairns throughout is a credit to our High Performance the season. Managers, Regional Mangers and all Congratulations to coach Gerard associated with the talent pathways benefits of this are now becoming Fitzgerald and all involved in the VFL through the TAC Cup and VFL evident and this will continue to enhance team that travelled to West Australia and competitions. the support we can provide to aid the comprehensively defeated the WAFL. It During 2010 AFL Victoria struck a growth and development of the game. reinforced Victoria’s position as the best memorandum of understanding with the The 2010 year has seen a range of State League competition in the country. AFL Marketing department for the supply strategies developed and undertaken North Ballarat’s Stephen Clifton and Port of marketing development opportunities that have enabled AFL Victoria to move Melbourne’s Shane Valenti were worthy and event management support. This closer and gain greater insights into co-winners of the JJ Liston Trophy, arrangement continues to develop with competitions and community leagues in recognising the fairest and best player in pleasing results at this early stage. order to support them appropriately for the VFL. Football’s traditional landscape is the future. Williamstown full forward Matthew Little now virtually unrecognisable from a We are also at the early stages of claimed the Jim ‘Frosty’ Miller Medal for participation perspective. Multicultural internally considering what our support the competition’s leading goal kicker. development and the continued and operational structure could The return to a traditional Sunday emergence of female football, particularly look like for the future to ensure the 6 | AFL Victoria Annual Review 2010 Pathway: Dandenong Stingrays player Andrew McInnes was just one of the many TAC graduates selected in the 2010 NAB AFL National Draft. afternoon VFL Grand Final saw a spike stand alone VFL clubs, stand alone AFL hurdles to emerge triumphant in the AFL in the crowd who witnessed North clubs, aligned clubs and partially aligned Under 18 National Championships. Many Ballarat accomplish a third successive clubs. of those players as well as those who premiership, a truly outstanding represented Vic Metro featured in the TAC CUP performance. NAB AFL National Rookie Draft. Once again the TAC Cup proved the best AFL Victoria continues to investigate Congratulations to Calder Cannons on football nursery in the country. competition enhancements, particularly its TAC Cup premiership, the club’s About 60 percent of players selected regarding the interchange bench size in sixth flag in the past 10 seasons. Not in the 2010 NAB AFL National Draft the VFL seniors and reserves. surprisingly, many Cannons players were were TAC Cup graduates, a ringing As we move forward we will continue to drafted. endorsement of Victoria’s talented player research and develop the competition The introduction of Greater Western pathway. so a long term viable structure can be Sydney to the TAC Cup for