VFL ROUND 12 JUNE 28-29, 2014 $3.00 BBombersombers fl y ooverver CCoburgoburg EEssendonssendon 118.10.1188.10.118 d CCoburgoburg 110.13.730.13.73 AFL VICTORIA CORPORATE PARTNERS NAMING RIGHTS PREMIER PARTNERS OFFICIAL PARTNERS APPROVED LICENSEES EDITORIAL Female footballers are kicking goals One of the undoubted highlights of the recent seasons has been the extraordinary emergence, growth and development of female football at all levels across Victoria. What is particularly pleasing is the interest and Football Club, as a full time development coach at St Kilda participation at all levels of the game from Under 12 Football Club. community league competitions through to the Victorian In addition, AFL Victoria’s VFL and TAC Cup umpiring group Women’s Football League (VWFL). added Lucinda Lopes to their ranks as the fi rst female AFL Victoria took over the administration and management fi eld umpire appointment in 24 years, another great of the VWFL prior to the start of the 2014 season. In 2013, achievement. the VWFL had 27 clubs and 34 teams this has grown to 31 Off the back of this positive growth on fi eld, the AFL earlier clubs and 41 teams playing in 6 Divisions in 2014. this year reinforced their commitment to greater inclusion In the long term, we would like to elevate the VWFL of women in the industry by establishing a three year Premier Division into an aspirational State League gender strategy that consists of the following four key competition that attracts the best Victorian players. We pillars. need to support the VWFL clubs to do this. Leadership & community: Building career pathways and This evolution refl ects positively on a number of aspects implementing targeted development initiatives for female including the hard work, commitment and resolve of those talent on and off the fi eld. who are coordinating and managing the VWFL clubs. Participation: Growing the number of females playing our Underage girls’ football continues to grow at a staggering game through a clear participation pathway. Ultimately, the rate and is the fastest growing segment of the game with AFL aspires to having a national women’s competition. nearly 80% growth nationally since 2011. Retail: Actively engaging the strong female fan base In Victoria, since dedicated junior and youth girls through a whole lifestyle approach that will include a competitions (2009 to 2014) were integrated into the new ready to wear women’s range and a tailored fi tness management of Victorian community leagues and their program called AFL Active. clubs, the number of dedicated female junior/youth teams has grown from 32 to 147 teams (over 450% increase). Communication: The AFL is looking to establish a Female Advisory Council to help steer the development of the There are now many community leagues and region key programs, activities and events that will underpin the commissions in the country looking to implement U12, strategy. U15 and U18 girls’ football competitions which is really pleasing. This Sunday women’s football will be showcased with the second annual AFL Women’s Exhibition Match between the As these girls are getting older the number of players and Western Bulldogs and Melbourne football clubs at Etihad clubs at senior women’s levels is also increasing, as clubs Stadium (starting at 10.10am), a curtain raiser to the AFL look to capitalise on these opportunities to grow. game between the two clubs later that day. Another indication of the increasing involvement of women in the game came recently with the appointment Grant Williams of Peta Searle, a former assistant coach at Port Melbourne AFL Victoria General Manager Editor: Anthony Stanguts anthony.stanguts@afl vic.com.au Contributors: Adrian Dunn, Dave O’Neill, Kate Mitchell Design & Print: Cyan Press Photos: AFL Photo’s (unless otherwise credited) Visy Park, Gate 3, Royal Parade, Carlton Nth, VIC 3054 Advertising: Ryan Webb (03) 8341 6062 GPO Box 4337, Melbourne, VIC 3001 AFL Victoria General Manager: Grant Williams Phone: (03) 8341 6000 | Fax: (03) 9380 1076 State League & Talent Manager: John Hook www.afl vic.com.au High Performance Managers: Anton Grbac, Leon Harris Talent Operations Coordinator: Rhy Gieschen Cover photo: Josh Mellington, Essendon. Talent Operations Coordinator: Lauren Bunting www.vfl .com.au 1 MEDIA COVERAGE ABC TV Saturday June 28: Frankston vs Essendon, 1pm Next Week: Sandringham vs Port Melbourne VFL Radio Sunday June 29: Werribee vs Coburg. From 1:30pm Live on Digital Radio via Aussie, Red Time Sport and SEN I-Phone Apps, online via vfl .com.au or sen.com.au and on Vision Australia Radio on 1179AM Next game: Northern Blues vs Collingwood Casey Radio Saturday June 28: Casey Scorpions vs Williamstown, 1pm Tune to 97.7fm in Melbourne, via the web at www.caseyradio.com.au, or on the Tune In Radio app on your smart phone. Next game: Richmond vs Casey Scorpions Tiger Radio Saturday June 28: Collingwood vs Richmond, 1:45pm Users can listen by downloading Richmond’s app, via the iTunes App Store or Google Play, and choose ‘VFL Radio’ in the menu or via link on www.richmondfc.com.au SEN Thursday July 3 The Peter Jackson VFL Show 8:30pm – 9pm FOXTEL Tuesday July 1, 8:30pm FOXTEL Cup Semi Final: East Perth vs Williamstown Peter Jackson VFL Podcast Visit the VFL website each Tuesday for the Peter Jackson VFL Podcast. Join Michael Leeds and Anthony Stanguts this week as they analyse the round, and chat to special guests. This week: former Werribee now North Melbourne AFL player Ben Brown, North ballarat’s Oliver Tate & Collingwood’s Mat Suckling. Find the link on vfl .com.au or search ‘AFL Victoria’ on SoundCloud VFL Online Keep up to date with the Peter Jackson VFL via the following methods: Website: www.vfl .com.au @VFLnews #PJVFL www.facebook.com/vfl footy 2 www.afl vic.com.au Q & A WITH GRANT WILLIAMS Q & A with Grant Williams Midway through the Peter Jackson VFL season, the VFL record has sat down with AFL Victoria General Manager, Grant Williams to capture his thoughts on the competition and Victorian football as he prepares to take on a new challenge with the AFL. VFL Record: Football’s landscape has changed dramatically and quickly, what differences have noticed during your time at AFL Victoria? Grant Williams: When I started with AFL Victoria before the 2011 season there was 13 clubs/teams in the Peter Jackson VFL, now there is 16. We have seen Bendigo, Coburg and Williamstown stand alone as VFL clubs while Essendon, Richmond and Western Bulldogs also fi eld standalone VFL teams. As an extension we have seen games now played at old traditional VFL club home bases like Punt Road, Windy Hill and Whitten Oval. The Peter Jackson VFL continues to play a meaningful role in the player pathway with willing to support the game. It is through these volunteers 33 players selected in the various AFL drafts over the past and their diligence, hard work and commitment to their few years. 26 of these players have progressed to play at clubs and by extension the game that provides the game its least one AFL game. strength and popularity. While volunteering is sometimes The evolution of the competition has seen the standard hard work, it can also provide some great rewards and and quality of football in the Peter Jackson VFL continue to friendships on which you cannot put a price. We should improve. Increased staff and resources at VFL clubs and the never take this for granted and AFL Victoria salutes all those expertise of the people employed at these clubs have played volunteers who put their heart and soul into their league, a critical role in this overall improvement. club or umpiring group every week and, in many cases, for The TAC Cup competition continues to be the No 1 breeding years! ground in the country for AFL players, providing about 50 percent of the new players drafted into AFL ranks annually. It VFLR: With the AFL so all-encompassing in terms of also now accommodates more games from the best players media exposure is it having a detrimental effect on from other states and territories. grass roots football? GW: In terms of the national competition, the saturation VFLR: Where do you see the strengths of Victorian coverage of the AFL in Victoria is the envy of other states. football? The fact that the game is so popular and generates mass GW: The strength of Victorian footy is in the footprint the coverage helps protect the game against our competitors. game has in the community. There are over 140,000 players Many local leagues around the State are recording increased in structured competitions around the State. The network attendance levels and support for their clubs that have a of community leagues and clubs is signifi cant and vast; unique link with the local community that the AFL cannot the game has developed a strong community presence and replicate. People at these clubs are part of their local connection. communities and they want to contribute to and be part of The game is also fortunate that there are so many volunteers their local football club. There is still strong evidence, based www.vfl .com.au 3 Q & A WITH GRANT WILLIAMS VFL football has returned to the Whitten Oval. Photo: Shane Goss on attendances, to indicate community football maintains its Recent increases in participation levels are fantastic, strong attraction for communities. particularly among girls and women, but this growth The more successful the AFL competition is nationally, the presents venue access and capacity issues for leagues more benefi ts that will fl ow back down to state bodies and and clubs.