CONTENTS PARTNERS League Directory 1 Chairman’s Report 2 Chief Executive Officer’s Report 4 Senior Football Operations Report 6 Junior Football Operations Report 7 Football Umpiring Report 8 AFL Victoria Football Development Report 9 Netball Report 10 Netball Umpiring Report 11 Media Report 12 Division 1 Review 13 Division 2 Review 19 Division 3 Review 25 Women’s Review 30 Senior Representative 35 Juniors 36 Netball 43 Honour Roll 48 Financial Report 52 OUR VISION To provide the best and most inclusive sport to our community. OUR VALUES INCLUSIVE TRANSPARENT INTEGRITY CONTINUOUS We will create an inclusive We will be transparent, We will act with integrity IMPROVEMENT and quality environment authentic, respectful and honesty. We will challenge each for all. and fair. other to seek continuous improvement. NFNL ANNUAL REPORT 2019 1 LEAGUE DIRECTORY Registered Office Chief Executive Officer Director of Umpiring NFNL Office Peter McDougall Martin Ellis Unit 11, 10-14 Simms Road Football Operations Manager Junior Umpire Co-ordinator Greensborough 3088 Simon Devine Darren Goldspink Telephone 9435 8228 Junior Football Manager Honours Committee Facsimile 9432 0147 Paul Rogasch Jeff Parkes (Chairman) Website: www.nfnl.org.au Administration and Netball Manager Peter McDougall Facebook: northernfootballnetballleague Delwyn Berry Diana Pettie Twitter: @northernfnl Bronwyn Neeson Media Manager Instagram: Samuel Zito Disciplinary Committee northernfootballnetballleague Ian Percy (Chairman) Finance Manager Chairman Michael McLellan Byron Smith Michael McLellan Scott Walker Finance Officer Board Board Pre-Selection Committee Joanne Timewell Scott Walker (Vice-Chairman) Michael McLellan (Chairman) Nicolina Lademann Partnerships Manager Scott Walker Bronwyn Neeson Kate Lester (until September 5) Jeff Parkes Prof Russell Hoye Jeff Parkes Partnerships Co-ordinator Diana Pettie Kelly Walker (from October 15) Steve Sampson JUDICIARY Sarah Pike Tribunal Office Assistant Tribunal Members Kevin Smith John Garlick Sam Cusumano (Chairperson) Bill Torney Investigation Officers Jordan Collinson James Gaffey (Deputy Chair) Steve White Matthew Feben Darrell Holt (Deputy Chair) Appeals Panel Members Peter Griffiths Greg Hughan (Deputy Chair) Iain Findlay (Chairperson) Garry Holland Allan Brown Allan Brown James Marsden Kevin Clarke Kevin Clarke Andrew Cusumano Andrew Cusumano Tribunal Advocates Jordan Collinson Trevor Finch Trevor Finch Matthew Feben Kevin Smith Robert Mutton Peter Griffiths Diana Olsson Garry Holland UMPIRING PANEL Umpire Observers Les Miller Field Umpire Coach Neville Coutts Adrian Pekin Steve Hanley Vic Filipou Brian Moore Josh Forner Jason Smith Boundary Umpire Coach Scott Gaunson Gerard Large Northern Umpires Association President Harrison Hasouras Daniel Henery Goal Umpire Coach Shane Herbert Craig Herman Dianne Herman Netball Umpire Coach Amanda Dale Junior Umpire Coach Simon Hubber Peter James Peter James Netball Umpire Mentor Steve Kocjancic Ann Castles Development Squad Coach David Kuchmar Neville Nash REPRESENTATIVE FOOTBALL PROGRAM Men’s Representative Football Coach Women’s Representative Asst. Coaches Under-14 Boys Representative Coaches Garry Ramsay Laura Frazer Rick Allan Men’s Representative Asst. Coaches Alyssa Mifsud Glen Indian Jimmy Atkins Steve Richards Under-15 Boys Representative Coaches Jimmy House Junior Representative Co-ordinator Owen Blizzard Jono Manzoney Rick Le Gassick Jason Robertson Women’s Representative Football Coach Junior Representative Administrator Under-15 Girls Representative Coaches Caroline Kilmartin Lisa Kankaanpaa Phil Howe Colin Wallington REPRESENTATIVE NETBALL PROGRAM Open Representative Coach Under-19 Representative Coach Netball Representative Asst. Coaches Julie Hibberd Jacqui Harrington Bec Colwell and Jacinta Tonkin 2 CHAIRMAN Chairman On behalf of the directors of the Northern Football Netball League, I present the League’s Annual Report for the 2019 season. The NFNL had a remarkable year in 2019, with In the Heidelberg Golf Club Division 3 grand The representative football program will be overall participation reaching a record number final, Panton Hill defeated a very youthful taking a recess in 2020 as AFL Victoria reviews of 10,299 registered players across both our South Morang side. Congratulations to the current structure of the Championships. football and netball competitions. Panton Hill on a great season, which was This means we will hold on to the coveted capped with a premiership win – just the number one spot until at least 2021. I would like to acknowledge all our clubs who club’s second in its time in the NFNL. make up these wonderful numbers. Thanks Another major achievement from the 2019 to the presidents, committees and volunteers In our senior women’s football competitions, season was former Montmorency and for their hard work and dedication throughout VU Western Spurs took out two of the three Yarrambat junior Gabby Newton being the year to make his possible. premierships. The Spurs won the ANZ Division selected by the Western Bulldogs with the No. 1 Women’s grand final in a great contest 1 pick in the AFLW Draft. She was one of 11 I would like to take this opportunity to again against Diamond Creek Women’s and proved players selected in this year’s women’s draft congratulate the Club of the Year winners too good for Heidelberg in the MC Security to have played football in the NFNL. for the 2019 season. Well done to Kilmore Division 2 Women’s premiership decider. The AFL Draft had not taken place at the time Football Netball Club on claiming the Senior Congratulations to all involved with the Spurs of print, but we hope to see more of our boys Club of the Year and to Montmorency Junior on a great season. realise their AFL dream and continue the Football Club for winning the Junior Club of Greensborough claimed its first women’s recent success we have had with players being the Year. Congratulations to Paul Maher, football premiership by taking out the Mirvac drafted. In fact, seven former NFNL players Darren Rigg and your respective clubs for Division 3 flag with a close grand final win over were part of Richmond’s 2019 premiership this outstanding achievement. the VU Western Spurs. It was a memorable team – namely skipper Trent Cotchin, Josh The Meadows Greyhounds Division 1 Grand decider and well done to the Boro on achieving Caddy, Dylan Grimes, Kane Lambert, Dion Prestia, Jayden Short and Nick Vlastuin. Final was contested by West Preston- an historic feat in the club’s proud history. Lakeside and Greensborough and proved In what was one of the year’s major highlights, Our netball competition once again continued to be a game to remember. West Preston- our NFNL men’s representative football team to expand in 2019. A total of 1,145 participants Lakeside scored an upset triumph by played off for the number one spot on the AFL competed this year and it is a figure that 12 points in a gripping contest, where Victoria Worksafe Community Championships is continually growing. This year we had 94 winter teams, while 44 teams are registered scores were level at three quarter time. rankings. We headed to Highton’s Queens in our 2019-2020 summer competition. We Congratulations to West Preston-Lakeside on Park to take on the Geelong Football Netball also saw great development in our umpiring winning back-to-back premierships, the first League and were deserving winners on the ranks under the guidance of Amanda Dale club to do so this decade. day. We now hold the number one ranking and Ann Castles. Whittlesea and Banyule met in the grand in Victoria – something everyone associated with the league should be very proud of. final of the A Plus Labour Solutions Division Our junior football team and player numbers continue to impress across both the boys 2 competition. Congratulations to Whittlesea Congratulations to Garry Ramsay, his fellow and girls competitions. This year 271 junior on winning the premiership and earning coaching team, along with the players and football teams competed in the Northern promotion straight back to the top flight. volunteers involved in the program. You all Football Netball League. It was the Eagles’ fourth flag from their represented the league with distinction and past four seasons in second division – should all be commended for what you have Our junior representative program continues a remarkable achievement. achieved. to provide a development opportunity for the League’s most talented junior players. We are proud to be associated with the Northern Knights and Carlton Football Club and their Next Generation Program. Congratulations to all the players who were selected to participate in the junior representative programs in 2019 and I hope you enjoyed a memorable experience. Thanks to the coaches, team managers and other support staff involved in these programs. We couldn’t run the program without your dedication and support. Our umpiring program, led by Martin Ellis, continues to be viewed as a benchmark across other metropolitan leagues. Our umpire academy continues to train and foster young talented umpires in the region. This, along with the mentoring program that Martin has implemented, is certainly increasing our umpiring numbers and development in both the senior and junior competitions. I would like to thank Martin NFNL ANNUAL REPORT 2019 3 and his team for all their hard work. We are fortunate to have successful and experienced umpires like Martin and Darren Goldspink working with our up and coming umpires. Their hard work is resulting in a high standard of officiating across the competition. In 2019 we announced our new partnership with La Trobe University, which will house our new headquarters. The facilities are state of the art and we are looking forward to moving to the new premises in early 2020. I would like to thank everyone involved in this project, which will have great benefits for our League. I would like to acknowledge the work that Chief Executive Officer Peter McDougall and his team have undertaken to deliver yet another successful year. We are fortunate to have such a professional and dedicated team of people working to deliver an outstanding competition across football and netball.