Community football and netball clubs will get the chance to have their voices heard following AFL Victoria’s latest initiative.
Majority of the 11 AFL Victoria region commissions will soon have a club development lead as part of the governing body’s focus on ensuring grassroots football thrives in regional areas.
AFL Goulburn Murray is one of the hubs currently advertising for the newly-created position, one that the governing body hopes will help affiliated clubs with navigating existing and potential issues.
The role seeks to provide volunteers with on-the-ground support, minimise volunteer strain, assist club committees with specific issues and help up-skill volunteers through AFL programs and initiatives.
AFL general manager of game development Rob Auld joined AFLGM regional manager Shaun Connell earlier this week to help spruik the new position — which would be based out of the Shepparton head office.
“This role is in response to listening to the clubs of the region who are saying they want more support,” Auld said.
“I really believe this is one of the most important roles and we’re putting them in right around the state and we’re partnering with the commission.
“The blend of the local commission with the AFL funding creates a really great opportunity. This is a local resource for leagues and clubs, predominately clubs, to tap into.
“Putting someone full-time in who is dedicated to helping clubs ... this is a really important addition.
“They will then help us make better decisions because they will be a voice for the clubs.”
The club development lead will liaise with all affiliated clubs at all grades of the game in AFLGM — from Finley to Alexandra — and provide feedback to Connell on issues affecting each club respectively.
Connell stressed that the club development lead wouldn’t focus solely on member clubs in major leagues.
“We’ve got 82 clubs across our region and that’s how we’ll be approaching it,” Connell said.
“Clubs who are affiliated will be serviced by this club development lead.
“It’s an exciting opportunity and we want to get the right person into the role.
“It’s on-the-ground support for volunteers to make sure their clubs are running effectively, but also establishing a modern sustainable future, at the moment we’re trying to dilute ourselves with our operational staff who may not necessarily have the time ... we need someone who is going to be dedicated to do these roles.
“Ideally we would love someone who is a local ... but we just want to make sure we get the right person who is going to deliver and hit the ground running.”
Many regional football and netball clubs face a magnitude of issues post the COVID-19 pandemic.
Player and volunteer shortages and the need for upgraded and improved facilities dominate the AFL Goulburn Murray umbrella as clubs fight to keep the door open.
And in a time where local footy supporters are voicing their grievances towards the governing body, Auld acknowledged the growing sentiment amongst some in the community that the “AFL doesn’t do enough to help clubs”.
Auld said the AFL was committed to “listening to the noise” and it’s from that listening where this new club development lead position has sprung from.
“Take away the AFL, AFLW and Coates Talent League and we (AFL) exist to provide participation programs, facilities and community footy,” Auld said.
“Ideally we vest as much decision making authority in the hands of those leagues ... all the things that matter the most, what we want to create is a consistency with the way those leagues conduct themselves with regards to rules, regs, points, salary caps ... we don’t want to run leagues and clubs, we just want to support them with those three pillars.
“Which is not a commonly held belief, most (clubs and leagues) think we want to come and strip power away from them ... we want to make sure the way that it’s run is as fair and as equitable as it can possibly be and consistent, which is all most people want.”
Auld encouraged anyone involved in community football and has a desire to push the game and their community forward to throw their hat into the ring.
“The main thing we want is someone who has the passion for community and local footy,” he said.
“The person that really wants to make a difference to their community, that’s what is really important.
“Not someone who just lives in the region, it’s two different things.
“This sense of community and how you can progress community and make it bigger and stronger through footy is critical.”
To apply for the AFLGM position click here.