$750,000 facilities boost for Noranda City

Staff Writer

Noranda City have several reasons to celebrate their 45th anniversary season, thanks to hard work behind the scenes to develop the club.

Members are set to enjoy brand new changeroom facilities at their Noranda Sports Complex home, with a $750,000 investment from the Federal Government.

An upgrade to the existing two changerooms will extend the pre-existing building to include four new accessible changerooms – two for females and two for match officials.

The new facilities will increase participation at the club for women and girls, boost wider membership numbers and cater to users at the neighbouring Morley Noranda Recreation Centre.

Noranda City President Shaun Ennis views the project as one that would make a big difference in attracting and retaining members.

“Our club has been going through tremendous growth, and to allow us to go to that next level at Noranda City Football Club, we need these changerooms to accommodate more female participants,” he said.

News of this investment aligns with Football Australia’s #Equaliser campaign, an initiative supporting the Community Facilities pillar of its Legacy ’23 Plan. This aims to deliver adequate female-friendly facilities across the country and shine a spotlight on the urgent need for female-friendly facilities.

“The support in upgrading facilities plays a vital role in providing infrastructure and playing platforms to meet the increasing surge of female participation at clubs,” Football West Female Football Manager Sarah du Plessis said.

“It is fantastic for Noranda City FC to be a recipient of this grant and I look forward to seeing the new developments positively impacting the club and community football.”

Noranda City

Laying the platform for an investment like this, Noranda City has been immersed in a range of club development activities to help build a stronger club. These include:

  • Completing the Football Australia National Club Development Program and Football West Participation Agreement
  • Building an engaging new website for current and future members
  • Promotion of the Healthway’s Think Mental Health message on all training kits to raise mental health awareness
  • Implementing resources from the Football West Club House for good governance
  • Involvement in the United Reds Football League inclusive program

“Noranda City has been committed to becoming the best club it can be off-the-field. Congratulations to Shaun Ennis, the committee and all volunteers because these are the rewards for hard work,” Football West Club Engagement Lead Abid Imam said.

Ennis added:

“The National Club Development Program was a fantastic exercise and we encourage every club to consider doing this with Football West as there is a lot that can be improved at every club.”

“We were excited to learn that by working with Football West over the past six months we scored a four out of five, which was fantastic to see.

“One major benefit we found was it allowed us to connect with the Healthway Think Mental Health program, which our club has supported this year by having this on our training gear. Thank you again for your support.”

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Victory unites with Roasting Warehouse in culture-led partnership

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Image credit: Melbourne Victory

The Melbourne-based anf family-owned business will join the Victory family, uniting two institutions which represent the city’s culture and identity.

A partnership with local roots

As the newest partner of Melbourne Victory, Roasting Warehouse joins forces with a vital part of the city’s sporting landscape.

The club’s Managing Director, Caroline Carnegie, outlined why the partnership bears so much value to both parties.

“We are excited to collaborate with Roasting Warehouse, a community-oriented destination for high-quality coffee, proud of its foundations in Melbourne,” said Carnegie via official media release.

“Football and coffee sit at the epicentre of Melbourne’s culture. The two go hand-in-hand, consistently at the centre of the conversation that stirs Melburnians, which is no different to the conversation sport and Melbourne Victory stir in the State.”

Indeed, this is a partnership which combines the identity, passions and culture of an entire city, therefore giving it the foundations required for long-term, mutual success.

Representing the best of Melbourne

Both Victory and Roasting Warehouse are hugely successful in their respective industries. They are institutions with community-oriented philosphies, who pride themselves on craft and quality.

“We’re incredibly proud to partner with Melbourne Victory, a club that represents the heart, passion, and ambition of Melbourne,” revealed Roasting Warehouse Head of Brand, Alexander Paraskevopoulos.

“As a Melbourne-founded, family-run business, supporting a team that means so much to the local community feels very natural for us.”

Furthermore, through their high-quality blends, Roasting Warehouse will look to prepare Victory’s players and staff for high performances on the pitch as the seasons nears completion.

But this is about far more than just fueling athletes.

This is a partnership which embodies and unites two of Melbourne’s greatest strengths and cultural markers – a connection forged from the city’s very own DNA.

 

For more information about Roasting Warehouse, click here.

Marie-Louise Eta makes history as new Union Berlin head coach

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Image credit: FC Union Berlin

In an historic appointment, Eta will take over as head coach of Union Berlin until the end of the season.

History in the making

Previously the first female assistant coach in Bundesliga history with Union Berlin, Eta will now take the reigns of the men’s first team on an interim basis.

Currently, the club sit in 11th place in the Bundesliga table, but with only two wins so far in 2026, relegation appears an all-too-real prospect, and one which the club is desperate to avoid.

“Given the points gap in the lower half of the table, our place in the Bundesliga is not yet secure,” said Eta via official media release.

‘I am delighted that the club has entrusted me with this challenging task. One of Union’s strengths has always been, and remains, the ability to pull together in such situations.”

Eta will begin as Union’s new head coach with immediate effect, and will be in the dugout for the club’s matchup against Wolfsburg this weekend.

 

A step into an equal future

Eta’s appointment signals a major step towards a more level playing field in the football landscape.

Furthermore, Eta joins other coaches including Sabrinna Wittmann, Hannah Dingley and Corinne Diacre who, in recent years, have blazed a trail for female coaches to step into the men’s game.

Wittmann currently manages FC Ingolstadt in Germany’s third division, and was the first female head coach in Germany’s top three divisions.

In 2023, Dingley became caretaker manager of Forest Green Rovers, and thus the first woman to lead a men’s professional team in England.

Diacre, now head coach of France’s women’s national team, managed Ligue 2’s Clerment Foot between 2014 and 2017.

 

Final thoughts

The impact therefore, is that Eta’s appointment will show future generations of aspiring female coaches that men’s football is an equally viable and possible pathway as the women’s game.

The time is now to level the playing field.

And while it may be a short-term role, its effect on attitudes towards equality and fair opportunities in the game will hopefully resonate long after the season ends.

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