Zaparas Lawyers rejoins the Melbourne Victory family

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The club announced on Wednesday last week that it would be partnering once again with Zaparas Lawyers, reestablishing connections between two entities with strong ties to the Melbourne community.

Reuniting old partners

The connection between Melbourne Victory and Zaparas Lawyers, although recently announced, is far from new. They previously enjoyed a partnership spanning three seasons between 2017 and 2020, a period which saw the club finish as runners-up in the A-League Men’s Championship in 2017 and as champions in 2018.

Melbourne Victory Managing Director, Caroline Carnegie, revealed her excitement ahead of another season partnered with the Victoria-based law firm.

“We are excited to have reignited our partnership with Zaparas Lawyers, who have provided vital legal support to families across Victoria and been long-time supporters of football at all levels,” Carnegie said via press release.

“As the newest partners of the Victory Academy, we are grateful for the support Zaparas Lawyers will help us continue to provide for the next generation of talent coming through the Club and we look forward to continuing our relationship into the future.”

For Melbourne Victory, partnering with a dedicated and community-focussed team in Zaparas Lawyers gives plenty of reason to be optimistic. Zaparas has long-been committed to supporting Victorian clubs both on and off the field, proving to be a valuable source of support for youth development and long-term community growth.

A history of support

News of a reforged alliance between Zaparas Lawyers and Melbourne Victory comes as no surprise when considering the law firm’s commitment to supporting the football landscape in Victoria.

In December 2025, NPL VIC outfit, The Oakleigh Cannons, announced Zaparas Lawyers as their official grandstand sponsor of Jack Edwards Reserve. With connections to two clubs in the Victoria community, it is clear that Zaparas Lawyers remains as committed as ever to giving back to the community.

The mission going forward will be to continue making a positive, meaningful impact on the fans, players and future talents associated with football in Victoria.

 

About Zaparas Lawyers

Founded in 1981 as a family business, the firm has grown into a larger organisation of over 200 members. Their team of  dedicated professionals specialises in personal injury and compensation law, as well as addressing WorkCover, TAC (road accident), superannuation, public liability, occupational diseases and hearing loss.

For over 40 years, Zaparas Lawyers has developed into a law firm renowned for balancing compassion, expertise and a desire to truly help their clients get their lives back on track.

 

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FCA to Host Exclusive Two-Part Goalscoring Workshop Series with Dr Ron Smith

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Image Credit: box2box

One of Australian football’s most respected coaching minds shares decades of research ahead of the FIFA Men’s World Cup.

Football Coaches Australia (FCA) has announced an exclusive two-part coach education series featuring renowned coach educator and football analyst Dr Ron Smith, offering coaches a rare opportunity to explore the evolving science of goalscoring through the lens of one of Australia’s most influential football thinkers.

The online workshops, scheduled for June 1 and June 8, will examine the historical development, modern trends and future direction of goalscoring in football, drawing on extensive research that formed the foundation of Dr Smith’s doctoral studies.

For FCA, the sessions represent the culmination of more than a year of planning and provide a timely opportunity for coaches to deepen their understanding of attacking play ahead of the FIFA Men’s World Cup.

“Ron’s work on goalscoring has been years in the making and continues to evolve,” FCA President Ian Greener said.

“We felt there was no better time to bring this knowledge to the coaching community than in the lead-up to the World Cup, when coaches around the world will be analysing the game’s best teams and players.”

Across the two sessions, Dr Smith will present findings from his extensive research into goalscoring patterns and trends, examining how the game has changed over time and what coaches can learn from football’s biggest tournaments.

Topics covered throughout the series will include:

  • Historical analysis of goalscoring trends
  • How goalscoring has evolved in the modern game
  • Key patterns identified through Dr Smith’s research
  • Scoring trends across the last six FIFA Men’s World Cups
  • Comparisons between men’s and women’s World Cup tournaments
  • The role of pressing, transition moments and direct play in creating goals
  • Practical coaching implications for improving attacking performance

The two-part structure has been intentionally designed to build upon itself. Session One will focus on the evidence, data and research underpinning Dr Smith’s findings, while Session Two will explore the practical applications and coaching interventions that can emerge from that analysis.

Football Australia has accredited both workshops with one Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hour each, allowing coaches to earn two CPD hours by attending both sessions.

Dr Smith’s coaching and coach education credentials span decades. He has worked extensively with Football Australia, the Australian Institute of Sport and the Socceroos, while also holding coaching roles internationally in Iceland and Malaysia, as well as within the A-League.

His contributions to coach development have helped shape generations of Australian coaches, making this series a valuable opportunity for coaches across all levels of the game.

Event Details

History and Future of Goalscoring – Session One
Date: Monday, June 1, 2026
Time: 7:30pm AEST
Format: Online
CPD: 1 Football Australia-accredited CPD hour

Following the completion of the FIFA Men’s World Cup, FCA is also planning a special panel discussion featuring leading Australian and international coaching voices to analyse the key tactical developments, trends and lessons emerging from the tournament.

Further details regarding that event are expected to be released later this year.

FCA members can attend the workshops free of charge, while guest registrations are available through Eventbrite.

Football NSW calls on clubs to Make It Red for Heart Health Round

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Image Credit: Shutterstock

Football NSW is calling on clubs and associations across the state to register for the 2026 Make It Red campaign, joining a national awareness movement aimed at reducing heart-related deaths on sporting grounds ahead of Heart Health Round on the weekend of June 5 to 7.

The campaign, developed by the Heartbeat of Football Foundation, asks sporting clubs to wear red, raise funds and build awareness around heart disease and sudden cardiac arrest, which is the leading single cause of disease burden and death in Australia for both men and women, and one that health authorities say is largely preventable through modifiable risk factors.

The call to action comes as the Foundation continues its work to map and register Automated External Defibrillators across NSW sporting facilities, a project that has already engaged twelve football associations and fed data into both the NSW Ambulance GoodSAM registry and NSW Health’s public AED map. The availability of a functioning, registered AED on site is among the most significant determinants of survival following sudden cardiac arrest, with survival rates declining sharply for every minute without defibrillation.

Football NSW is encouraging clubs to engage with the campaign across three areas. Clubs can register for the Make It Red campaign to help fund research, education and prevention programs. Participants, particularly those aged over 35, are encouraged to seek a free heart health screening test from their local GP or enquire about hosting a Heartbeat of Football testing day. Clubs are also urged to ensure their grounds have active, accessible AEDs in place, with guidance available through Football NSW’s Rescue Ready Guide.

The Make It Red campaign runs from June 5 to July 12, with Heart Health Round taking place across the opening weekend. Clubs can register and access participation resources at makeitred.org.

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