Football Queensland launches Protect Our Game initiative

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Protect Our Game Initiative
Image credit: Football Queensland

Football Queensland have introduced the Protect Our Game initiative, taking the lead in the fight against abuse.

With the launch of the Protect Our Game project, Football Queensland has reaffirmed its commitment to eradicating bad behaviour from the game. The organisation is also taking the lead in combating abuse by implementing a bold and effective Three Strike Policy and new reporting system.

The Three Strike Policy applies to clubs where instances of abuse or misbehaviour directed at referees or other members of the football community – from spectators, club officials, team officials, players and clubs – are reported.

Strikes do not replace sanctions or penalties that may be applied or issued to individuals, as a consequence of breaches of the FQ Disciplinary Regulations, or any other conduct that may have occurred in circumstances associated with the determination of a strike. The enforcement outcome of a strike will always be ‘in addition to’ any individual’s disciplinary determination.

“It has been alarming to see a considerable increase in reports of abuse, particularly against referees, and other forms of unacceptable behaviour both on and off the field this season,” FQ President Paula Robinson said via press release.

“More than 1,200 red cards have already been issued in 2023, while off the field we’ve received many reports of concerning incidents involving players, parents and referees.

FQ CEO Robert Cavallucci added in a statement:

“As the state’s governing body, Football Queensland recognises the importance of leading the way in developing and investing in the necessary policies to support and protect our participants across the state”.

“Our referees in particular play a crucial role in the delivery of our game, and we must do everything we can to ensure football remains a safe place for match officials and for all who love our game.

“As we roll out a strengthened Three Strike Policy and new reporting mechanism after the initial launch of Protect Our Game last year, we’re calling on all participants, spectators and club members to help us eliminate poor behaviour from our game by reporting any instances of abuse, violence and other incidents through the new QR code process.”

The Three Strike Policy came into effect from Monday, July 10 2023 and applies to all new incidents from this date.

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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.

Football NSW supports Female Coaches CPD as Women’s Football Surges

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Football NSW has used the platform of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup to deliver a targeted professional development workshop for female coaches, bringing together scholarship recipients for an evening of structured learning and direct engagement with elite women’s football.

Held at ACPE last month, the session was open to female coaches who received C or B Diploma scholarships through Football NSW in 2025. Coaching accreditation carries a financial cost that disproportionately affects women, who are less likely to have their development subsidised by clubs or associations operating in underfunded community football environments. Scholarship access changes that equation at the point where many women exit the pathway.

Facilitated by Football NSW Coach Development Coordinator Bronwyn Kiceec, the workshop focused on goal scoring trends from the tournament’s group stage, with coaches analysing attacking patterns and exploring how those insights could translate into their own environments. The group then attended the quarter-final between South Korea and Uzbekistan at Stadium Australia.

The structure of the evening mattered as much as its content. Female coaches in community football rarely have access to elite competition environments as a professional resource. The gap between the level at which most women coach and the level at which the game is analysed and discussed tends to reinforce itself. Placing scholarship recipients inside a major tournament, as participants rather than spectators, closes that gap in a way that a classroom session cannot.

Female coaches remain significantly underrepresented across all levels of the game in Australia. The pipeline that will change that depends not only on accreditation access but on the professional networks, peer relationships and exposure to elite environments that male coaches have historically taken for granted.

The workshop forms part of Football NSW’s ongoing commitment to developing female coaches through scholarships and structured learning opportunities.

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