Progress underway in Geelong’s push for a regional football hub

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Regional Football Hub in Geelong: A New Era
Image Credit: Football Victoria

Football Victoria has welcomed recent engagement with Deputy Prime Minister the Hon Richard Marles MP, as well as ongoing discussions with State Member for Lara Ella George MP, City of Greater Geelong Councillor Eddy Kontelj, and other key regional stakeholders, as part of a growing movement to establish a dedicated Regional Football Hub in Geelong.

Recent advocacy has underscored Geelong’s rapid population growth and rising football participation rates. Current data reveals a clear infrastructure gap, with no high‑quality, multi‑pitch venue capable of hosting major events and programs, unlike other key regional centres.

State Member for Lara, Ella George MP, voiced her strong backing for the proposed hub, stating:

“We’ve seen massive growth in football across Geelong in recent years – particularly as the Matildas continue to inspire the next generation of women and girls!”
She added,
“One opportunity is a future Regional Football Facility in Geelong – a world class sporting facility that could support more statewide community competitions and deliver elite football events to Geelong. And I’d love to see this in Geelong’s North!”

Football Geelong Chair Mike McKinstry and Deputy Chair Rob Palmaricciotti continue to rally support from the local football community, drawing the attention of Cr Eddy Kontelj, who remarked on the “support, enthusiasm and commitment to deliver such an important piece of infrastructure in the north of Geelong [as] extremely encouraging.”

Beyond the Regional Hub, Football Victoria’s advocacy extends to ensuring long-term, sustainable local infrastructure that meets growing demand, from grassroots programs and community football to talent development pathways.

Planning continues in partnership with the City of Greater Geelong, including early-stage master planning and consultation for key sites in Geelong’s south such as the new Coastside Drive Recreation Reserve and future upgrades at Sovereign Drive Reserve. These projects add to the upcoming delivery of works at Drysdale Sports Precinct and the new Devlin’s Road Reserve, developments partly funded following the recent federal election.

As these new sites come online, Council’s ongoing support will be critical in addressing demand across Geelong’s high-growth corridors and creating opportunities for the next generation of footballers.

“We’re excited to be working with all levels of government and local leaders who recognise the role football plays in bringing communities together,” said Football Victoria’s Head of Government Relations & Strategy, Lachlan Cole. “Our shared vision alongside the City of Greater Geelong is about more than just pitches – it’s about delivering inclusive, accessible, and future-focused facilities for people to referee, coach, play, and connect.”

With continued collaboration and united advocacy, Geelong is positioning itself to meet the needs of its thriving football community, now and into the future.

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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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Image Credit: Shutterstock

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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