# AFL Barwon Female Football

AFL Barwon Female Football is a women's Australian rules football competition based in the greater Geelong region. The first season of senior football held for women in the area was 2018. The senior competition has since swelled to three divisions incorporating 20 teams. A further eight underage girls divisions are also competed for in the 2023 season.

## Background

AFL Barwon is the governing body overseeing Australian rules football in the Geelong and greater district. After many years in which only junior girl's competitions were organised, a senior women's football competition commenced in 2018 under the banner of AFL Barwon Women's Football. Rather than being organised by the GFL, GDFL, or the BFL, the competition is managed under the AFL Barwon banner. The competition was renamed to AFL Barwon Female Football ahead of the 2019 season.
2018 inaugural season competing teams:
* Bellarine Football League:
       Barwon Heads; Drysdale; Geelong Amateur; Ocean Grove
* Geelong Football League:
       Grovedale; Lara; St Joseph's; St Mary's
* Geelong & District Football League:
       Bell Post Hill; Geelong West Giants; North Geelong
* Colac & District Football League:
       Colac Imperials
The competition has held grading games at the start of the seasons in 2018, 2021–2024 in order to compose divisions to try to make matches as competitive as possible.
In March 2024, following extensive consultation AFL Barwon announced that the competition would transition from playing mostly on Sundays to scheduling Saturday matches from 2025.

## Current clubs
### Division 1

| Club | Colours | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | AFL Barwon Seasons | AFL Barwon Senior Premierships | AFL Barwon Senior Premierships |
| Club | Colours | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | AFL Barwon Seasons | Total | Most recent |
| Barwon Heads | | Seagulls | Howard Harmer Reserve, Barwon Heads | — | 1922 | 2018– | 1 | 2018 |
| Geelong Amateur | | Ammos, Pegasus | Queens Park, Highton | — | 1926 | 2018– | 2 | 2023 |
| Grovedale | | Tigers | Burdoo Reserve, Grovedale | — | 1947 | 2018– | 1 | 2024 |
| Lara | | Cats | Lara Recreation Reserve, Lara | — | 1880 | 2018– | 0 | — |
| St Mary's | | Saints | Kardinia Park West, South Geelong | — | 1953 | 2018– | 1 | 2019 |
| Thomson | | Tigers | Thomson Recreation Reserve, Thomson | — | 1953 | 2023– | 0 | — |
| Torquay | | Tigers | Spring Creek Reserve, Torquay | — | 1952 | 2019– | 0 | — |

### Division 2

| Club | Colours | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | AFL Barwon Seasons | AFL Barwon Senior Premierships | AFL Barwon Senior Premierships |
| Club | Colours | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | AFL Barwon Seasons | Total | Most recent |
| Anglesea | | Roos | Ellimatta Reserve, Anglesea | — | 1963 | 2021– | 2 | 2024 |
| Drysdale | | Hawks | Drysdale Recreational Reserve, Drysdale | — | 1879 | 2018– | 0 | — |
| Geelong West Giants | | Giants | West Oval, Geelong West | — | 2017 | 2018– | 1 | 2022 |
| Newtown & Chilwell | | Eagles | Elderslie Reserve, Newtown | — | 1933 | 2021– | 0 | — |
| South Barwon | | Swans | McDonald Reserve, Belmont | — | 1990 | 2021– | 0 | — |
| St Joseph's | | Joeys | Herne Hill Reserve, Herne Hill | — | 1973 | 2018– | 1 | 2022 |

### Division 3

| Club | Colours | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | AFL Barwon Seasons | AFL Barwon Senior Premierships | AFL Barwon Senior Premierships |
| Club | Colours | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | AFL Barwon Seasons | Total | Most recent |
| Barwon Heads | | Seagulls | Howard Harmer Reserve, Barwon Heads | — | 1922 | 2018– | 1 | 2018 |
| Belmont Lions | | Lions | Winter Reserve, Belmont | — | 1965 | 2024– | 1 | 2024 |
| Geelong Amateur | | Ammos, Pegasus | Queens Park, Highton | — | 1926 | 2018– | 0 | — |
| Grovedale | | Tigers | Burdoo Reserve, Grovedale | — | 1947 | 2018– | 0 | — |
| Modewarre | | Warriors | Mt Moriac Recreation Reserve, Mount Moriac | — | 1879 | 2023– | 1 | 2023 |
| North Geelong | | Magpies | Osborne Park, North Geelong | VWFL | 1876 | 2018– | 2 | 2019 |
| St Albans | | Supersaints | St Albans Reserve, Thomson | — | 1880 | 2021– | 0 | — |

## Former clubs

| Club | Colours | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | AFL Barwon Seasons | AFL Barwon Senior Premierships | AFL Barwon Senior Premierships | Fate |
| Club | Colours | Nickname | Home Ground | Former League | Est. | AFL Barwon Seasons | Total | Most recent | Fate |
| Bell Post Hill | | Panthers | Myers Reserve, Bell Post Hill | — | 1976 | 2018 | 0 | - | In recess |
| Colac Imperials | | Imperials | Western Reserve, Colac | — | 1922 | 2018-2021 | 0 | - | In recess |
| Ocean Grove | | Grubbers | Shell Road Reserve, Ocean Grove | — | 1964 | 2018-2019 | 0 | - | In recess |

## Premiers
### Division 1

| † | Team also won the minor premiership for finishing on top of the ladder |
| Season | Premiers | Runners-up | Score | Venue | Best on ground | Ref. |
| 2018 | North Geelong† | St Mary's | 6.5 (41) d. 2.3 (15) | Burdoo Reserve | — | |
| 2019 | St Mary's | Geelong Amateur | 6.4 (40) d. 4.5 (29) | Bisinella Oval | — | |
| 2020 | Season cancelled due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. | Season cancelled due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. | Season cancelled due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. | Season cancelled due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. | Season cancelled due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. | Season cancelled due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. |
| 2021 | Not awarded | Not awarded | Not awarded | Not awarded | Not awarded | Not awarded |
| 2022 | Geelong Amateur† | St Mary's | 4.5 (29) d. 0.3 (3) | Herne Hill Reserve | Cheryl de Groot (Geelong Amateur) | |
| 2023 | Geelong Amateur† | Grovedale | 4.10 (34) d. 2.1 (13) | Herne Hill Reserve | Danielle Sgarbi (Geelong Amateur) | |
| 2024 | Grovedale† | Geelong Amateur | 2.8 (20) d. 1.6 (12) | Bisinella Oval | Taylah Hassett (Grovedale) | |

### Division 2

| † | Team also won the minor premiership for finishing on top of the ladder |
| Season | Premiers | Runners-up | Score | Venue | Best on ground | Ref. |
| 2018 | Barwon Heads | Colac Imperials | 4.9 (33) d. 4.8 (32) | Burdoo Reserve | — | |
| 2019 | North Geelong† | Drysdale | 3.8 (26) d. 0.1 (1) | Bisinella Oval | — | |
| 2020 | Season cancelled due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. | Season cancelled due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. | Season cancelled due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. | Season cancelled due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. | Season cancelled due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. | Season cancelled due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. |
| 2021 | Not awarded | Not awarded | Not awarded | Not awarded | Not awarded | Not awarded |
| 2022 | St Joseph's† | Torquay | 5.3 (33) d. 3.2 (20) | Herne Hill Reserve | Tamika Lewis (St Joseph's) | |
| 2023 | Geelong West Giants† | Thomson | 3.5 (23) d. 3.4 (22) | Herne Hill Reserve | Teagan Tatlock (Thomson) | |
| 2024 | Anglesea | St Joseph's | 5.9 (39) d. 3.5 (23) | Bisinella Oval | Ella Nickolaus (Angelsea) | |

### Division 3

| † | Team also won the minor premiership for finishing on top of the ladder |
| Season | Premiers | Runners-up | Score | Venue | Best on ground | Ref. |
| 2021 | Not awarded | Not awarded | Not awarded | Not awarded | Not awarded | Not awarded |
| 2022 | Anglesea† | South Barwon | 6.6 (42) d. 2.3 (15) | Herne Hill Reserve | Ruby Manson (Anglesea) | |
| 2023 | Modewarre | North Geelong | 6.0 (36) d. 1.8 (14) | Herne Hill Reserve | Monique Martin (Modewarre) | |
| 2024 | Belmont Lions† | Modewarre | 1.7 (13) d. 1.2 (8) | Bisinella Oval | Ashleigh Feehan (Belmont) | |

## Best and Fairest Award
### Division 1

* 2018 — Charlotte Thorne (North Geelong) 39 votes
* 2019 — Stephanie Abfalter (Geelong Amateur) 19 votes
* 2021 — Isabella Hill (Grovedale) 21 votes
* 2022 — Alana Tully (Grovedale)
* 2023 — Danielle Sgarbi (Geelong Amateur)
* 2024 — Janessa Fitzgerald (Grovedale) 19 votes

### Division 2

* 2018 — Emma Allen (Barwon Heads) 23 votes
* 2019 — Charlotte Thorne (North Geelong) 27 votes
* 2021 — Temikka Beeston (North Geelong) 18 votes
* 2022 — Tara Smith (Drysdale)
* 2023 — Daisy Wilson (South Barwon)
* 2024 — Elara Dillon (South Barwon) 19 votes

### Division 3

* 2021 — Charlotte Simpson (St Joseph's) 18 votes
* 2022 — Maggie Caudullo
* 2023 — Tara Smith (Drysdale)
* 2024 — Monique Martin (Modewarre) 14 votes

## Leading Goalkickers
### Division 1

* 2018 — Ashleigh Bond (St Mary's) 28 goals
* 2019 — Ashleigh Bond (St Mary's) 23 goals
* 2021 — Bianca Cheever (St Mary's) & Rhianna Arnold (Geelong Amateur) 16 goals
* 2022 — Allesha McLean (St Mary's) 25 goals
* 2023 — Lucy Were (Geelong Amateur) 23 goals
* 2024 — Emily Kenshole (Thomson) 27 goals

### Division 2

* 2018 — Teagan Barber (Colac Imperials) 23 goals
* 2019 — Melissa Egan (Drysdale) 61 goals
* 2021 — Melissa Egan (Drysdale) 20 goals
* 2022 — Bianca Deckker (Drysdale) 28 goals
* 2023 — Emily Kenshole (Thomson) 31 goals
* 2024 — Bella Gilham (St Joseph's) 32 goals

### Division 3

* 2021 — Charlotte Simpson (St Joseph's), Rebekah Lane (South Barwon) & Camille King (Anglesea) 21 goals
* 2022 — Rebekah Lane (South Barwon) 28 goals
* 2023 — Bianca Deckker (Drysdale) 24 goals
* 2024 — Dakota Harrington (St Albans) 24 goals

## Sponsorship

The divisions has had the following organisations as naming rights partner for each season:
* 2018:
       Epworth Health (Division 1)
       Corio Bay Health Group (Division 2)
* 2019, 2021–present:
       Epworth Health (Divisions 1–3)

## Representative matches

In May 2019, an AFL Barwon Female Football representative team coached by Geelong AFLW player Melissa Hickey, and captained by Barwon Heads' Emma Allen, played the Northern Football Netball League.
| | 2019 WorkSafe AFL Victoria Championships | 2019 WorkSafe AFL Victoria Championships | 2019 WorkSafe AFL Victoria Championships | | |
| Saturday, 18 May 2019 (9:50 am) | AFL Barwon Female Football | def. | Northern Football Netball League | Queens Park, Highton | Report |
| | 2.3 (15) 2.4 (16) 3.6 (24) 5.7 (37) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 0.1 (1) 0.4 (4) 1.5 (11) 2.7 (19) | | |
| E. Allen 3, L. McClelland, T. Knox | E. Allen 3, L. McClelland, T. Knox | Goals | S. Cross, T. Olcorn | S. Cross, T. Olcorn |
| E. Allen, E. Oliver, S. O'Dea, C. Thorne, M. Janssen | E. Allen, E. Oliver, S. O'Dea, C. Thorne, M. Janssen | Best | C. O'Bryan, N. Blythe, K. Cobern, D. Bonde, S. Nyawela, D. Hallett | C. O'Bryan, N. Blythe, K. Cobern, D. Bonde, S. Nyawela, D. Hallett |