Behind the smiles and celebration, a crisis looms for Gippsland football

On Tuesday night, May 19, AFL Gippsland officially launched a wholesale review of all aspects of league operations, which they are calling a “collaborative 10-year vision for the future of football and netball across Gippsland”.

To be staged over the next 19 months, starting with consultation between AFL Victoria/AFL Gippsland and local leagues and clubs, the process is targeting approval and implementation by “2028 onward”.

What’s ironic, however, is that on the eve of one of the games greatest-ever players, Scott Pendlebury, breaking though for his record-making 433rd game, at the place where it all started, in Sale, they can’t put enough Under 18 players together to field a team in the Gippsland league.

If that’s not sounding alarm bells at the highest levels, it should be.

In the football-mad town of Wonthaggi, Bass Coast’s only major-league club, Wonthaggi Power, went through the same problem a few years ago and had to move heaven and earth to relaunch its Under 18s in 2025.

Their next round, at a level where young players need to be playing every week, on Saturday, May 30, they have a bye because there’s no match scheduled for them at Sale.

It’s indicative of the main problem facing football today, the transition between Auskick and junior football, through the Under 16s and Under 18s, to senior football and potentially, to the very top level of the sport as exemplified by the greatest-ever Gippsland footballer, on the eve of his most celebrated moment.

AFL Gippsland posted details of the meeting on its website:

“On Tuesday, 19th May 2026, AFL Gippsland officially introduced the Gippsland Charter at a combined meeting of Senior and Junior Heads of Leagues hosted at Lowanna College.

“With all local leagues, Netball Victoria, and regional Umpire Associations in attendance, the meeting marked a landmark collective commitment to work towards a collaborative 10-year vision for the future of football and netball across Gippsland.

“The evening also served as a formal welcome to AFL Gippsland’s new Region Council Chair, Karen Cain, who was officially introduced to stakeholders.”

Among those in attendance was Acting Chair of the West Gippsland Football Netball Competition Board, John White.

We asked him about what happened on the night.

• I understand you represented the West Gippsland league at the Gippsland Charter launch on Tuesday at which all leagues, Netball Victoria, and regional Umpire Associations were in attendance. What was the main thrust of the meeting?

“They don’t like to call these things a “review” because they feel there can be negative connotations of that following a long history of reviews such as the failed G25, but it was basically a launch of what they’re calling a “collaborative 10-year vision for the future of football and netball across Gippsland”,” said Mr While.

“They’ve set out a timeline, which has been published, holding consultations with leagues and clubs from May this year to February next year, setting their priorities from March 2027 to December 2027 and then implementation from 2028 onwards.

“But the reality is there are issues which are presenting themselves right now that need to be addressed that won’t wait until 2028,” he said.

• Was there time for Q&A and discussion?

“Not as much as I would have liked but of the eight questions that were asked, six of them were about the problems transitioning young players from participation levels at Auskick, Juniors and Youth through to seniors.

“I have a lot of contact across Gippsland and other country leagues and it’s a consistent problem right through, with good participation at the younger levels but difficulty getting the kids through to Under 16s and especially Under 18s.

“They put up some slides about growth across all areas but that’s certainly not been my recent experience. That’s where the problem really begins. You’ve got good engagement in Auskick and in juniors, up to say 15, but that’s when the kids are walking away, not progressing through to the Under 16s and especially Under 18s and then through to senior football.

“I don’t need to single out individual clubs, it’s right across the board.”

Mr White said there was lively discussion during a networking break, but he would have liked to see more time for feedback and opportunity to address specific issues.

• Was there much comment about the health of netball across the Gippsland region?

“Not really, although a Netball Vic representative was in the room.”

The leagues across the region, but not the clubs, were invited.

Leongatha Football Netball Club President Mal Mackie is one of those still waiting to hear what transpired.

“We don’t know anything about it. Yeah, there’s been talk but they’ve had that many reviews, our heads are spinning,” Mr Mackie told the Sentinel-Times this week.

“I imagine they’ll tell us when they’re ready.”

Mr Mackie acknowledged that the transition to senior football was the difficult one for many clubs.

“We did miss a year with our Under 18s a few years ago, but we’ve got OK numbers at the moment, and Wonthaggi has done a great job getting their Under 18s going again.

“The bigger towns will usually be alright. Sale’s the exception at the moment, but it’s the smaller clubs who are struggling with this the most.”

The challenges for clubs and leagues across Gippsland aren’t limited to transitioning young male footballers through foundation programs including Vickick and junior football, to the senior levels, as much as it has been highlighted as the biggest risk to the game right through to the AFL.

Some of the other problems include:

• Salary caps and player payments
• The player points system
• Uncompetitive teams
• The league structures
• Loss of employment and therefore players for more remote country clubs and leagues
• Falling numbers of volunteers
• Female facilities for netball and football

More to come.