Northern NSW Football launches Indigenous Reference Group

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Northern NSW Football (NNSWF) has announced the exciting formation of its inaugural Indigenous Reference Group.

The group is made up of seven highly respected members of the football community – including former Matilda Gema Simon, Moree FC’s Darrel Smith and Mick Hugo from South Cardiff FC, as well as Casey Manton (Metford Cobras), Casey King (Italo Stars), Kaliela Thornton (Tamworth FC) and Mat Moncreif.

The group met for the first time virtually on Thursday night (February 3), with the initial meeting a success.

NNSWF Female Participation and Inclusion Officer Annelise Rosnell facilitated the meeting and was thrilled with the positive start for the group.

“It was a really good beginning. We were able to open some initial dialogue on what we want to achieve and how we want to go about it,” she said.

“We have some amazing people who have joined the group and I know given their knowledge and experience we have the ability to make some real progress in this area.

“Our aim is to work together on Indigenous football activities and how NNSWF can better engage Indigenous communities, players, coaches and referees.

“There is plenty of hard work to do but this was certainly an encouraging start.”

NNSWF’s Indigenous Reference Group will meet at least quarterly, but more frequently if needed during the season. Rosnell will report recommendations to NNSWF, which will be factored into the Member Federation’s decision-making process.

NNSWF have been taking positive steps towards connecting with the region’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage.

The Member Federation launched its inaugural RTC Group Indigenous Round across its Premier Competitions last season, in conjunction with National Reconciliation Week.

NNSWF also introduced its first RTC Group NNSWF Talented Indigenous Scholarships to provide assistance to eight Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander recipients from the Hunter Region and regional northern NSW across playing, coaching and officiating.

The scholarships will again be available in 2022, with details on how to apply made available soon.

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Football Has the Audience. Does It Have the Commercial Strategy?

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Image Credit: One Nil Media

Soccerscene has launched Survey 4: Commercial Confidence in Football, calling on clubs, sponsors, governing bodies, commercial leaders and football industry professionals to assess whether the game is making the most of its enormous commercial potential.

Football has the audience, participation base and community reach to be one of Australia’s most powerful commercial platforms. But does the industry have the commercial strategy, professionalism and infrastructure required to turn that potential into sustainable growth?

That is the question at the centre of Soccerscene’s latest industry research.

The survey examines how attractive grassroots football is to potential commercial partners, what industry professionals believe is limiting football’s commercial potential, and whether clubs are presenting themselves professionally enough to sponsors.

It also explores what sponsors value most when engaging with football – from community reach and participation scale to brand alignment, values and purpose – as well as whether improved facilities could directly contribute to stronger sponsorship outcomes.

Is football fully capitalising on its commercial opportunity?

Football continues to provide brands with access to highly engaged communities across grassroots, community and elite environments. Yet the commercial landscape remains fragmented, with clubs operating with vastly different levels of resources, capability, governance, media infrastructure and commercial expertise.

Soccerscene’s survey is designed to capture the industry’s perspective on where the opportunities exist – and where football may be leaving commercial value on the table.

The research will look specifically at four key areas:

  • Commercial attractiveness – How attractive is grassroots football as a commercial partnership?
  • Commercial barriers – What is holding football back from reaching its full commercial potential?
  • Club professionalism – Are clubs presenting themselves effectively and professionally to sponsors?
  • Sponsor value – What are sponsors really looking for when they invest in football?

The survey also asks whether better facilities would have a direct impact on sponsorship outcomes, highlighting the potential relationship between infrastructure, commercial presentation and investment.

Have your say

Soccerscene is encouraging football clubs, sponsors, commercial professionals, governing bodies, administrators, media professionals and industry stakeholders to participate.

The findings will contribute to Soccerscene’s ongoing program of industry research, designed to provide a clearer picture of the challenges and opportunities facing football and the organisations operating within it.

Take the Survey: Commercial Confidence in Football

Complete the Commercial Confidence in Football Survey here

The survey will close on 30 August 2026 at midnight, with responses received before the deadline included in the final analysis.

Football has the audience. The question is whether it has the commercial strategy to match.

Barnsley FC’s under-17s pathway delivers six Zone League debuts in 2026

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Barnsley FC has integrated six of its under-17s players into first and reserve grade football during the 2026 Zone League season, the Hunter Valley club has confirmed.

The elevations include a debut in goal at first grade level and a goal scored by another player promoted to third grade, as the club continues to formalise the pathway connecting its junior and senior programs across the 2026 season.

Team Operations Coordinator Josh Boote said the movement of players between grades had been a deliberate focus through the season.

“We have had six boys from the under-17s come up and play Zone League, with one making his debut in goals in first grade,” Boote said.

Barnsley FC head coach Jacob Avellis said the under-17s squad had trained and competed alongside senior sides throughout 2026.

“The under-17s have been a part of our season all season. We support them, they support us,” Avellis said.

Zone League is the third tier of competition within Northern NSW Football, administered jointly by Newcastle Football, Macquarie Football and Hunter Valley Football, the three sub-federations covering the region. The competition spans three divisions and around 35 clubs across more than 10 local government areas.

Clubs can be promoted from Zone League into Northern League One, the tier above, while individual players who progress through zone competition remain eligible for representative selection at state level.

Midfielder Oliver Cousin was handed the reserve grade captain’s armband late in a recent match, a decision the club attributed to his consistency and development through the season. Barnsley FC described the appointment as an example of the club’s junior-to-senior structure in practice.

Avellis said the club’s junior programs continued to depend on volunteer coaches and administrators to function alongside its representative pathway.

“They are all keen to get up in Zone League and be a part of the squad. The potential within those teams is unreal,” Avellis said.

Barnsley FC positioned the approach as part of a broader aim to retain local talent as players progress through age groups, a persistent challenge for clubs operating across the Hunter region’s geographic spread.

The club said its focus for the remainder of the season and into 2027 would be on formalising the pathway further, including clearer criteria for movement between grades and continued integration of junior training with senior programs.

Part of a wider strategic push

Northern NSW Football oversees development across the Hunter, Central Coast, Mid North Coast and New England regions, with Zone League forming part of a broader structure that includes representative and state pathways feeding into national systems.

The club-level movement aligns with a priority set out in NNSWF’s 2024 to 2026 Strategic Plan, which includes Talent Development for All as one of four core pillars alongside participation, facilities and governance.

NNSWF has previously stated the plan has driven measurable growth in registrations and competition strength across the region, including in women’s and girls’ football, since it was introduced.

A new strategic plan covering 2027 to 2029 is in development, with NNSWF engaging Sports Advisory Partners Australia to lead consultation with clubs, zones, volunteers and staff across the coming months.

Barnsley FC positioned its own pathway work at under-17s level as consistent with that broader direction, with junior and senior programs run under a single club structure rather than managed as separate entities.

The club’s first and reserve grade Zone League sides are scheduled to continue through the competition’s regular season before finals, with the under-17s squad remaining integrated into senior training in the interim.

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