Samantha Farrow becomes the new CEO of Capital Football

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Image via Capital Football website

Capital Football have confirmed that Samantha Farrow is the new Chief Executive Officer, effective from Monday, February 12.

Samantha arrives in Canberra with nearly 10 years’ experience as CEO at Surf Life Saving NT, previously, Samantha held key talent identification positions at the Australian Sports Commission in the lead up to the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Despite her lesser involvement in football, Farrow has experience in sports administration and community engagement as well as working closely with key stakeholders to build significant growth and improvements to the organisations she has worked for.

Samantha Farrow explained that she has a huge role to play in the potential growth of football in the capital.

“I would describe myself as an open approachable person, with a strong belief in community who loves to pursue a challenge. I know the task ahead is one that holds a great deal of interest to so many participants and supporters of the game here in ACT. I look forward to making a positive contribution to all involved,” she said in a Capital Football statement.

Capital Football chair, Angelo Konstantinou expressed his excitement at the new appointment and fresh start for Capital Football.

“We are delighted to have Samantha leading the office into the next exciting chapter. There’s so much going on, and so much to look forward too.” he added in a statement.

“We can’t wait to work alongside Samantha as the game continues to grow in the region. The Board would like to thank David Palywoda and the Capital Football staff who continued to remain committed to the running the office and all our functions under difficult circumstances over the past few months, we are grateful to them all.”

A huge task for Farrow will be the completion of the Home of Football in Throsby. On the 22nd of July, 2023, the Estate Development Plan for the $33.5 million Throsby Home of Football project was approved. Construction is scheduled to start in 2024 and the delays it has experienced so far since its initial plan in 2019 has been a big issue for Canberra United’s recruitment and the state’s football development.

Canberra United, who currently sit last in the A-League Women’s competition, are the only professional football team in the state and they currently play their home games in McKellar Park before they eventually move into Throsby.

Farrow will also have to weigh up the prospect of putting in another bid for a capital expansion team in the A-League Men’s competition after Auckland edged them out of the latest spot last November.

This appointment could certainly prove to be a substantial one and the federation has opted to go with Farrow’s experience to steer the ship and help football significantly grow in the state on all levels.

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Football Victoria Backs Campaign to Shield Junior Players from Gambling Harm

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More than 600 sporting clubs across Victoria have enrolled in a state government program designed to limit young players’ exposure to gambling, with Football Victoria now urging its community clubs to join before a late-July registration deadline.

The Love the Game initiative asks clubs to formally commit to a set of principles: refusing sports betting sponsorships, developing internal harm prevention policies, and building environments where coaches, parents and players are equipped to discuss gambling risks with children.

The program’s public health rationale has a sharper statistical edge than its community-facing materials suggest. A 2025 study of Victorian secondary school students aged 12 to 17 found that nearly 30% had gambled at some point, and among those who had gambled in the past year, 7.5% met the criteria for problem-gambling and a further 26.8% were classified as ‘at-risk’. The research, commissioned by the state government and published earlier this year, also found that students exposed to gambling venues and advertising were more likely to gamble or to do so in a risky manner.

The most recent Victorian Population Gambling Study found that Victorians aged 18 to 24 are the group least likely to gamble overall, yet carry the highest rates of harmful gambling across all age groups. Young people aged 18 to 34 are around five times more likely to bet on sports than older cohorts.

When the data lands at the clubhouse door

Football Victoria’s support for the program reflects a broader recognition within community sport that participation rates and club culture are connected. The environments clubs create shape whether young people stay in sport and what norms they carry with them into adulthood. For football specifically, which draws participants across a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds, that responsibility is not evenly distributed. Approximately 440,000 Victorians, or 8.5 per cent of the state’s population, are classified as being at some risk of experiencing problem gambling.

The Victorian Government’s program gives clubs more than symbolic membership. Registered clubs receive practical tools to develop governance frameworks around gambling harm, resources for coaching staff and volunteers, and standing as part of a growing network of clubs taking a formal position on the issue.

Researchers have described the current framing of gambling harm as a matter of personal responsibility as inadequate, arguing it is a public health issue requiring a systemic response. Community football clubs, with their reach into households across the state, are one of the institutional levers available to make that response visible.

Melbourne Victory driving strong partnerships with BYD

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The innovative vehicle manufacturer will join the Victory family as a Major Partner and Exclusive Motor Vehicle Supplier in a 12-month deal.

 

Elite performance, accessible for all

The alliance between Melbourne Victory and BYD reflects both parties’ commitment to progress, efficiency and high performance. It brings together two organisations who share vision and values, two fundamental aspects of any successful partnership.

On one hand is a rapidly growing and community-connected manufacturing company with over 100 sites, intent on providing reliable vehicles to Australian families. On the other, a successful club in the heart of Melbourne, with ambitions to progress on the pitch while regularly engaging with the community.

Melbourne Victory Managing Director, Caroline Carnegie, commented on the strong foundations of the partnership with BYD.

“Founded only a decade apart, there is a shared history of, and ambition for, continued accelerated growth between Melbourne Victory and BYD.”

“Not only is there a clear alignment of our vision and values to lead, unite, connect and inspire, but a mutual commitment to creating a better future for our communities.”

 

Delivering for the community

As part of the partnership, BYD’s branding will feature on Victory’s home and away jerseys, as well as across the Academy, media and Community assets.

Moreover, the agreement comes as a response from Victory to members and fans’ wishes for not just any vehicle partner, but one which is appropriate and coherent to their day-to-day lives. And as BYD Australia Chief Operating Officer, Stephen Collins, explained, the new energy vehicle manufacturer is driving far more than just passengers.

“We are thrilled to join forces with Melbourne Victory, a club that shares our relentless drive for performance and innovation,” expressed Collins.

“As the exclusive vehicle supplier, we’re not just providing new energy mobility; we’re supporting the team’s journey towards a more sustainable future.”

New energy, new partner and new ambitions for Melbourne Victory, who will compete on the international stage next season in the AFC Champions League Two.

And with a partner like BYD to back them, players and fans in the Victory family will be hoping it is the start of a journey to success.

 

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