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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Boroondara Eagles Secure Landmark Victory as Macleay Park Set to Become NPLW Home

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Image Credits: Boroondara Eagles

A long-awaited breakthrough for the Boroondara Eagles Football Club has brought the vision of a permanent home for women’s football one step closer, with Boroondara City Council endorsing plans for an NPLW-compliant pitch at Macleay Park.

For the Eagles, the ambition to provide women with deserving facilities took a significant step forward this week after the Boroondara City Council committed to upgrading the pitch as part of the Macleay Park Masterplan.

This masterplan involved new sports lights on Macleay Park Oval 3 but failed to see any further development to the soccer facilities or the Boroondara Eagles until Monday night.

The decision marks a defining moment in the club’s history and provides a platform for sustained growth, particularly for its thriving women’s and girls’ football programs.

While the resolution represents an important planning milestone, its significance extends well beyond the construction of a new playing surface. It signals a commitment to ensuring female footballers have access to facilities capable of supporting elite development pathways while remaining connected to their local community.

Purpose-built facilities remain one of the biggest challenges facing women’s football across Australia. As participation continues to surge, many clubs have outgrown venues originally designed around significantly smaller player bases.

For a club that has experienced rapid growth in recent years, the announcement provides the opportunity to establish a permanent home capable of meeting the demands of National Premier Leagues Women’s football.

The investment also reflects a broader shift within local government and football stakeholders towards recognising the infrastructure required to support the continued growth of the women’s game.

The Council’s decision was underpinned by strong community support, with players, families, coaches, volunteers and supporters filling the Council Chamber in a powerful display of unity.

The overwhelming attendance demonstrated the depth of connection between the club and the local community, highlighting how football facilities can become important social and sporting assets beyond matchday.

Although the inclusion of the NPLW-compliant pitch within the Macleay Park Masterplan represents a significant victory, the project remains at the beginning of its journey.

Funding, planning and delivery will now become the focus as the Boroondara Eagles works alongside Council, partners and the wider community to bring the Macleay Masterplan to life.

The club has already called on local businesses, sponsors and community members to become involved in the next phase, recognising that delivering modern sporting infrastructure is a collaborative effort.

Should the project progress as envisioned, Macleay Park has the potential to become more than simply the club’s home ground. It could emerge as a center point for women’s football in the local Boroondara community, supporting participation, talent development and community engagement for years to come.

For the Boroondara Eagles, the Council resolution is not the destination—it is the foundation upon which the club can build its next chapter.

Tottenham Hotspur deliver player development workshop for Football NSW

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Image credit: Football NSW

The workshop focused on sharing knowledge and insights regarding player development, bringing together more than 120 coaches from across NSW with those from Tottenham Hotspur.

 

Experience, insight and education

Valentine Sports Park hosted the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) workshop, uniting Football NSW coaches and members of Tottenham Hotspur’s coaching staff to encourage discussion and learning opportunities about player development.

Tottenham’s player development pathway – from the academy to the first team – has produced some of the most respected names in Premier League history, including Harry Kane and Ledley King.

Under the leadership and guidance of Tottenham Hotspur Player & Coach Pathway Co-ordinator (and UEFA A Licence Coach), Jimmy Martin, as well as members of Tottenham’s coaching staff, Shannon Maloney, Kevin Moffatt and Tyler Blackwood, the workshop was a unique opportunity to learn from some of the most experienced coaches in the game.

“Coach education is a vital part of developing football across NSW, and having more than 120 coaches attend this workshop highlights the appetite within our football community to continue learning and improving,” explained Football NSW Head of Football, Edward Ferguson.

Ferguson continued to outline the value of learning from an organisation like Tottenham Hotspur, a team who have helped grow some of the game’s most exceptional talents. The lessons taken will consequently help to inform future approaches to coaching in NSW.

“The focus remains on creating better learning environments for players, encouraging decision-making, creativity and long-term development.”

What the workshop involved

The workshop encouraged coaches to dive into all aspects of player development: the technical, tactical, physical and mental aspects which contribute to the English academy setup.

Furthermore, Maloney, Moffatt and Blackwood – all of whom helped deliver a practical session for attendees – showed how a club’s playing identity can work alongside challenging training environments for players.

Game understanding, creative problem-solving and technical proficiency underpinned the main themes driving the workshop. In an age where individual expression on the pitch appears a dying art, Tottenham Hotspur coaches remain committed to encouraging players to feel confident adapating to a range of in-game scenarios.

Football NSW coaches were also able to attend a Q&A session with King, who spoke about his playing experiences for both club and country.

 

Final thoughts

As Australia continues to nurture the current and upcming generations of talented footballers, workshops such as this are a vital, fundamental part of the journey.

The fastest way to be among the best is to learn from them. The aim now is for Football NSW coaches to take the lessons learned, and apply them to football development in their own academies and teams across the state.

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