In Principle Agreement Reached for New Regional Governance Structure

AFL NSW/ACT Regional Manager, Simon Smyth has announced to clubs that AFL NSW/ACT, AFL Hunter Coast and the Black Diamond AFL have come to an “in principle” agreement to merge Junior and Senior football into a new Local Football Entity for 2018.

After months of protracted negotiations, late on Friday afternoon agreement between all three parties was reached, with the big winners being the Junior & Senior Clubs in the region. As part of the plan, it was announced that the Junior & Senior Football Operations roles would become full time, along with the addition of a Full Time Community Football Manager dedicated to the Hunter & Central Coast Region and resourcing to assist with Media Support. The expansion to current roles and addition of new roles will be funded by AFL NSW/ACT, which represents an unprecedented investment in Football within our region, which will drive improved outcomes in Club Development, Strategy, Junior/Senior Alignment and Club Education.

To compliment the increased staff, a single seven person board will be formed, with Four members elected by clubs and a further three members appointed by AFL NSW/ACT. Junior Regional Committees will be disbanded, however the board will look to recruit Sub-Committees to assist with the provision of Representative Football and other projects as determined by the incoming Board.

In order to begin the transition to the new structure, Special General Meetings of the current Black Diamond AFL & AFL Hunter Coast entities will be held in order for clubs to ratify the proposed new structure. One of the first tasks of the new Board will be to assist with the implementation of the new Senior Club in the Newcastle LGA, the Wallsend-West Newcastle Swans.