Lara has withdrawn its A Grade side from the upcoming Geelong Netball League season just weeks after the club’s senior and reserves football teams suffered the same fate.
AFL Barwon said Lara felt it could not field a “competitive and sustainable A Grade netball team in 2026” and, like its two senior football sides, will enter recess for the season.
Lara Sporting Club has appointed a Future Planning Group (FPG) to recommend a viable, sustainable pathway across the entire football and netball programs.
The departure of senior footballers has had a “flow-on effect” according to the club. With footballers moving to other clubs, so have their partners and families “many of whom were players across our A, B and C Grade sides”, Lara SC said in an email to members on Monday 16 March.
Former Football Geelong chief executive Phil Clohesy will head the FPG, which has been established to: analyse the reasons why the football and netball clubs have reached the current situation; develop a realistic return-to-competition model for senior football; and recommend structural, cultural, and operational changes required to support sustained on-field performance and off-field excellence, ensuring long-term viability across the football and netball sections.
“Our board has designed a charter that sets FPG’s role to recommend a viable, sustainable pathway across the entire football and netball programs, including senior and junior netball and senior men’s football,” Lara Sporting Club president Louise Goodwin said.
The FPG will also include Kate Patterson (AFL Barwon chief executive), Sarah Naylor (AFL Barwon head of football), Bruce Petering (retired AFL regional manager and former AFL regional commissioner), Shana Miatke (Lara netball), Mark Guthrie (Lara football) and Jason Hewitt (Lara juniors). It is expected that the FPG will deliver its findings by July this year.
The club will field B, C, D and E Grade and junior netball teams this season along with senior women’s and junior football.
“The AFL Barwon board has approved an exemption to By-Law 14.2, which states that all clubs must field teams in senior and reserves football, and in all netball grades from A Grade down,” AFL Barwon said.
“As a result, Lara FNC will not field an A Grade netball side in 2026. No further changes will be made to the 2026 Blood Toyota Geelong Football Netball League fixture, with a bye scheduled in place of Lara FNC’s A Grade side.”
Ms Goodwin said in the message to members that “this is a one-season decision only, and the netball section is already actively working toward a strong return in 2027”.
“We are in discussions with players currently recovering from injury, and have received genuine interest from players keen to compete at GFNL level next season,” she said.
“The foundations are being laid now.”
