The Geelong Regional Football Committee (GRFC) is the governing body of soccer in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. It is a sub-committee of governing body Football Victoria.
 | |
| Abbreviation | Football Geelong, GRFC, GRFA |
|---|---|
| Formation | (1926 as Geelong and Western District Soccer Association) |
| Type | Regional Sporting Association |
| Legal status | Active |
| Location | |
Region served | Geelong, Australia |
Parent organisation | Football Victoria / Football Australia |
| Website | https://footballgeelong.com/ |
It was previously known as the Western Victoria Soccer Association, later becoming the Geelong Region Football Association (GRFA).
Local leagues
The GRFC organises local Geelong community competitions which consist of Miniroos & MiniTillies from ages 7 to 9 years plus Junior Divisions from ages 11 to 18. Member Clubs also contain Mens & Womens teams; both Senior and Reserve team.
Representative squads
GRFC's representative squads compete in the Annual tournament of the Country Championships, an annual Junior tournament established in 1978 by the Country Leagues Football Association (CLFA).
It attracts both male and female regional representative players aged 11 years to 17 years old, coaches, officials and spectators over 3 days of competition, to determine and crown State Champions.
The event takes place each year in June on the King's Birthday long weekend. Each year Geelong competes against teams from all over Regional Victoria including Bendigo, Shepparton, Moama-Echuca, Albury/Wodonga, Gippsland, Goulburn, Latrobe Valley, Swan Hill, South West Victoria and Sunraysia.
Current clubs
edit| Clubs | Est. | Home ground/Stadium |
|---|---|---|
| Armstrong United FC | 2018 | Armstrong Creek Sporting Oval |
| Barwon Heads Soccer Club | 2008 | Barwon Heads Community Park |
| Barwon Soccer Club | 1992[1] | Grovedale Reserve |
| Bell Park Sport Club | 1959 | Bell Park Sports Club, Batesford |
| Bellarine Sharks AFC | 2004 | St Leonards Lake Reserve |
| Geelong City Football Club
(Formerly Breakwater Eagles) |
1964 | Howard Glover Reserve, East Geelong |
| Colac Otway Rovers AFC | 2010 | Beeac Recreation Reserve |
| Corio Bay Sports Club | 1986 | Evans Reserve, Norlane |
| Corio Soccer Club | 1955 | Hume Reserve, Bell Park |
| Deakin Ducks FC | 1978 | Deakin University Sports Precinct, Waurn Ponds |
| Drysdale Soccer Club | 2009 | Drysdale Recreation Reserve |
| FC Leopold | 2016 | Estuary Boulevard Recreation Reserve, Leopold |
| Geelong Galaxy United FC | 2016 | Hume Reserve, Bell Park |
| Geelong Rangers | 1955 | Myers Reserve, Bell Post Hill |
| Geelong SC | 1958 | Stead Park, Norlane |
| Golden Plains Soccer Club | 2012 | Bannockburn Recreation Precinct |
| Lara United | 1999 | Lara Recreation Reserve |
| North Geelong Warriors | 1967 | Elcho Park, Lara |
| Ocean Grove SC | 1996 | Shell Road Reserve, Ocean Grove |
| Surfcoast FC | 2001 | Banyul-warri Fields, Torquay |
Men's team ranking
editAs of 2024[update]
| Team | Division |
|---|---|
| North Geelong Warriors FC | Victoria Premier League 2 |
| Geelong SC | Victoria Premier League 2 |
| Corio Soccer Club | Victorian State League Division 1 North-West |
| Geelong Rangers | Victorian State League Division 2 North-West |
| Surf Coast | Victorian State League Division 4 West |
| Bell Park Sports Club | Victorian State League Division 4 West |
| Golden Plains Soccer Club | Victorian State League Division 4 West |
| Barwon Soccer Club | Victorian State League Division 4 West |
| Lara United FC | Victorian State League Division 5 West |
| Deakin Ducks Football Club | Victorian State League Division 5 West |
| Ocean Grove Soccer Club | Victorian State League Division 5 West |
| Geelong City Football Club
(formerly Breakwater Eagles) |
Geelong Division 1 |
| Armstrong Creek United | Geelong Division 1 |
| Drysdale S.C | Geelong Division 1 |
| Barwon Heads F.C. | Geelong Division 1 |
| FC Leopold | Geelong Division 2 |
| Bellarine Sharks | Geelong Division 2 |
| Corio Bay F.C. | Geelong Division 2 |
| Colac Otway Rovers F.C. | Geelong Division 3 |
Cup competition
editThe Geelong Community Cup is an annual pre-season soccer tournament held in the region since 1981.
Notable players
editThe following players have played football for GRFC clubs and have represented senior men's or women's national teams.
Francis Awaritefe - North Geelong Croatia (North Geelong Warriors)[2]- Steve Horvat - North Geelong Croatia (North Geelong Warriors)[3]
- Josip Skoko - North Geelong Warriors[4]
- Matthew Spiranovic - North Geelong Warriors[5]
- Kris Trajanovski - West Geelong SC (Geelong SC)[6]
- John Gardiner - Hamlyn Park Rangers (Geelong Rangers)[7]
Joey Didulica - North Geelong Warriors [8]
Frank Munro - Hamlyn Park Rangers (Geelong Rangers)[9]
Life members
editLife members of either Geelong Region Football Association, Western Victoria Soccer Association, Football Federation Victoria that have served primarily in the region.
Former teams
edit| Teams | Years active (if known) |
|---|---|
| Brintons SC | 1964-1991. Became Eastern Park in 1991.[17] |
| British | 1956 |
| Bellarine United | 1985 |
| Barwon City | |
| Belmont | 1967 |
| Corio Cloverdale | |
| DSG (Dutch Society Geelong)[18] | 1956 |
| East Geelong FC | 1985-93 (Merged with Geelong).[19] |
| Elcho Park Cardinals | |
| Geelong Espanol | |
| Geelong City[20] | 1914 |
| Geelong Celtic FC | 1950-1951[21] |
| Geelong Scottish | 1955. Became Hamlyn Rangers [21] |
| Geelong Olympic Sports Club[22] | 1984- |
| Geelong United | 1923-31, 1934 - 1936 |
| Geelong United | 1951 |
| Geelong United FC | 1977 - 1987 (Merged with Corio SC) |
| H.M.A.S. Brisbane[23] | |
| Ford Recreation[24] | |
| International Harvester FC[25] | 1950 -1953 [21] |
| Industrial Service Engineers Pty Ltd FC | |
| IAMA club (Italian Australian Migrants Association) | 1955 |
| Kardinia International College | |
| Lovely Banks Kiev | 1987 [21] |
| Northern Suburbs | 1979 |
| Norlane Olympia | 1955 [21] |
| Norlane Juliana[21] | |
| Shell[26][27] | 1953 |
| Toldi | |
| Union Jack[28] | |
| Queenscliff Garrison[29] | |
| West Geelong | 1965-1984. Became East Geelong [21] |
| Zagreb | 1958-1960 [21] |
History
editRead a brief history of Soccer in Geelong.
See also
editExternal links
editReferences
edit- ^ Barwon Soccer Club Strategic Plan 2020-2025 https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/files.pitchero.com%2Fclubs%2F67143%2F7CjgcgpLS8GnazOPOxko_Barwon+Strategic+Plan+Final+Version.pdf
- ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Francis Awaritefe (Player)". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
- ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Steve Horvat (Player)". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
- ^ "Optus Sport". sport.optus.com.au. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
- ^ "Matthew Spiranovic announces his retirement from football | Socceroos". www.socceroos.com.au. 2 February 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
- ^ "kris trajanovski". The Grassroots Football Project. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
- ^ "John Gardiner: A teacher on and off the field | Sports & Editorial Services Australia". www.sesasport.com. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
- ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Joey Didulica (Player)". www.national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
- ^ "Club History". Geelong Rangers. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
- ^ a b "Life Members | Football Victoria". www.footballvictoria.com.au. 18 October 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ "Life Members | Football Victoria". www.footballvictoria.com.au. 18 October 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ a b "Life Members | Football Victoria". www.footballvictoria.com.au. 18 October 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ a b "Life Members | Football Victoria". www.footballvictoria.com.au. 18 October 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ "Life Members | Football Victoria". www.footballvictoria.com.au. 18 October 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ "Life Members | Football Victoria". www.footballvictoria.com.au. 18 October 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ "Life Members | Football Victoria". www.footballvictoria.com.au. 18 October 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ "Victorian Football Club Archive". www.ozfootball.net. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ "Soccer in Geelong". Dutch Australian Weekly. 13 April 1956. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
- ^ "Victorian Football Club Archive". www.ozfootball.net. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ "Sporting". Geelong Advertiser. 18 June 1914. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Hay, Roy (6 April 1994). "History of soccer in Geelong". Geelong Historical Society.
- ^ Toulmin, Lindsay (1984). "New soccer club formed". Geelong Advertiser.
- ^ "Soccer at Geelong". Weekly Times. 22 May 1926. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
- ^ "Soccer". Geelong Advertiser. 14 June 1926. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
- ^ "Soccer Draw". Australian Jewish Herald. 1 August 1952. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
- ^ "Soccer Round-Up". Sunshine Advocate. 31 July 1953. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
- ^ "New system improves soccer cups". Argus. 6 June 1953. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
- ^ "SOCCER". Geelong Advertiser. 28 May 1927. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
- ^ "Soccer at Geelong". Weekly Times. 22 May 1926. Retrieved 5 October 2024.