Playing for points: Juniors take rare competitive chance

GEELONG’S youngest athletes will have a one-off chance to play competitive football and netball this month.

The inaugural Hanlon Cup Lightning Premiership is giving players in non-competitive age groups the opportunity to play in a real competition before their winter season begins.

Hosted by Bell Park, the idea came from junior coordinator Ross Dillon, who took inspiration from his children’s experience playing soccer.

“I got the idea from soccer. We were constantly signing up for these events and I was looking around at all the people and families and wondering why we didn’t do it in AFL,” Dillon said.

“We’re pretty lucky at Bell Park. We’ve got two ovals and the facilities to run it and we thought this would be a great thing that we could run.”

After presenting the idea to the Bell Park committee, it quickly gained support. That backing has extended across the region.

Junior sport has shifted in recent years, with fewer competitive age groups aimed at encouraging participation.

Dillon said the Lightning Premiership was a deliberate attempt to give younger players a chance to compete for a trophy in a one-day format, similar to what he had seen succeed in soccer.

“We thought we would target the youngest kids that don’t usually get to play competitively,” Dillon said. “We were hoping other clubs would have the same interest as we have in it, and they have.”

All football spots have been filled and there are limited places remaining in the under-9 and under-11 netball competition.

Dillon is already hoping to expand to include additional teams and divisions in 2027 after locking in a dozen teams for this year’s debut.

“The kids are super excited,” Dillon said.

In addition to being a chance for some competitive fun, the Lightning Premiership will also act as a fundraiser for the Zoe Kennedy Foundation.

Bell Park’s senior side plays an annual charity match against Newtown & Chilwell in support of the foundation, which focuses on asthma prevention, management and eradication.

Zoe Kennedy, a junior premiership captain with Newtown & Chilwell, died from a fatal asthma attack in 2020.

Dillon said the premiership was another important opportunity to raise the charity’s profile and highlight the importance of taking asthma seriously in children and teens.

The Hanlon Cup Lightning Premiership will run at Bell Park on 19 April.