Geelong Football Netball League

The Geelong Football Netball League is an Australian rules football and netball league in Victoria, Australia. It is widely regarded as the highest standard Australian rules football league in regional Victoria, with several former AFL players now playing for a variety of clubs.

History
The league was formed in 1979 when twelve clubs broke away from the Geelong & District Football League. The city and country clubs of the old GDFL were divided into the major league competition of the GFL and the minor league of the GDFL. Many of the teams in the lower league wanted a system of promotion and relegation, which was fought by the GFL until the early 1980s when the Victorian Country Football League held a hearing in Melbourne. As a result, a trial promotion-relegation system was put into place on a voluntary basis. Today, the GDFL is opposed to the promotion-relegation system, with a three-division, three league competition of the Geelong FL, Bellarine FL and Geelong & District FL in place in the Geelong region.

In March 2024, following extensive consultation AFL Barwon detailed a plan that would expand the second-tier Bellarine Football Netball League to 12 teams from 2025 with a path for a team to accept an invitation for promotion to the GFNL, replacing a club that would then be relegated from the GNFL.

Mathieson Medal
The Don Mathieson Medal is presented to the league's best and fairest player at the conclusion of the home-and-away season. It is named after Don Mathieson, who founded the league in 1979. Two players have won the award on three occasions: John Williams for Barwon and St Mary's across four seasons in the late 1980s, and Newtown & Chilwell's Matthew McMahon in consecutive seasons in the late 2010s. The award has been shared on eight occasions, most notably during a four-way tie in 1995.

Leading Goalkicker Award
The Leading Goalkicker Award is presented to the player who has kicked the most goals at the conclusion of the home-and-away season.