SMFNC

St Mary’s achieves Women & Girls Charter status

St Mary’s is proud to announce that we are now an official Women & Girls Chartered Club. We join the Northern Football Netball League (NFNL) and a growing number of clubs who are also signatories to the charter.

The Women & Girls Community Football Charter is an initiative led by the AFL, which sets a clear standard for creating welcoming, safe and inclusive environments across community football for women and girls.

The Charter represents a shared commitment from leagues, clubs and umpire groups to actively support and grow the women’s and girls’ game. It is guided by four key principles:

Investment – committing time, resources and support to sustain long-term growth

Opportunity – creating more chances for women and girls to play, coach and lead

Visibility – increasing the presence and recognition of women and girls in football

Access – removing barriers to participation at all levels

As part of the Charter, we will implement a series of immediate actions designed to create meaningful impact straight away, while also working through broader commitments over the next 12 months. To remain a signatory, the club will review and reassess its progress annually, ensuring continued accountability and improvement.

Jessie Bickerton, Women’s Football Manager, shared: “This is a really meaningful moment for our club. We’re committed to creating a space where every woman and girl feels welcomed, supported and genuinely valued, and where they can grow, belong and thrive in our community.”

We’re proud to stand alongside the AFL and our fellow community clubs in driving meaningful change and shaping the future of women’s and girls’ football.

Rob Cotter joins as new coach

We’re proud to welcome Rob Cotter as the inaugural Head Coach of our Senior Women’s Development Squad.

This marks an exciting milestone for the club as we officially launch our second women’s team, creating more opportunities, stronger pathways, and getting more women out on the field.

Rob and his family have been part of St Mary’s for many years and have made a significant contribution to the club. Rob has previously served on the committee in multiple roles, ran canteen alongside his wife Michelle, and his kids play footy at the club too. It’s great to see him step into a new role this and continue his contribution to the Burra.

Rob will be supported by James Gardiner, forming a strong coaching group to lead and develop this exciting new squad.

St Mary’s shine at representative level

St Mary’s was proudly represented in NFNL representative netball over the weekend, with Jo Denton, Maeve O’Neill and Holly Elliot-Pogue all taking the court.

A special congratulations to Jo (15&U Championship) and Maeve (13&U Championship), who helped lead their teams to Grand Final victories.

It’s incredibly rewarding to see our junior program in action. Watching players develop, flourish and earn opportunities like this at representative level is a big part of why we started the junior program.

You’re Invited: 2026 Business Luncheon

Join us for a special Business Luncheon as we kick off the ANZAC Day weekend alongside two of the game’s greats, Dyson Heppell and Nick Maxwell.

Guests will enjoy an exciting afternoon featuring a delicious lunch and an exclusive chat where Dyson and Nick will share insights, stories, and experiences from their time at the elite level.

The event will be held on Friday 24 April, with doors opening at 12:00pm and a 12:30pm start. Lunch is included, and the bar will be open to purchase drinks.

Tickets are available at $95 per person, or $900 for a table of 10. For those looking for a premium experience, a limited number of “Dine with the Stars” tables are available for $1200.

Book now

Win $250 by helping the club!

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Edge Clothing are giving away $1000 to a sporting club, with the lucky entrant also receiving a $250 voucher.

It takes just 1-2 minutes to enter by filling out this form. Just add the club name as “St Mary’s Senior Football and Netball Club.”

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St Mary’s takes on The Amazing Race

If you spotted us around Greensborough on the weekend, there was a very good reason! Our men’s and women’s footy players took on our very own Amazing Race, splitting into teams and racing between stations and challenges all around town.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined in and brought the energy, and to our legends behind the scenes who planned, set up, and ran each station, with the Bickerton’s even offering up their own house. It was the perfect mix of fitness, teamwork, and plenty of laughs, and reminded us why remind us why our club community is so special!

Junior Netball players lead league awards

Our 13&U netballers made a huge splash at the NFNL Summer Awards Night!

Taking centre stage was Gemma Spithill, who capped off an incredible season by being awarded the league Best & Fairest. Adding to the celebrations, teammate Tilly Armstrong finished an impressive third in the Best & Fairest count.

These achievements are a reflection of the players’ hard work and dedication throughout the season. We also want to recognise the incredible support from their parents and their coach Mick Denton, whose commitment to their development has made a real difference.

To make the night even more special, the awards were presented by Amy Parmenter, captain of the Melbourne Mavericks and a representative of the Australian Diamonds. Having someone of Amy’s calibre present the awards was an inspiring moment for our young athletes and a reminder of what’s possible with dedication and passion for the game.

We couldn’t be prouder of Gemma, Tilly, and all our 13&U players!

We’re 2026 Melbourne Vixens members!

Our club is once again a Melbourne Vixens Member for 2026, thanks to their grassroots membership program!

As part of this, we get access to some fantastic benefits that you can all take advantage of:

10% discount on membership products: Use the code 2026MVNV.
10% discount on merchandise: Use the password VIXMEM26.
30% Discount Group Ticket Offer: Call Ticketek on 1300 364 001, quoting password NVGROOTS26.

Plus, we’re featured on the Vixens website – a fantastic opportunity to boost our club’s visibility in the netball community.

We’re sure this membership will be put to great use with plenty of Vixens fans at our club!

Connection driving success for Senior Women

Our Senior Women’s team spent a weekend in Eildon proving that pre-season is about more than just footy — it’s about building trust, setting goals, and strengthening team culture.

The highlight was a practice match against Thornton Eildon, where the team showed great skill and determination, giving us plenty of confidence heading into the season.

Off the field, players completed a fitness circuit with their opponents, reflected on team values, and worked together to set goals that will guide them throughout the year, and of course had some fun along the way!

It was a weekend of growth, bonding, and preparation, reminding us that the strength of this team comes from the unity and committment of every player, coach and volunteer.

St Mary’s players make VFL

A big congratulations to St Mary’s players Ty Kitchell and Dom Akuei on being selected in the Essendon Football Club Victorian Football League (VFL) team.

It’s a fantastic achievement for both players, with Dom returning to the VFL side and Ty earning his spot for the first time. Their selection is a testament to the hard work and commitment they continue to show both on and off the field.

Everyone at St Mary’s is incredibly proud to see their efforts recognised, and we wish them both the very best for the season ahead.