V/Line Cup 2025
AFL Gippsland & Gippsland Power Unveils Coaching Panel for 2025 V/Line Cup
AFL Gippsland & Gippsland Power are proud to announce the official coaching appointments for the 2025 V/Line Cup campaign. Following a highly competitive selection process, which attracted over 25 high-quality nominations from across the region, we are delighted to confirm the following head coaches:
- Division 1 Boys – Tim McGibney, U14 Drouin Junior Football Club & Frankston Dolphins VFL
- Division 2 Boys – Shaun Sparks, Senior Coach, Cora Lynn Football Netball Club
- Girls Team – Michaela Williams, U18 Youth Girls Coach, Warragul Industrials FNC
Each of these coaches brings impressive credentials and deep ties to the Gippsland football community. From VFL experience to grassroots leadership and female talent development, their diverse backgrounds and proven ability to nurture young athletes make them ideal leaders for this admired representative program.
Backing this talented trio is a high-calibre group of assistant and development coaches:
- Luke Short – 2025 Southern All Stars Coach & 2024 V/Line Cup Assistant
- Lee Hawke – Drouin Juniors, Western All Stars & 2024 V/Line Cup Assistant
- Alan Campbell – Assistant Coach, Gippsland Power
- Ashton Wright – Sale FNC player & Gippsland Power Alumni
These appointments reflect a strong alignment with AFL Gippsland’s focus on high-performance coaching and player development. Working alongside the current Gippsland Power staff, the coaching panel will provide an elite-level experience for selected athletes, while also mentoring and supporting fellow coaches across the region.
The V/Line Cup is Victoria’s premier Under 15s representative carnival, showcasing the best emerging male and female footballers from across regional and rural Victoria. Held in Ballarat from Monday 22nd to Wednesday 24th September, the carnival plays a vital role in the AFL’s talent pathway. For many participants, it is the first major step towards the Coates Talent League, NAB League Girls, or even a future AFL/AFLW career.
More than just a talent identification event, the V/Line Cup is a celebration of community football excellence – where young athletes, coaches, families and clubs come together from every corner of the state. For Gippsland, it’s an opportunity to proudly showcase our region’s football strength, values, and future.
We are confident that this coaching group, supported by a passionate team behind the scenes, will lead our Gippsland squads with integrity, skill, and a strong commitment to developing the next generation of local stars.
On Friday 20th June, all Clubs across Gippsland, via their local League were contacted and invited to submit nominations for the 2025 V/Line Cup.
We are currently seeking players born in 2010 who meet the selection criteria, including representative standard athletes, tall and developing players, and those from Indigenous or Multicultural backgrounds (Next Generation Academy prospects).
Players already involved in the Gippsland All Stars Program will be automatically invited to attend satellite training and do not need to be nominated again.
For players outside that program, clubs can nominate up to two players per gender.
Following the review of nominations, selected players, including those apart of the All Stars program, will be contacted directly and invited to participate in a series of three regional satellite training sessions, followed by a central squad training and selection phase in Morwell. Final team announcements will be made closer to the event, which will take place from 22–24 September in Ballarat.
For more information, please contact:
Nicole Bertuna
Club Development Lead
AFL Gippsland
0499 321 423
