SFNL Staff
LEE HARTMAN
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
– Formally Region General Manager at AFL Barwon (6 years), CEO Football & Netball Geelong (5 years) and Operations Manager, Northern Football League.
– Played 300+ games in total for Lilydale, Heathmont, Silvan & Box Hill
– Playing Life Member, Senior Premiership Player and Team of the Century – Lilydale FC (EFL), committee member 5 years.
– Player Box Hill FC VFA
– Senior Premiership Player and Team of the Decade, Co Senior Coach – Heathmont FC (EFL). Twice League leading Goal Kicker
– Reserves Coach and Senior Player – Silvan FC (YVMDFL).
– Umpired 150 games Eastern FL.
– Life Member Lilydale Cricket Club, Club Secretary for 9 years.
– Awarded VCFL Administrator of the Year, 2008 & 2009.
JOSH RHODES
GENERAL MANAGER – OPERATIONS
Current Role:
Responsible for the operation of the Football and Netball competitions including providing football and netball services, administrative support and guidance to Member Clubs and SFNL staff.
Background / Expertise:
Josh is a local to the South-East suburbs of Melbourne having grown up in Frankston and playing most of his football with the Seaford Football Netball Club. He began his career in sport working as a part-time Recruiting Officer at the Adelaide Crows while studying at University. Placements with AFL Victoria (Vic Metro) and the Western Bulldogs led to an opportunity in Queensland through the role of Football Operations Manager for the Mackay and Whitsunday region. During this time, Josh assisted with the Gold Coast Suns Academy programs Head Coaching the U15s NQ team and Assistant Coach for the U16s Gold Coast Suns Academy under Andrew Raines.
After several years in North Queensland, he then took on the role of Competition Manager – QFA in Brisbane; managing the Division 1 & 2 QFA competitions through COVID implications and widespread floods. 2 years in this role allowed Josh to lead the North Queensland vs South Queensland Representative programs as well as assist staff with various Participation programs across the state.
Returning to his home state, Josh looks forward to seeing the competition continue to move from strength to strength and hopefully more Bulldogs wins from the crowd.
DAVID WILSON
FOOTBALL OPERATIONS CO-ORDINATOR
Current Role:
Contributing to operative tasks that are essential to the SFNL planning and delivery of the home & away seasons
Background / Expertise:
Dave joined the SFNL team in March 2024, taking on the role of Football Operations Coordinator. Since his early years Dave has been Football obsessed and a passionate Sydney Swans fan. This love for the game and sports as a whole led Dave to a Sports Management degree at Deakin University, which he finished in 2023. Whilst studying Dave completed a valuable internship with AFLVM Masters Football League and acted as the Administration Coordinator. Now with the SFNL, Dave looks forward to help delivering a successful season in 2024 and beyond. Go Swans!
ERIN NAISMITH
NETBALL OPERATIONS CO-ORDINATOR
Current role:
Responsible for delivering netball competition management for the growing football and netball competition region with over 120+ teams.
Background/Expertise:
Erin has been a part of the netball community for just over 15 years, she started her netball journey at her home club, Aspendale Arrows when she was 11 years old, eventually joining the SFNL competition in 2015, playing for Heatherton Football Netball Club. Over the years, she has played for many other clubs across Victoria and was chosen to be a part of SFNL’s 2017 and 2018 “Team of the Year”.
Naturally, Erin’s love for the game saw her progress to coach, training at both a grassroots and competition level. She has successfully completed her Diploma in sports development and events management, where she travelled to Fiji to help administrator sports lessons (specialising in Netball and AFL) to the local primary schools.
Erin is excited to join SFNL as Netball operations coordinator and is even more excited to attend the Saturday games and be of assistance.
BELINDA FERGUSON
SFNL NETBALL ADMINISTRATION OFFICER
Current role:
Oversees the Springvale and District Netball Association Junior competition, including arrangement of fixtures, Umpire allocations, general operation of the netball association, club liaison, social media, and match game support.
Background / Expertise:
Worked at Carlisle Homes for 9 years in a variety of roles, including Tender Presenter, Customer Care Manager and Client Liaison Executive. Before this I work in face-to-face customer service.
I have always had a passion for netball. I have played netball for over 15 years playing as a junior at the Springvale and District Netball Association and wanted to go back to my old stomping grounds.
I have also coached Netball at a junior level for many years and really enjoyed this.
WES GARTH
COMMERCIAL & EVENTS MANAGER
Current Role:
Wes manages all SFNL corporate and community partners whilst also overseeing all events held by the league. In addition he also drives the media assets of the SFNL in conjunction with GameFace.
Background / Expertise:
CPA trained, led to 15+ years at Nike Sports Marketing with most recently managing a mobile digital agency and time at AFL South East as commercial manager.
Wes played junior and senior football growing up in the Eastern Football League. Recently he is involved in his son’s junior football club as a volunteer and made a comeback to cricket after 25 years with Heatherhill CC as captain of the 5th XI.
JENNY MOUAT
FINANCE MANAGER
Current Role:
Started with SFNL in 2012 and I perform the accounting role for SFNL preparing the financial accounts and financial information for the CEO and Board. The role also includes the accounts receivable, accounts payable and payroll functions.
Background / Expertise:
I am a chartered accountant who worked with Price Waterhouse for 8 years and then moved into banking in accounting and risk management roles for over 10 years. I was an expat in Asia for 10 years working with the Australian Business Chamber in Taiwan for 2 years and served on various expat and school committees as Treasurer. I also worked as the Finance Manager for Sandringham Football Club for the last 3 years.
Played netball and basketball as a junior and senior, representing North Canberra in netball as a junior. Have been involved in local basketball in Bayside for 15 years as a Team Manager, age coordinator, Treasurer, Club President for 5 years and Board Member for Southern Basketball Association for 5 years.
TRAVIS SWITZER
CLUB DEVELOPMENT LEAD
Current Role:
I’m passionate about helping people, teams and organisation’s reach their full potential.
Background / Expertise:
I have over 25 years working with a number of small, large, not for profit businesses, sports clubs, teams and leaders to develop integrated plans that include values, behaviour and leadership standards, strategic plans, business
plans, financial plans and personal development plans.
During my professional career I’ve held senior roles in business, government, sport and in the community as a volunteer and sports coach.
I’ve grown from a lot of these rewarding and challenging leadership roles and also had the great fortune of being coached and mentored by some amazing leaders.
In my spare time I’m a devoted dad to 3 girls, who are all involved in community sports as well. Every now and I still try to roll the arm over for a game of cricket and am a mad Saints man.
GLENN EMERY
DIRECTOR OF UMPIRING
The SFNL are proud to announce Glenn Emery as the new Director of Umpiring for 2023.
Glenn has umpired over 500 games including 3 Grand Finals.
He has spent the last two years as a Development Coach at the SFNL.
Our focus is continuing to develop the strong foundation established by previous directors by building rapport with all SFNL Clubs and improving our umpiring skill sets.
