SANFL Government and Industry Stakeholder Forum

Jarrod Walsh is the voice of live Sport in Australia.

Nationally, he is the Match Day MC for the Australian Socceroos, Cricket Australia and the Australian Boomers, and works closely with SANFL and other SA based sports teams.

With utmost professionalism, mixed with his sense of humour and passion for entertainment, Jarrod will ensure you are treated to an informative and entertaining event.

Sam is an Associate Professor and leading authority in the field of sport parenting, participation and retention, and psychosocial outcomes in youth sport. He has been invited to present his work internationally in Australia, China, the UK, Canada, and the US.

He is a multiple-award winning academic including the prestigious SA Young Tall Poppy science award, Flinders VC Award for Early Career Research, the World Congress on Science and Football Best Research Paper by Code (AFL) Award, and the Universities Australia Award for the ‘Pitch it Clever’competition. He has also received the Vice Chancellor’s Award for Innovation in Teaching and consecutive College Excellence in Teaching Awards.

He is also the creator and co-host of Beyond the Club – Australia’s leading science communication podcast for community sport.

Jake managed the design process, funding strategy and project delivery of the Brisbane Lions’ $82 million high performance precinct at Greater Springfield. Brighton Homes Arena has set a national benchmark for elite sports training facilities and features a mix of commercial and community amenities.  He is currently also engaged in design and business case development for the rebuild of The Gabba ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Jake is an award-winning urban planner and formerly managed the growth strategy for AFL in Queensland, delivering over $450 million worth of local sports facilities, including those for cricket and rectangular field sports.”

Chris has over 28 years experience in developing projects in the modular building industry.

Chris has worked extensively with the sporting bodies and government to pioneer the modular changerooms and clubrooms we now see in the in the market.

Chris’s strong reputation in the South Australian market has been established through a collaborative approach to partnering with government and private enterprise. He has a strong attention to detail, along with providing high quality service and listens to clients before providing a dynamic solution.

Chris is a highly respected member of the Ausco organisation and the Modular Building Sector.

A former Detective in Victoria Police, Sean crossed the border and joined SANFL in 2016 as SANFL’s first Integrity Officer and was fundamental in establishing key policies and processes to protect our game in South Australia.

Sean briefly returned to Victoria in 2018 to take up a talent role with the AFL, but returned again in 2020 into the role of Head of Football Operations.

Sean is responsible for setting managing a large team that looks after all football competitions in SA, as well as working closely with the 8 SANFL Clubs and 2 AFL Clubs on our Premier Men’s and Women’s competition.

Sports Lighting SA is an Australian owned business which offers a bespoke approach for every lighting project.

With over 20 years of experience, Adrian has worked on projects from football stadiums to rural tennis courts.

Responsible for providing Sports Lighting and Exterior Lighting solutions to Electrical Engineers, Councils, Electrical Contractors, End Users etc. on the latest Exterior Lighting products and trends. Helping them to make better selections and meeting criteria, for the best possible outcomes. From early concept design and the selection process through to commissioning, final delivery, and hand over.

As an experienced sport administrator, Jess works across multiple teams at SANFL to deliver high quality project management and outcomes for the benefit of individuals and communities.

Jess is the Project Manager for the Think! Road Safety SA Country Football Championships, and manages a project team of 25 staff and over 250 volunteers to deliver the event across regional communities in SA.

Jess also manages the SANFL funding portfolio and works closely with all levels of Government to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.

Shayne leads a national team that aims to implement Towards 2030, Australian Football’s National Infrastructure Plan in partnership with government and other bodies.

He has worked in the AFL industry for 14 years, and before that he worked in leadership roles within both State and Local Government, including 8 years at Sport and Recreation Victoria leading their sports infrastructure and planning unit.

Belinda Marsh has an extensive 20 year background working in various roles across State and Local Government.

In conjunction with her voluntary work in local football including Director Junior Football and League Board Director she applies her knowledge and passion for community football in her role as SANFL’s Head of Infrastructure and Government Relations.

Kate Harris | Vice-Captain, Sturt Football Club – SANFLW

Matthew Panos | Former Captain & Premiership Player, Norwood Football Club – SANFL

Darcy Moore | Captain, Collingwood Football Club – AFL

Kate, Matt and Darcy will share their football journeys with you, as well as talk about the role football has in giving back to the community.