AFL Gippsland and 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 more than 25 high-quality nominations from across the region, they are delighted to confirm the head coaches.
The division one boys side will be coached by Tim McGibney, who is involved with the Drouin Junior Football Club under 14s and the Frankston Dolphins VFL side.
The division two boys side will be coached by Shaun Sparks, who is the senior coach at the Cora Lynn Football Netball Club.
The girls team will be coached by Michaela Williams, the under 18 Youth Girls Coach and involved with the Warragul Industrials Football Netball Club.
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, including Luke Short (2025 Southern All Stars coach and 2024 V/Line Cup assistant coach), Lee Hawke (Drouin Juniors, Western All Stars and 2024 V/Line Cup assistant coach), Alan Campbell (assistant coach, Gippsland Power), Ashton Wright (Sale Football Netball Club player and Gippsland Power alumni), Nikki Schroeter (Traralgon Youth Girls coach and former Gippsland Power Girls coach) and Britt Tancred (Sale City Youth Girls head coach, 2024 V/Line Cup Girls head coach and former Murray Bushrangers under 18 Talent Academy coach).
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 15 representative carnival, showcasing the best emerging male and female footballers from across regional and rural Victoria.
Held in Ballarat from September 22-24, the carnival plays a vital role in the AFL’s talent pathway.
For many participants, it is the first major step towards the under 16 and 18 Talent Leagues 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 the region’s football strength, values and future.
AFL Gippsland is confident the coaching group, supported by a passionate team behind the scenes, will lead the Gippsland squads with integrity, skill and a strong commitment to developing the next generation of local stars.
On Friday June 20, all clubs across Gippsland, via their local League were contacted and invited to submit nominations for the 2025 V/Line Cup.
AFL Gippsland 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.
