'Sit Down Round' a YJFL first in 2025

On Sunday August 3 (Round 13) the YJFL will be piloting a “Sit Down Round” across the League, where we will be strongly encouraging all coaches and team officials to sit down in the designated coaching area.

This initiative has been used in the SANFL Juniors competition for several seasons with great success. During Sit Down Rounds in Adelaide there has been a 60% decrease in “poor” behaviour ratings for coaches, and an 80% increase in coaches receiving the maximum behaviour rating.

It has also led to a 50% decrease in red cards for on field incidents, which reaffirms the pivotal role a coach plays in setting the match-day environment for players and umpires. The SANFL have now increased this initiative to most rounds in 2025 with a view to using it across the entire season in 2026.

AFL Victoria are extremely supportive of the initiative, and it has been pleasing to see one of our clubs in North Brunswick using it successfully for a number of weeks already.

The YJFL remain strongly committed to creating a safe, positive and inclusive environment for all match-day participants, both players and umpires (of whom 90% are under 18 years old). We ask all YJFL clubs to get behind this initiative and strongly encourage their coaches to participate.