CERTIFICATE IN BUILDING ELITE FOOTBALL CLUBS

WITH NEIL BALME

This course has been designed to support sports students and industry professionals to build their understanding of the skills required to create elite AFL football clubs.

COURSE OUTLINE

  • Key Themes: Defining elite, foundations for success, alignment across departments, playing style, the role of the football department

    Lessons:

    • Defining ‘Elite’ Football Clubs

    • The Ingredients of Greatness

    • Examples from Neil’s Career (Richmond, Geelong, Collingwood)

    • Premierships vs Foundations

    • Measuring Success Beyond Win/Loss

    • Board and Executive Alignment

    • Playing Style & Identity

    • Patience in the Process

    • The Role of the Football Department

  • Key Themes: Club values, traditions, recruitment, communication, inclusion, leadership, player voice, community

    Lessons:

    • Why Identity is Everything

    • How to Build Identity (Club Origins)

    • Values and Behaviours

    • Identity in Recruitment

    • Football Style Reflecting Club Values

    • Internal Communication of Identity

    • Club Language and Traditions

    • Handling External Pressure

    • Measuring Cultural Fit

    • Identity in Hard Times

    • What Culture Actually Is

    • The Role of Leaders

    • Everyday Behaviours that Build Culture

    • Inclusion and Belonging

    • Rituals that Reinforce Culture

    • Fixing Cultural Drift

    • Culture in Transition Periods

    • Player Voice and Ownership

    • Culture and Community

  • Key Themes: Standards, coaching, performance staff integration, mindset, training programs, data, review processes

    Lessons:

    • What Performance Really Means

    • Setting the Standard

    • Coaching for Growth

    • Integrating High Performance Staff

    • Training That Transfers

    • The Role of Data and Analysis

    • Reviewing and Learning

    • The Psychology of Performance

    • Creating Player Accountability

  • Key Themes: Real-world applications of principles from Richmond, Geelong, and Collingwood

    Lessons:

    • Richmond: Rebuilding from the Bottom

    • Geelong: Sustaining Excellence

    • Collingwood: Adapting to Change

KEY OUTCOMES

  • Learn to define success beyond win-loss records by exploring leadership, alignment, long-term strategy, and cultural sustainability.

  • Develop the tools to create values-driven environments, align behaviour with identity, and maintain clarity and consistency—even under pressure.

  • Discover how to drive high standards, integrate coaching and performance staff, use data effectively, and support player growth both on and off the field.

  • Learn directly from the transformation of Richmond, Geelong, and Collingwood, and understand the practical decisions behind sustained success.

  • Gain insight into the full football ecosystem—from finance and media to welfare and talent management—to make more informed, aligned, and impactful decisions.

WHAT DO I GET WHEN I ENROL?

100% SELF-PACED COURSE

Complete our courses in your own time without the time pressure. You can login to your account at any time and access all of our course content.

ACCESS TO INSTRUCTORS

During your completion of the course, you’ll have access to our instructors to ask any questions that you may have about the industry and content.

CAREER SUPPORT

During and after completing a course, you’ll recieve a free career advisory call to help you map out the next steps of your career through networking and job applications.

EASY ONLINE ACCESS

All our content can be accessed at the click of a button 24/7 and we have 6 month payment options available. You’ll also get a copy of all course material following completion

PAY UPFRONT OR 6 & 12 MONTH PAYMENT PLANS AVAILABLE

All our courses come with an option to pay upfront or over a 6 or 12 month payment plan to make payment easy whilst still being able to access all the content at once.

MICRO-CREDENTIAL CERTIFICATION

You’ll receive a certificate on completion of the course which you can share online on LinkedIn and any other platform you choose.

OUR ALUMNI WORK AT

THE INVESTMENT

ONE TIME PAYMENT : $990

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6 MONTH PLAN: $165 p/m

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12 MONTH PLAN: $82.50 p/m

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Investing in your education is one of the best decisions an individual can make, so we want to make it as accessible as possible. That's why we're offering a flexible payment option that allows you to spread the cost of your course over 6 or 12 months.

  • Monthly Payments: Break down the total course fee into manageable monthly payments with no hidden fees.

  • Budget-Friendly: Get immediate access to all course content while spreading the cost, making it easier on your budget.

  • No Interest: Enjoy the convenience of monthly payments without any additional interest or charges.

  • Immediate Access: If you choose the monthly payment option, you’ll still recieve full access to all the content immediately after first payment.

FREE LESSON

Keen to see what all the fuss is about?

Start with a free lesson from our Certificate in Building Elite Football Clubs with Neil Balme.

INDUSTRY EXPERT

NEIL BALME

Neil Balme is one of the most influential figures in Australian Rules Football, with a career spanning over 50 years as a player, coach, and football executive.

After a successful playing career at Richmond in the 1970s, Balme transitioned into coaching and later became a revered football leader at clubs including Melbourne, Collingwood, Geelong, and Richmond. He has played a key role in building some of the most successful and admired football departments in modern AFL history.

Known for his calm leadership, deep football insight and ability to bring people together, Neil has shaped the direction of elite clubs by focusing on culture, care and clarity. His approach has influenced generations of players, coaches, and administrators.

This course is a rare opportunity to learn directly from one of the game's most respected minds.