Doctor - VFL/VFLW

Port Melbourne Football Club; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Port Melbourne Football Club is seeking an experienced VFL/VFLW Doctor to oversee players' health, guide injury management, and support safe return-to-play decisions. The role combines medical care with performance and rehabilitation across VFL and VFLW programs.

The successful candidate will integrate with medical, fitness and allied health teams, maintain documentation, and adhere to AFL policies as an Independent Contractor under a Medical Services Agreement.

Qualifications

• Medical degree with postgraduate experience in sports injuries within elite sporting teams.
• In-depth knowledge of Sport and Exercise Medicine.
• Current AHPRA registration to be maintained throughout employment.
• Experience in elite sporting environments, ideally AFL.
• Understanding of AFL Policies and Concussion Guidelines.
• Ability to develop connections with VFL/VFLW players.
• Strong communication on injuries, management and rehabilitation planning.
• Excellent organisational and planning skills.
• Proven ability to work with a multidisciplinary team.

Responsibilities

• Oversee player injury consultations, assessment, diagnosis and intervention or referral.
• Integrate medical expertise with high performance staff and allied health professionals.
• Make medical decisions affecting players' safe participation.
• Determine readiness for fitness programs, team activities, or return to play.
• Organise imaging, specialist opinions and investigations; report outcomes.
• Attend meetings with coaching, allied health and performance staff.
• Monitor rehabilitation programs and update injury management systems.
• Maintain medical records and ensure timely communication with staff.
• Advise on prognosis and rehabilitation planning with AFL medical staff.

Skills

Sports medicine

Concussion management

Strong communication

Organisational skills

Team player

Independent work

Education

Medical degree

Postgraduate in Sports Medicine

AHPRA registration

Job description

The VFL/VFLW Doctor is primarily responsible for overseeing the health and wellbeing of VFL and VFLW players, ensuring their safe and effective return to play following injury, and providing expert medical care across all aspects of their performance and health.

This role supports VFL/VFLW players with training as well as gameday health, fitness and injury management. The role will assume the responsibility within the team structure for contributing to medical decisions that affect the players’ safe participation and will integrate medical expertise with other health care providers, including medical specialist, fitness staff and allied health professionals.

The VFL/VFLW Doctor will be employed as an Independent Contractor on a Medical Services Agreement and as an AFL official, with a requirement to adhere to all AFL policies.

Key Responsibilities

• Undertake player injury consultations inclusive of injury assessment, diagnosis and intervention or relevant referral if required, reporting findings and recommendations to Senior Coach and Head of High Performance
• Integrate medical expertise with other health care providers, including medical specialists, high performance staff and allied health professionals.
• Assume the responsibility within the team structure for making medical decisions that affect the players’ safe participation.
• Principally determine when a player is ready to begin a fitness program, join a team or return to play following an injury or illness.
• Organise appointments for medical imaging services, specialist opinions and other medical investigations and deliver reports on outcomes on each case.
• Conduct and attend meetings with all associated staff (allied, high performance, coaching, etc.) to continually monitor the health and fitness of all players on the list. Reports to be prepared in conjunction with medical and conditioning staff for dissemination to coaching staff and others.
• Monitor the rehabilitation programs as devised by the high-performance staff and other allied health professionals at the Club.
• Provide for proper document and medical record keeping, including keeping the club’s injury management system up to date as required by the club and AFL.
• Provide for the medical wellbeing of each player as required.
• Oversee assessment, diagnosis and treatment with respect to player health and injury management.
• Advise on injury prognosis and performance impact and collaborate on rehabilitation plans.
• Collaborate with AFL Medical staff to optimise player health and performance outcomes.

Experience, Skills and Attributes

• Medical degree is essential with postgraduate experience in the management of sports injuries within elite sporting teams.
• In-depth knowledge of Sport and Exercise Medicine.
• Appropriate medical and general liability insurance.
• Current AHPRA registration to be maintained throughout employment.
• Experience in an elite sporting environment, ideally AFL.
• Working knowledge of AFL Policies and Procedures (e.g., Concussion Management Guidelines).
• A current National Police Clearance, or the ability to obtain one.
• Ability to develop connection and professional relationships with VFL/VFLW players.
• Strong communication skills including prompt and user appropriate communication on player availability, injuries, management and rehabilitation planning.
• Thorough understanding of sports culture.
• Proven ability to display sound judgment.
• Strong team skills with the ability to work with a multidisciplinary team and be a good team player.
• Exceptional organisational and planning skills.
• Proficient at assuming responsibility, and capable of working unsupervised and being professionally accountable.