Editorial: More Than Football

Brett Connell – VAFA CEO

As the VAFA season draws to a close for the majority of our clubs and we enter into the excitement of finals, it is a great opportunity to reflect on what we all stand for.

We are the VAFA and we are “More Than Football”.

While the excitement of our third Women’s season finale was on show last Sunday, with much to celebrate across an amazing (10) Grand Finals and eventually (10) Premiers crowned, it was amongst the throng that we witnessed the true VAFA spirit on show.

While some teams were not ultimately successful on the day, most teams respected the victor and revelled in the VAFA spirit – for the love of the game, as we are really “More Than Football”.

There has been other evidence of this VAFA spirit on show across the season to date, and may it continue on through the final rounds of the men’s home & away seasons and the ensuing finals.

A few weeks back, Ivanhoe AFC hosted a 1969 B Section Premiership – the only flag (1) in the club’s history to date. 50 years ago, the Hoers celebrated a famous club victory over De La Salle OC and 50 years on most of the players and the coach Syd Neale attended the lunch at Ivanhoe Park. However, it was not just the returning players that caught my eye but also the wonderful women from that time. To be present while this group came together to reminisce and renew acquaintances was truly a joy to behold.

At the beginning of the season, La Trobe University held a 50 year premiership reunion, celebrating the club’s victory over Panton Hill. While the club did not win the premiership in the VAFA, it was the forerunner to the club joining the VAFA through the drive of a number of key personnel, none more famous than Tony Sheehan. The Trobers also just recently celebrated their inaugural Women’s Team of the Decade – reuniting club and teammates alike.

Hawthorn AFC host an annual Wings Mental Health Round, which usually follows their annual Wings Mental Health Breakfast. This club focussed round supports those within their community facing difficulties with mental health.

Last week the St Bedes/Mentone Tigers hosted their Jane’s Army Beanie Drive – supporting Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision (MRV) and the club conducted their second “Jane’s Match” in memory of a member of their club, Jane Barnes, who passed away in 2018 from a rare form of leukaemia. The tribute match was also supported by other VAFA clubs in Ormond and Hampton Rovers, who were combatants on the same day, as well as De La Salle OC and Parkdale Vultures – raising funds for the charity.

Above are but a few examples of the VAFA being “More than Football”.

Most weekends across our home & away season clubs work tirelessly to field teams across our men’s and women’s competitions and they also look to celebrate eras and successes of the past and support charities of note.

To all of the club volunteers and historians, well done and thank you. The VAFA and our clubs do many things very well, however one area where we excel is the celebration of our past and support of wonderful causes.

We are the VAFA and we are certainly “More Than Football”, and as VAFA Life Member would say – be proud to be an Ammo!

See you at the Footy.