VAFA Board Update

At the 2024 VAFA Season Launch on Wednesday, President Paul Newton announced the appointment of the final three Directors to the 2024 VAFA Board, together with the appointment of two Vice Presidents.

The President stated, “As members will know, we had a number of Expressions of Interest (EOI) which gave great confidence in securing quality Directors. From the fifteen EOIs, we landed with three exceptional candidates in Joan Eddy, Matt Scholten and Frank Dunell.”

JOAN EDDY

Joan Eddy spent 13 years on the Board of the Fitzroy Football Club, 12 of those years as President. She stepped down in Jan 2022. As President at Fitzroy, Joan oversaw the establishment of codes of conduct, financial plans and systems, the first Strategic plan, a Governance framework and a player mental health and well being programme.

Joan has been the recipient of several awards including:

• City of Yarra Community Sports Person of the Year 2018
• AFL Woman of the Year, Community Category 2019
• VAFA Certificate of Merit 2019
• VAFA Medal Naming Award, Premier Reserves Women GF BOG, inaugurated 2023

Joan has 40 years’ social work experience in Social and Community Services, the last 25 in Community Health/Mental Health. Roles have included Management and Clinical Leadership across a variety of areas. Currently employed as a Senior Clinician Social Worker at Western Health Melbourne.

MATT SCHOLTEN

Matt Scholten played 240 games for the Caulfield Grammarians Football Club during the 1980’s and 1990’s. He was the Club’s longest serving President from 1998 to 2012, overseeing three senior Men’s Premierships in E, D and B Grade.

Matt has 37 years experience in the superannuation, financial planning, wealth management industry. For the past 27 years, Matt has run his own business – SCM Financial Group which specialises in financial planning, investment, superannuation, accounting, lending, estate planning and insurance.

Matt is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD) and a Certified Financial Planner – (CFP).

FRANK DUNELL

Frank coached 5 Clubs in the VAFA, at Old Essendon, St Bernards, Old Geelong, Old Melburnians U19’s, North Old Boys, as well as Big V representative teams and the All Australian Amateur team that travelled to Ireland.

Frank has served on the VAFA Board as Vice President and Chair of the Football Sub Committee.

He has been a Director of FJD Holdings since 2014, a private listed company that has formed a number of joint ventures in the environmental sector focusing on solar energy, soil remediation and water technology.

Paul Newton said, “These Directors will strengthen our governance and finance committees with their strong skillsets.

“These appointments bring our board to capacity of eleven, with four female directors, , Sarah Delbosc, Vicki Durston, Joan Eddy, and Nicole Hall, delivering on our gender diversity approach.

“We are delighted to have six Directors who have had previous roles as VAFA Club Presidents, giving our clubs confidence that the VAFA Board understands the challenges faced by Clubs.

“I wish to also advise that we have appointed two Vice Presidents in Ivan Delac and Sarah Delbosc.

“Sarah’s appointment creates history as the VAFA’s first ever female Vice President.”