PRESIDENT REPORT SEASON 2023

After several interrupted seasons we finally got a full football/netball season in. The 2022 season was a positive one for the Mansfield Football Netball Club.

Three of our football sides, seniors, reserves and Under 18s all made finals – first time ever since being affiliated in the GVFNL and the club’s B Reserve netball side made finals and went all the way to the grand final only to go down narrowly to the strong and powerful Seymour club.

Another highlight of the season was the official opening of the new kitchen, on the completion of renovations. This was made possible by a government bushfire recovery grant. Cath Mahoney did an enormous amount of work in securing this grant and on behalf of all at the club, a big thank you to Cath.

Overall it was a positive and progressive season for our club and this can only be attributed to the many invaluable people involved, either on the Board, or the many volunteers who contribute by being on sub committees, trainers, team managers, umpires, scoreboard attendants, timekeepers, canteen and bar attendants and the many general helpers in all other areas of this club that help make it so successful and positive.

Last season was my second back with the club as president and I am looking forward to another top 2023 season both on and off the field.

The club is running well these days due to the many helpers, apart from the club’s board. The people from outside the committee have been a complete package. Everyone has made my job as president extremely easy. There is quite a number of these people, far too many to mention individually, but they all know who they are and I am really appreciative for their help for making my job much easier and for their invaluable service to this club. Without their help the club would not be heading in the positive direction it is.

I would like to sincerely thank club secretary, Heather Mahoney for the work she does as secretary. Heather has been doing this job for many years and without her excellent work in this area the club would be in dire straits. A big thank you to Heather and many thanks for agreeing to carry on for season 2023.

Another important role in our club, is the treasurer’s job and this has been superbly carried out once again by Chris Anderson. This is a thankless job, making sure the club’s finances are in a good state and that the club is heading in a positive direction. Chris does this superbly and on behalf of all at the club we thank him for his dedicated service and for keeping the club on track financially. The club is presently in a sound financial position, probably the envy of many other clubs in the GVFNL.

To the remainder of the committee, Stephen Marks, Bo Christopher, Sharna Byrne, Stephen Bolitho and Ben Cios – many thanks for your dedicated service.

To Tim Rielly and his helpers in the bar at the social rooms – a big big thank you. This facility generates good revenue for the club and it is superbly and safely run by Tim and his loyal band of helpers.

There are many other helpers throughout the season, including in the canteen – superbly managed by Klarissa Thomson.

Klarissa has an excellent team of helpers who come in every home game, feed the locals and visitors with many varieties of food. This facility also generates good revenue for the club.
Kristie Payne and her team of helpers who organise meals for the players and supporters on Thursday training nights is very well received and appreciated by all. A big thank you to all these people.

Our $10 club membership will continue this coming season. This initiative has been well received by the community and it has certainly attracted many more members to the Eagles nest. The membership number is well in excess of 2000 plus. As soon as the GVFNL 2023 fixture has been ratified the memberships will be printed and available for purchase.

The many supporters of the Eagles are very good to our club. They attend all home games and make it an excellent experience for our young competitors who represent the club. Our new players to the club are very impressed, with the number of supporters we have at all games. Well done and many thanks to them all.

One of the most important assets our club has are the amount of generous sponsors. If we do not have these businesses and individuals on board the club would not function in the way it has over the last few seasons. Many thanks to Cath Mahoney for the efforts she puts in to sourcing and looking after all our sponsors and helping our club head in a positive direction.

The club’s major major sponsor is PSC Alliance Insurance. They have contributed for many seasons now and their sponsorship over the years has helped set this club up in a solid position and establish itself for the future. We sincerely thank Rennie DeMaria for his generous support of the Eagles. Not only does Rennie help us with this generous sponsorship. He also assists in other ways by helping purchase new equipment for the players gym, TVs for the social rooms and the completely resurfaced the floor in the changerooms.

We have many more major sponsors who contribute in big ways financially including Marks IGA, Alpine Civil, Joel Middleton Refrigeration, Foodworks Mansfield, Okelly group, Mansfield Toyota, Spargo Group, Robbos Glass, Lang Constructions, Yenckens Hardware, Coffee Merchant, Martins Garage, Commercial Hotel, Mansfield Motel, plus many many others.

I must also thank all football coaches and their assistants for the efforts they put in during season 2022 – Chad Owens senior coach and Gavin George his assistant, club football manager Bo Christopher does an excellent job putting the senior team together, recruiting and looking after the new players to the club; senior team manager Andy Allen; Christian Thomson and Ben Vogelgang joint coaches in the reserves and team manager Paul Christopher; Davey Halliday thirds coach and team manager Steve Bolitho.

A big thank you to all our netball coaches – Kendyl Hopley, netball training coach; Nell Cousins for an excellent job in her first year as coach of A grade; Bianna Kelly, B grade; Michelle Kain, B Reserve; Lotoya Wards, Under 17s; Leonie Berry, Under 15s.

Our players, coaches and football/netball department staff, deserve a huge amount of credit for the efforts of our football/netball teams. We are fortunate to have such quality leaders in our club.
Congratulations to all our best and fairest winners for season 2022 and to all the trophy winners, well done. The presentation night held at the golf club was a major success and there were many good reports from the night. Well done to all.

One of our major awards handed out on the night was the best club person award. For season 2022 it went to Cath Mahoney. Well deserved for the excellent work she does with the sponsorship and the many other tasks she takes on during the season.

These are exciting times for our club. We thank you for your on-going support and assure you that we will continue to do all we can to achieve success in all aspects of our club, both on and off the field.

I thank everyone for their contributions for the past season. Without your support the club will not go forward in the positive way it is at the present time.

Regards – Ray Robinson, Club President.