President’s Message – Ray Robinson | January 2022

WELCOME TO FOOTBALL NETBALL SEASON 2022

A big welcome to everyone for season 2022 and let’s hope we can now get a full uninterrupted football netball season in this time.

A reminder to all supporters new and old, club memberships are now available for this coming season. Please check on the website for more info.

DEALING WITH COVID

What a past season of football and netball we have had to contend with once again because of many interruptions due to the Covid pandemic. It was a nervous start to the season, then when all was going reasonably well the season was eventually cancelled and we did not play the last couple of rounds.

It was a difficult thing to manage with all the stops and starts throughout the season, but due credit to all concerned we did get at least 11 rounds in and all our football and netball teams performed reasonably well considering the circumstances.

While it was difficult for the clubs during these trying times, credit must also go to our governing body, the Goulburn Valley Football Netball League, for the way they handled things. Tough decisions had to be made and they did so enabling us to get most of the season in. Hopefully this coming season will happen without any of these interruptions.

THANK YOU TO OUR VOLUNTEERS

This is my second season back at the club for some time. I was involved with the club from 1991 and over those years served the club in a number of ways as president, secretary, treasurer and committee person.

I have not regretted it. The club is running really well these days due to the many helpers, apart from the eight people on the general committee. 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 at the moment.

I would like to sincerely thank club secretary, Heather Mahoney, for a top job in this tough position on the committee. Heather has done an excellent job over many seasons for the Eagles and her efforts are much appreciated. Also, to treasurer, Chris Anderson.  He was also responsible for retrieving many grants due to the covid situation. These grants helped the club survive while being closed down etc. Well done Chris on doing the job of treasurer quite well and keeping the club on track financially.

To the remainder of the committee, Stephen Marks, Bo Christopher, Cameron Hotton, Dempsey Parsons, Ben Cios – many thanks for your dedicated service.

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

There are many other helpers throughout the season, including in the canteen, people who help prepare and organise Thursday night meals for the players and supporters, timekeepers, boundary umpires, goal umpires, team managers, plus many others, a big thank you to everyone.

MEMBERSHIP 2022

One of the most important initiatives the club took on this past season was the $10 full club membership. We decided to do this to give something back to the community, to make membership more assessable for everyone and not too expensive. The people of Mansfield and all over the shire plus many from outside of the Mansfield Shire have responded in a positive way. We have nearly reached the 2000 member mark and we thank those many people who responded to this in the way they have.

This same membership will continue in season 2022 and memberships are now available to purchase. You can purchase them on the football netball club website.

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.

OUR SPONSORS

One of the most important assets our club has, are the amount of generous sponsors.  If we did not have these businesses and individuals on board the club would not function in the way it has so far this season. Many thanks to Cath Mahoney for the efforts she puts into collecting and looking after all our sponsors. Also Cath has been responsible for securing sizeable grants over the past couple of seasons for the club. The latest one is for updating the kitchen in the social rooms. Many thanks Cath, your positive contribution very much appreciated by all at the club.

The club’s major sponsor is 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 De Maria and his company for their generous support of the Eagles. There is a number of the Alliance staff who has helped the club this past season in many ways – we thank them very much.

We have a great deal of major sponsors who contribute in big ways financially including Ray White Real Estate (Team Canavan), Marks IGA, Alpine Civil, Joel Middleton MB Group, Foodworks Mansfield, O’Kelly Group, Mansfield Toyota, Spargo Group, Robbos Glass, Lang Constructions, Yenckens Hardware, Coffee Merchant, Commercial Hotel, Mansfield Motel, plus many, many others. There is also some new sponsors coming on board this season and all these will be mentioned on the website and other avenues over the next few weeks.

OUR FOOTBALL TEAM

Another big plus this past season was the appointment of new senior coach Chad Owens. Chad has had vast experience whether in Queensland coaching premierships, coaching at VFL level in Melbourne and starting his football career with Wodonga in the Ovens and Murray League.

He has done an excellent job in season 2021 with the young Eagles senior team. The players responded very well to him and they have much respect for the coach. Chad is employed locally at the secondary college as a teacher and his wife and children are settling into the Mansfield way of life very well.

We extend a big thank you to them for making Mansfield their home and the club is very excited that Chad has agreed to a new contract that will take him to the end of 2024 season.

The reserves also had a new coach in Christian Thomson and the thirds were jointly coached by Ben Vogelzang and Bo Christopher.

For the 2022 season there will be joint coaches for the Reserves in Christian Thomson and Ben Vogelzang. The Thirds will have a new coach in Davey Holliday. A big welcome to Davey and best wishes for the coming season.

Over the past couple of months the club’s football department has been busy securing new footballers for the 2022 season.

Our major coup has been the recruitment of Jack Hutchins back to the club. Jack is a former junior best and fairest winner for the Eagles. Jack was recruited to play with the Gold Coast in the AFL and over the past few seasons has been playing with Casey Football Club (Melbourne) in the VFL. Jack will be a key defender for the club in season 2022.

Other recruits include Sam Lynch and Jono Aujard, both key midfielders (Old Scotch A Premier Amateurs); Frazer Dale, key forward, and Tom McDonagh, ruck, (Myrtleford Football Club); Finn O’Dwyer , key forward (Williamstown Football Club); Mitch and Harry Sier, midfielders (Heidleberg Football Club), Lachie Christopher, former player returning to the club after playing with Bacchus Marsh; Josh Stefanutti, former Mansfield Junior returning to the club after playing with Knox, and Jack Kirley, former Mansfield Junior returning to the club from Bonnie Doon. Added to all this is the retainment of all our young players from season 2021 and they have looked extremely sharp on the pre-season training track.

OUR NETBALL TEAM

Our netballers had a mixed 2021 season, but they represented the club in an excellent way and they can hold their heads high for their contributions to the club. Our coaches for all netball grades did an excellent job – A grade Kendyl Hopley; B grade Leonie Berry; B reserve Dempsey Parsons; Under 17 Simon Dolling; Under 15 Leonie Berry. We thank all these people for putting their hands up to take on difficult jobs and also to their assistants for the time they put into the club.

Netballers will have a new netball director for season 2022 in Sharna Byrne. We thank Sharna for taking this important position on and wish her all the best for the coming season.

The club has also appointed a new A grade coach, local netballer, Nelle Cousins. Well done Nelle and the club is right behind you for a successful 2022 netball season.

Other coaches for the 2022 netball season include Latoya Wards (Under 17s),  Leonie Berry (Under 15s),Bianna Kelly ( B grade) and the B reserve appointment is  not far away.

Netball training coach for season 2022 will be Kendyl Hopley.

AWARD WINNERS 2021

Congratulations to all our best and fairest and trophy winners for season 2021.

The premier awards, senior football best and fairest went to Tas Clingan. Well done Tas on a top season and looking forward to what’s coming in season 2022.

The netball top award went to Amy Dixon-Rielly. Amy played some of her best netball this past season and she received just rewards for a consistent netball year.

Another important award, best club person, went to Klarissa Thomson. It was a just reward for a person who had the difficult task of controlling the canteen for the season. She did a top job and all at the club are very appreciative for your contribution, Klarissa.

Once again 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 moment.

Regards – Club president, Ray Robinson.