2019 Annual Report
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WILLIAMSTOWN FOOTBALL CLUB ANNUAL REPORT SEASON 2019 PRESENTED AT SEAVIEW EVENT CENTRE 71 MORRIS STREET, WILLIAMSTOWN 6pm Thursday 19th December 2019 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS The Board 2019 4 Coaching Staff 4 Best and Fairest Votes 4 Special Acknowledgements 5 Presidents Report 6 - 7 CEO’s Report 8 - 11 Coach’s Report 12 Football Report 13 VFL/W Match Results & Ladders 14 - 16 Support Staff 2018 17 - 18 Community Report 19 - 20 Marketing Report 21 – 22 Sponsorship Report 23 Communications Report 24 - 25 2019 Sponsors 26 - 28 Treasurers Report 29 - 30 Life Members 31 – 35 3 WILLIAMSTOWN FOOTBALL CLUB 2019 BOARD OF DIRECTORS DURING YEAR to 31 OCT Michael Howlett (President) Clint Rippon Sara Borowiak (appointed) Michelle Redfern (resigned) Merryl Dooley Terry Wheeler Louise Eyres (resigned) Darren Whitelegg Ben Kane Emma Woolley (appointed) Kim Kershaw 2019 COACHING STAFF Andrew Collins VFL Senior Coach Peter Banfield VFL Senior Assistant Coach Clay Illman VFL Line Coach / Defence Clint Proctor VFL Line Coach / Forward Matthew Pearce VFL Line Coach / Midfield Brian Winton VFL Goal Kicking / Marking Coach Murray Fielding VFL Coach Performance Manager Brett Henderson VFL Development Coach Amy Catterall VFLW Head Coach Troy Newton VFLW Senior Assistant Coach Jason Quinn VFLW Line Coach / Defence Lachlan Walker VFLW Line Coach / Forwards Adam Tardif VFLW Line Coach / Midfield 2019 BEST AND FAIREST VOTES VFL VFLW 1. Leigh Masters 85 1. Megan Williamson 83 2. Joel Tippett 74 2. Sharnie Whiting 77 3. Nicholas Meese 71 3. Danica Pedersen 70 4. Jack Charleston 69 4. Ashlea Melnikas 68 4. Jake Greiser 69 4. Jasmine Kawa 68 4. William Wheeler 69 Leigh Masters Megan Williamson 6. Eliza Straford 62 7. Mitchell Hibberd 68 7. Lauren Suleiman 59 8. Billy Myers 59 8. Moana Hope 57 8. Liam Hunt 59 9. Emily Crawford 55 10. Brayden Monk 54 9. Jacinta Reid 55 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS • Member for Williamstown and our Number 1 female ticket holder, Melissa Horne. • Number 1 male ticket holder, Wade Noonan • Mayor Colleen Gates, past-Mayor Jonathon Marsden, and the Hobson’s Bay City Councillors – Angela Altair, Tony Briffa JP, Michael Grech, Peter Hemphill, Sandra Wilson. • CEO Aaron van Egmond and staff at Hobsons Bay City Council. • AFL Victoria Chairman Ray Horsburgh, AFL Talent and State League Manager Tristan Salter, AFL Victoria CEO Ricky Bell, and all the staff at AFL and AFL Victoria. • Ian Francis, Tom Francis, and management and staff at Seagull’s Nest. • Mandy Drew, President and all members of our Gulls Coterie Group. • Terry Wheeler and the Club 1864 committee for their work with the Past Players, as well as Alan Parker, John Grieve and Bruce Davis for their contributions to the ‘Team of the Decade’ event. • All 2019 Sponsors, in particular our major partner Downer and their CEO Transport and Infrastructure, Serge Cinerari; Anthony, Robert and the extended Anile family at Hocking Stuart, Conrad Taylor from the Werribee Automotive Group, Leigh Small from Hellenic Hotel, Mark D’Amico from West Suburban Taxis, Matt and Charlotte Wilson from Titan Plumbing, and Nick Cameron from NAB. • Western Jets Football Club Talent Manager Luke Williams, Football Operations Manager Matt Dervan, and Female Talent Co-Ordinator Claudia Davey. • Our new life members: Nick Meese, Nick Sing and Sam Dunell in recognition of 100 senior VFL games; match day volunteer Di Ward; physiotherapist Michael Ranger; and football support staff member Maurie Thurston; all worthy recipients. • Leigh Masters and Willie Wheeler for reaching the 150 VFL game milestone and Oliver Tate who played his 100th VFL game. • All the volunteer staff that work so hard throughout the year, with particular note of Gerard Drew who was recognised with the best club person award for his role in our heritage operations. • David Utber, Graeme Crocker, and Max Aitken for their ever-reliable work throughout each training week and on match days. • Carol Utber, Mandy Drew, who assist with the match day lunches and Club events. • Seaview staff and our catering partner The Greenery 5 PRESIDENT’S REPORT On behalf of the Board of the Williamstown Football Club it is my pleasure to present the President’s report for the 2019 season. The 2019 season marked the first year in Williamstown’s history where our teams played under lights at Downer Oval and these VFL and VFLW night games proved to be very successful. We are hopeful council announce early in the new year that the ground upgrade is brought forward and along with the new lights further enhance the use of the ground from a community perspective. What an end to the season with our VFL side going down in an exciting Grand Final by less than a kick in a game that could have gone either way. As a club we were so proud of the way in which the side fought back after quarter time against a strong Richmond side that contained 18 AFL players. The women’s team continued their ongoing development with our young talent showing many promising signs but found it difficult competing against teams loaded with AFLW players. This has been addressed in 2020 with our VFLW side forming a partnership with the Adelaide Crows AFLW side. Congratulations to Amy Catterall and her coaching group, support staff, volunteers and players on their 2019 season. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Amy for her contribution in establishing the inaugural Williamstown VFLW side and wish her well for her future coaching career. On an individual level I would also like to congratulate Danica Pederson who was named in the VFLW Team of the Year. The men’s team faced the 2019 season with the challenge of competing without 4 key players who were drafted into the AFL and 2 retirees which required the introduction of a number of new players into the group. They finished the home and away in 3rd place and had a great finals series unfortunately losing the grand final by 3 points. Congratulations to Andy Collins and his coaching group, support staff, volunteers and the players on a very successful 2019 season. On an individual level I would like to congratulate Nick Meese, Jack Charleston, Leigh Masters and Mitch Hibberd who were all named in the VFL Team of the Year. Congratulations to Mitch Hibberd on being drafted into the AFL and to Sharnie Whiting on being drafted into the AFLW. We wish them all the best for the 2020 season. The Board would also like to thank Jason Reddick and his team for their hard work during the season. Events held throughout the year were of a high quality and our social media presence continued to grow keeping members up to date with what is happening around the club and promoting our membership, sponsors and events. 6 Our financial performance during the year was disappointing, in particular, the performance of the Seaview Event Centre which is currently under review. On a positive note the Future Fund managed by JB Were performed strongly. Thank you to both Chris O’Connor and Chris Voigt from JB Were for their efforts. Bayside College Oval improvements continued this year with the ground expansion expected to be available for pre-season training for both our VFL and VFLW sides early in the new year. Seagulls Nest continued to perform well. Thank you to both Ian and Tom Francis and their management team for their efforts. Thank you to all our sponsors in particular our major sponsors Downer, Hocking Stuart, Hellenic Hotel, and Werribee and Western Automotive Group, club members including the Gulls, and volunteers for their generous support of the club throughout the year. Finally, I would like to thank my fellow Board members for their hard work and guidance provided throughout the year. We welcomed Emma Woolley and Sara Borowiak Puhar onto the Board during the year and the Board sub committees continue to work effectively. Thanks to Board Sub-committee members Simon Woolley (Strategy, Risk and Governance and Marketing and Community) and Mel Backhouse and Troy West (VFLW) for their contribution. I would also like to thank Simon Stevens (chair) and Kristie Eales for their efforts in ensuring the Independent Nominations Committee (INC) continued to operate in a professional and effective manner. A special thanks to Louise Eyres who was joint head of the Marketing and Community sub- committee and Michelle Redfern who was head of the VFLW sub-committee since inception who both resigned from the Williamstown Football Club board during the year due to other Directorship commitments. Both made significant contributions whilst on the Board. 2020 shapes as an exciting and challenging year as our VFL side strives for ultimate success and our VFLW side continues to develop and improve. The Board wishes both Andy and Penny and their respective teams all the best for 2020. If you are not already a member of the club I urge you to sign up soon. There has been no better time to be part of the Williamstown Football Club and at the same time receive local benefits from being a member. Michael Howlett President 7 CEO’S REPORT No doubt the VFL Grand Final was the pinnacle of our 2019 year. To lose a VFL Grand Final by less than a kick in a nail biting finish will always lead to a high level of frustration and yet the overwhelming emotion from every Williamstown supporter that I have spoken with, was that of immense pride in the performance of all our VFL players. Many a Seagull fan has commented on the players ‘never say die’ approach in coming back from a score line of 31 to nil early in the second quarter to force a memorable finish to the contest.