ANNUAL REPORT ANNUAL 2019 NAMING RIGHTS SPONSOR MAJOR COMMUNITY PARTNER OUR SPONSORS MAJOR SPONSORS COMMUNITY PARTNERS SUPPORT SPONSORS EASTERN FOOTBALL NETBALL LEAGUE // 2019 ANNUAL REPORT // www.efnl.org.au CONTENTS 01 MISSION STATEMENT 14 NETBALL 32 EASTERN REGION GIRLS 02 CHAIRMAN 16 MEDIA AND WOMEN’S LADDERS 04 CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 18 UMPIRING AND FINALS RESULTS 06 SENIOR COMPETITION 18 TRIBUNAL 34 JUNIOR BOYS LADDERS 08 JUNIOR COMPETITION 19 TRAINERS 36 JUNIOR BOYS FINALS 10 TEAM LISTING 20 GAME DEVELOPMENT RESULTS 11 JUNIOR INTERLEAGUE 22 SEASON 2019 38 NETBALL LADDERS SQUADS 26 AWARDS 39 NETBALL FINALS RESULTS 12 EASTERN REGION GIRLS 28 TEAMS OF THE YEAR 41 FINANCIAL REPORT 13 DEAKIN UNIVERSITY 30 SENIOR MEN’S LADDERS 52 LIFE MEMBERS EASTERN REGION 31 SENIOR MEN’S FINALS 53 LEAGUE DIRECTORY WOMEN’S RESULTS OUR MISSION THE EASTERN FOOTBALL NETBALL LEAGUE WILL EFFECTIVELY PROMOTE AND FACILITATE THE PLAYING AND DEVELOPMENT OF AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL AND NETBALL FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL PARTICIPANTS, AT ALL LEVELS THROUGHOUT THE EAST OF METROPOLITAN MELBOURNE. STRATEGIC PILLARS & PRIORITIES COMMUNITY & OPERATIONAL FINANCIAL CLUBS PARTICIPATION PARTNERSHIPS EXCELLENCE MANAGEMENT EFNL CORE VALUES COMMUNITY FAIRNESS RESPECT INTEGRITY EXCELLENCE • We value and • We treat all clubs • We treat all people • We are open, honest • We set and drive appreciate all and competitions with integrity and and transparent the expectations volunteers in the equally. We grade respect. in our decision and standards of League. to increase match making. We respect • We communicate the League. competitiveness. confidentiality. • We engage, develop in a positive and • We share ideas, and promote social • We strive to provide respectful manner. • We play by and review best partnerships with participation enforce the rules of • We promote practice, innovate League charity opportunities for all the League. positive and evolve to partners. players. engagement • We proactively create efficiencies. • We value and • We make decisions between officials, deal with issues in • We provide a appreciate based on what is umpires and a consistent and consistent and the positive the fairest and most spectators. timely manner. professional contribution our equitable outcome service. We support clubs make in their for all stakeholders. and guide as and local community. when required. 1 WELCOME TO THE 2019 EASTERN FOOTBALL NETBALL LEAGUE ANNUAL REPORT. On behalf of my fellow Board members, we thank you for your continued support and investment into our wonderful competition. 2019 was another strong year for the League, year one of our five-year strategic planning period and we delivered on many of our key priorities. Our competition continues to grow, with female participation in our league now standing at over 25 per cent of total participants. Record crowds attended the Deakin University Eastern Region Women’s grand finals across the four divisions at Lilydale and Mulgrave. Female footy will continue to grow and become an important part of our clubs and the League. Over 80 per cent of our senior clubs are represented on the netball court each Friday and we expect in 2020 that with the addition of more courts FROM THE CHAIRMAN across the east, we will be able to improve our geographical coverage. With the Eastern Region Australian of boys have been invited to train Their investment in the League, our Rules Football Facility Strategy with the Hawthorn Next Generation clubs and their support of community now in the final review process, we Academy which is run by former sport in Melbourne’s east has look forward to working closely and Richmond player, Nathan Foley. generated significant engagement, proactively with all councils and activity and opportunities for our Our CEO Troy Swainston and I met governments for the benefit of our clubs, members and supporters. with Hawthorn CEO Justin Reeves clubs and the wider community. during the season and there is a We have highly-valued, long-standing We have seen significant investment genuine desire to build a long-term relationships with our major in facility improvements this year and partnership that has mutual benefit. community partner Bendigo Bank we look forward to this gaining even With their move to Dingley coming and major sponsors Channel Nine, more momentum over the coming closer, building a plan to engage with BJS Insurance, Deakin University, years. organisations like us will be critical Yarra Valley Water, carsales, Trojan The investment in game development for them to keep a strong presence in Tools and 1116 SEN, along with our from both the EFNL and AFL Victoria their eastern heartland. other valued support sponsors and continues to deliver strong results. community partners listed at the The Pick My Club program was However, a significant investment is front of the Annual Report. fully-funded by Hawthorn and required to develop and implement provided clubs with the opportunity Financially, we remain healthy with strategies designed to attract more to share in $10,000 worth of prizes a strong balance sheet. We continue multicultural players to the game. through activating their social media to tread the fine balance between This could involve offering mid-week platforms and voting on a specific keeping costs to clubs as low as competitions, adjusting formats, club project. possible while providing the level player numbers, rules and making of service that is both expected by changes to accommodate lifestyles, Umpiring is a critical component of the clubs and ensures as an organisation religion and differing levels of League and an area we invest heavily we grow and evolve. competitiveness. in. We thank the Umpires’ Association and president David Parker, committee Our donation from grand final entry Our partnership with the Hawthorn members Dean O’Neil, Paul Dennis fees of over $20,000 to finals partner Football Club continues to evolve; and others, who have worked tirelessly the Victoria Police Blue Ribbon in 2019 we partnered to provide to ensure the League and Association Foundation brings the total donated fully-funded SALT (Sport and Life continue to grow and develop by the EFNL community over the Training) programs to our older junior umpiring in the east. last 10 years to over $220,000. boys and girls, a program that rolls From those donations, we are over into 2020. Hawthorn players The League would like to thank pleased to advise that the critical attended and ran clinics in the east our loyal sponsors for their circulatory response service is now and were involved in our interleague continued support in 2019. operational at Box Hill Hospital which training camp and training sessions. This year we welcomed Eastland will greatly enhance survival chances In the past few years, a select group as our naming-rights partner. 2 EASTERN FOOTBALL NETBALL LEAGUE // 2019 ANNUAL REPORT // www.efnl.org.au when patients suffer lung and heart failure in the eastern suburbs - a significant legacy of which we can all be proud of. The next scheduled project will once again be in the east at the Angliss Hospital so our investment in this foundation will deliver a significant return to the community in our heartland. We have continued to allocate significant resources in helping build awareness through partnerships and activations with TAC Towards Zero, Good Sports, Sports Chaplains Australia, Sport and Life Training (SALT), Love the Game - Not the Above from top L-R, EFNL Board: Tim Finemore (Deputy Chairman), Bruce Atkinson, Leon Bailey, Odds, METEC driver training, Beyond Paul Barlow, David Flintoff, Kerry Freer, Paul Payne and Sue McMillan. Blue, Eastern Health and Fight MND. Thank you to our hard-working In closing, a sincere thank-you to all I’d like to thank the EFNL Junior EFNL staff; as an organisation the hard-working committee persons Committee led by Leon Bailey, who we continually aim to evolve and and volunteers at all EFNL clubs. do a terrific job during the junior innovate and 2019 again saw the You make a huge contribution to season liaising with clubs on Sundays administration work hard to build the cohesion and well-being of your and upholding the high standards of efficiencies for both clubs and the clubs and local communities and our junior competition. League and manage competitions your efforts are greatly appreciated. The League continues to be across the whole weekend. Despite Enjoy the off season and see you all well-served by a talented and our growth, the League continues in 2020. passionate group of Board members to keep costs down and currently who again have made a significant operates with a similar level of contribution during 2019. They help staffing we had over 10 years ago. provide the administration with wise The Board is mindful however, of the counsel and ensure the competition additional requirements imposed GRAHAM HALBISH is conducted with a high level of by the rapid expansion of the Chairman respect, governance and stability. League, particularly through girls and women’s football and netball competitions. 3 FROM THE CEO 2019 WAS A SUCCESSFUL YEAR FOR THE EASTERN FOOTBALL NETBALL LEAGUE ON ANY MEASURE FROM THE FIVE KEY PILLARS OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN: CLUBS, PARTICIPATION, COMMUNITY AND PARTNERSHIPS, OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT. We delivered a new more user-friendly benefits to the community. One of Social media usage is booming website, enhanced our existing our strategic plan priorities are all across the League delivering match-day footage with game-day clubs having female representation in increased access, exposure and tagging and highlight packages football and netball by 2023. engagement, for the most part this and our weekly match of round is very positive. However, it can also As our competition continues live stream and finals coverage was deliver some negative outcomes so to grow, the facilities must also outstanding. So good in fact it had we will be looking to tighten up our grow to increase usage hours and over 5,300 views during the Saturday social media policies, sanctions and provide change rooms suitable for of the Premier Division grand final.