ANNUAL REPORT CONTENTS President’s Report 03 2015 WACFL Results 18 The Executive and Staff 05 2015 AFL Players List 20 General Manager's Report 07 2015 AFL Draftees 21 Umpire Manager's Report 08 2015 Landmark Country All Stars 21 General Manager Pathways and 2015 CBH Country Colts All Stars 21 Competitions' Report 11 2015 Landmark Country Football Champions 21 Honorary Life Members and Joint Patrons 12 Country Football Championship Records 22 2015 Highlights 13 2015 Awards 23 WACFL Executive 14 2015 Merit Awards for Service 24 WACFL Staff and Office Bearers 15 Financial Report 25 2015 WA New Holland State Country Team 16 THE WEST AUSTRALIAN COUNTRY FOOTBALL LEAGUE IS FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE COMMITMENT OF THE FOLLOWING COMPANIES FOR 2015 AND THANKS THEM FOR THEIR SUPPORT. PREMIER PARTNERS MAJOR PARTNERS SPONSORS OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS WACFL SUPPORTS WACFL ANNUAL REPORT 1 2 WACFL ANNUAL REPORT PRESIDENT’S REPORT On a state-wide level, there continues to leadership of Warren Nel. We are hopeful members in Harry Reeves and inaugural be some uncertainty around the structures that this move will give our network better WACFL Chairman Bud Byfield. Both of football as the State Government access to WAFC resources to further men achieved a significant amount for negotiations around the new Perth Stadium assist the running of country football country football for which they will be and the future financial model for football competitions. The Executive will continue remembered. With such a large network as look set to come to a pointy end early in to seek feedback from our leagues and work country football, there will always be some 2016. with the WAFC to ensure the best possible extremely sad passings at local levels. outcomes are being achieved through the Towards the end of 2015 we witnessed what Once the WACFL is fully aware of how the investment that is currently being made into courage was all about with Gibson Football WAFC’s future economic model looks, we football in country areas. Club Life Member Kym Curnow losing his will need to ensure that country football life trying to help others in the Esperance and our leagues are represented at the table A highlight of the 2015 year was the fires. and our importance to the football model appointment of Peter Sheridan and Graham around the state is suitably recognised. “Charlie” Young to WACFL Life Member The Country team of Joe, Shaun, Robyn and status. Both men achieved their awards Kellie continued to work hard to develop The WACFL’s strategic plan was in the after long representative careers on the country football and are a fantastic asset second of its three years, and has been WACFL Executive, as well as a variety of for our Executive and leagues. We are an extremely useful tool in providing the roles at a local level. Prior to being awarded also excited about some of the upcoming Executive and our stakeholders a shared this honour, both men announced their projects we have worked on throughout vision, “To enhance regional communities retirement from the WACFL Executive. 2015 that will enhance country football in through having professionally run football 2016. competitions where participants are able After a number of stable years with the to develop within a team in a safe, well same Executive members, in recent years I’d like to thank my fellow Executive governed and successfully administered there has been a significant turnover members for their contribution to country environment”. of Executive members, which gives football in 2015 and our affiliated leagues opportunities for new volunteers to and clubs for their continued support of the It has also been a positive watching influence country football’s state-wide WACFL. I am confident that, provided we each Executive member work within administration. Throughout the 2015 continue to work hard on trying to develop the Executive and with the staff on their season, we also said goodbye to Alan the code, we will have a prosperous future designated portfolio. This has given each Bishop and Barry Butterworth from the and successful 2016 season. member more ownership of their position Executive. Both Alan and Barry were and tasks. significant contributors to the Executive over long periods of time. Barry Tate (South Towards the end of the 2015 season, the West) and Michael Harding (Esperance) WAFC announced that, in 2016, the WACFL were appointed as their respective will no longer fall under the ‘Competitions replacements. and Pathways’ structure of the WAFC and will be moved into a newly named In 2015, country football mourned the TERRY HOUSE ‘Community Football’ structure under the passing of two previous WACFL Executive PREsidENT WACFL WACFL ANNUAL REPORT 3 4 WACFL ANNUAL REPORT THE EXECUTivE TERRY HOUSE JOHN SHADBOLT MILTON MILLoy President Senior Vice President Junior Vice President COLIN COX ALAN BISHOP JOE BURTON BARRY BUTTERWORTH MICHAEL HARDING (Resigned 24/6/15) (Resigned 15/6/15) (Appointed 7/7/15) NoEL MIGUEL KEN ROWE IAN STANLEY BARRY TATE (Appointed 7/7/15) THE STAff JOE GEORGIADES SHAUN JASPER RoBYN PAYNE KELLIE MCBEAN General Manager Operations Coordinator Administration Administration Assistant Part-time Assistant Part-time WACFL ANNUAL REPORT 5 6 WACFL ANNUAL REPORT GENERAL MANAGER’S REPORT WACFL’s number one focus in 2015 a number of players putting their hands up states and, if required, introduce policy for continued to be regional club football and for Country Colts, State Country and even the 2017 season. the majority of our energy was directed WAFL selection. towards helping to deliver professionally 2015 was a challenging year financially run competitions throughout the state. It was a pleasing end to 2015 to re-sign for the WACFL as state-wide funding Landmark for an addition four years which cuts were absorbed prior to the season Across all aspects of regional football there will extend our partnership to a 45th commencing. With future uncertainty was a 9% growth figure recorded which season. around the economic model of football, encompassed club, female, school, Auskick the WACFL board continues to try to and social football. Club football will Our senior state side hosted South strengthen its financial position and in 2015 continue to be the number one focus of the Australia at Mandurah in July. The side was recorded an operating profit of $27,071. WACFL and ensuring football can continue coached by Craig Walker and captained by Our economic model and reinvestment back be played across all corners of the state Cunderdin’s Troy Skilton. South Australia into our leagues and programs would not must be a priority. again got the jump on our boys and proved have been possible without the support we too strong, running out 82 point winners. receive from our partners including WAFC, Technology will play an increasing role in Best players for WA included Alex James ICWA, Landmark, The CBH Group, Toyota, how we administer football across the state (EDFL), Mark Deaves (UGSFL), Jayden The Regional Men’s Health Initiative, New and there were a number of enhancements Brooks (OFA) and Liam Ryan (GNFL). Holland, West Coast Poly, GWN and introduced in 2015, including the National Media 365. Online Registration System, the WACFL App The Executive and I continue to investigate and the WACFL website. opportunities into how we can build and WACFL staff members Shaun Jasper, deliver programs that enhance both the Robyn Payne, Kellie McBean and volunteer The Online Registration System has been country football clubs and the greater Ben Ralph continue to work tirelessly for beneficial in giving us a more accurate community – in line with our Strategic Plan. country football and are great assets for our picture of our network of players and in There appears an obvious opportunity and stakeholders due to their commitment to 2015 we had over 12,000 players register need for football to be used as a motivating country football. to play with a WACFL club. Whilst there factor to improve community behaviours were some teething problems with the around drugs, alcohol, violence, health, I’d like to take the time to acknowledge all introduction of this system, we expect etc. This was evidenced through a handful those who are exiting the administration of the system to significantly enhance our of incidents that occurred across finals country football and thank them for their operations moving forward and we thank all matches and throughout the season. These services to their communities. Volunteering leagues and clubs for their cooperation. incidences not only disappoint those is a thankless job at times, but without our involved with the game regionally, but have volunteers the game would not be possible The upgraded WACFL website was also the potential to damage the code nationally. at a grass roots level. launched early in 2015 and has proven a useful tool for the storing of our information I’m pleased to say that the Executive Finally, I’d like to thank the members and promotion of all things country football. has been proactive in trying to address of the Executive for their support in the some of these challenges and we’ll roll previous 12 months. I believe the WACFL Our long association with Landmark out enhancements in the 2016 season and is becoming stronger each season and continued into its 41st year and the continue to explore opportunities to add to we need to ensure we are well positioned Landmark Country Football Championships our resourcing to support leagues and clubs. in the coming years to continue to assist were again filled with drama with the our leagues to handle the challenges of South West just scraping through the The player payment issue has also attracted managing football in regional WA.