PAST & PRESENT PLAYERS & OFFICIALS MEMBER NEWSLETTER JULY 2020 EDITION FROM THE CHAIRMAN BENEVOLENT FUND - ROD GRINTER UPDATE ear Members raise funds for the BENEVOLENCE of the hank you to everyone who has made MFCP&PP&OA. In 2020, with COVID-19 D As I write T a donation to the MFC P&PP&OA hitting the world, getting together at to you again, I Benevolent Fund, via our GoFundMe events held to assist financially hasn’t reflect on the page. We appreciate the contributions been possible. In conjunction with the many challenges we’re currently facing as made by everyone from all sectors of AFL Past Players Alumni, our benevolent a community, none more so than those the MFC P&PP&OA community, as we fund aims to support past players and living in Victoria, with the increase in work towards reinforcing our ability to officials suffering challenges in Mental positive COVID-19 cases causing alarming support members in need, both now Health, Addiction, Financial Hardship, and into the future. concerns and locking us down. As always, Medical Conditions, Illness and General our thoughts are with those members Wellbeing. who are struggling during this time from 2 x Anonymous Spike Harris COVID-19 restrictions as well as any We are very proud that we have been health concerns. Don’t ever forget that we able to support members in a number Don Baron Paul Hopgood are here for anyone that needs someone of different ways; the response is to talk to, so just pick up the phone or flick heartwarming and justifies why we do Paul Burnham Mark Jenkins us an email, we are here to support you. what we do. Over the last five years, we Lynda Carroll Gary Marchant have financially assisted twelve past In very sad news, we heard of the passing players and officials, to which end we of a stalwart of the MFC, G N (Mike) Dave Cawsey Jeremy Nichols have paid out $62,000, not to mention Kostos, part of the club community for the large number of connections and Chris Connolly Russell Robertson over fifty years. Mike was a key figure support outside of financial support of the MFC Coterie, Club Director, No. 1 Penny Connolly Cameron Schwab provided by our Association. This shows ticket holder, Foundation Hero member that we are proactive, and we need and - in 2018 - was acknowledged for his Ray ‘Smokey’ Steven Smith everyone to assist by donating what service, being the recipient of the Ronald Dawson they can for us to be able to continue to Brian Stynes Dale Barassi AM Medal, presented to his support what makes the MFC great - our Simon Eishold son Tony at the Ronald Dale Barassi AM Daniel Ward past. On the Heritage front, we have met Annual Address Dinner, held at Queens and are working with MFC board member, Jackie Emmerton Hall, Parliament House. Mike was a Steve Morris, in order to coordinate various wonderful ambassador for our Club. RIP Bernadette Grinter forms of recognition, and to ensure Today, I wanted to touch on another one that we can protect our club’s precious Rod Grinter of our five pillars – BENEVOLENCE. memorabilia. For those who have already The MFC P&PP&OA is a non-profit kindly donated to our cause, l sincerely organisation that has created a thank you for your contribution, which is h benevolent fund to support its less acknowledged further in this newsletter. fortunate members suffering hardship. Keep an eye on our website and Back in January 2016, approval was given DONATE NOW Instagram, and pass on this newsletter by Ron Barassi to use his name for ‘The to help with ensuring constant Ron Barassi Club’, under the umbrella communication to our members. of the MFCP&PP&OA. This club was launched during the year of Ron’s 80th As always, stay safe and healthy. Or go to: birthday with a function in the MCC Dining gofundme.com and search MFC P&PP&OA Room in front of 400 people, with the Regards Ron Barassi Annual Address Dinner now being held annually. The main focus of Rod Grinter this dinner, apart from collegiality, is to MFC P&PP&OA Chairman PAST & PRESENT PLAYERS & OFFICIALS MEMBER NEWSLETTER WELFARE/PROACTIVE PASTORAL CARE THE ALUMNI PROGRAM FOCUSES ON PROVIDING SUPPORT VIA THE FOLLOWING: Health and Wellbeing Financial Prosperity Continued Education Social Connections AFL PLAYERS’ INJURY AND HARDSHIP FUND This fund aims to support players who transition out of hile we are all staying at home, the game with career ending Paul ‘The Rev’ Burnham continues injuries, and those who need W to keep in contact with the P&PP&OA longer-term medical support, or ALUMNI MEMBERSHIP ELIGIBILITY community, contacting 33 past players suffer illness or financial hardship and officials in the past month. We send through retirement. Areas addressed Former players who played at least one best wishes in particular to Bob Skilton, include: senior AFL game receive access to all who had a chat to The Rev while in Lifetime Health Care our services, plus a range of lifetime hospital, recovering from surgery. benefits. Football-Ending Injury Where welfare is concerned, we MEMBERSHIP FEES encourage all past player members to Delisted Injury Player Payment Joining the AFL Players’ Association consider joining: Past Player Hardship as a past player member is a one-off AFLPA ALUMNI - http://www.aflplayers. Hospital Excess Reimbursement payment that gives past players lifetime com.au/alumni/ for further information membership. For recently retired or Contact Tim Harrington (tharrington@ and links. delisted players, membership cost is the aflplayers.com.au or 0419 152 411) same as a listed AFL player. This amount The AFL Players’ Association has more for Lifetime Health Care, Past Player is deducted from your retirement fund. than 4,000 past players as Alumni Hardship and Hospital Excess members. Reimbursement. Senior Legal Counsel For further information, please contact Tim Harrington: Alumni members have access to a range Laura Sigal ([email protected] of benefits and services to recognise the or 0419 008 821) is the primary contact Head of Alumni contribution that past players have made for Delisted Injury Player Payment and E: [email protected] to the game. Football-Ending Injury claims. LOOKING FOR…. ith a strike rate of over 50 per cent Win tracking down people from our last two newsletters, we’re aiming even higher for this issue. So, if you know of any of those from the G-M section of the MFC missing in action files; or if you are one of those named here – we’d love to update your details and keep in touch. Tom Gillies Brent Heaver Troy Longmuir Craig McKellar Contact Spike Harris via Shane Grambeau Tom Kavanagh Matthew Mahoney Glenn McLean [email protected] or 0411 235 073 David Grant Chris Lamb Tony Martyn JULY 2020 comfortable environment to help them beyond their playing days.’ Besides his role with the networking program, Daniel can be seen as a regular MC at match day functions, as well as controlling the lectern at the annual reunion. He is also a premiership coach of long standing at Old Haileybury, renowned by the club for having ‘plenty of experience as a player and people manager.’ Of course, none of the immediate football activity is happening in 2020, Daniel and his daughters. with the time being filled by new experiences, ranging from working at home to sharing home schooling duties with wife Mel. With daughter Rylee in high school, while Autumn is in primary DANIEL WARD – DEMONS NETWORK PROGRAM school, there is no doubt that the variety of content adds an extra layer of ne of the most important roles of Melbourne’s defence throughout his interest to the equation. O in the Association – particularly career. Like so many others, Daniel is all too at the moment – is to keep people in Daniel admits that he ‘struggled with aware of the ongoing and emerging touch with each other, and to foster the transition’ once his playing days challenges in the football community. networking opportunities, vital to were over, and knows that – as much Now is the time that – despite any unearthing business and employment as anything – adjusting to the outside obstacles – he is taking the time to build opportunities. While there are many world is a matter of ‘finding what works’. a vital networking facility that is integral challenges in doing so, the person He wants to be able to give others like to the Association’s community. putting their hand up to take charge himself assistance to make progress in in this area is Daniel Ward, committee If you can assist any member mentioned their lives, and hopes that ‘if I try and member and coordinator of the Demons in this segment, require assistance help, hopefully it can give that person Network Program. yourself or would like to promote your more of a chance.’ Apart from that, it business, please email Daniel Ward at It has been a long road from his senior lets those who may be battling along [email protected] debut in Round 10, 1998. Having been know that they’re not on their own. elevated from the rookie list following For Daniel, who describes himself the retirement of Brett Lovett, Daniel as ‘not an extrovert!’, the challenge played four games in his first season, and of connecting with the past player was hailed as ‘a promising running back… community is a welcome one. ‘It is expected to grab his opportunities next feels good helping others.’ As he year.’ From this beginning, he went on to also points out, it’s not just for past play 136 games before retirement at the players, and ongoing interaction ‘helps end of 2007, becoming an integral part present players to know that there is a DECLAN KEILTY eclan, who made his senior debut for Originally signed to play with Bentleigh in DMelbourne in 2019, and was a regular 2020, Declan is one of many players who for Casey throughout his time with the has suffered the shutdown of suburban Demons, is currently studying psychology and regional competitions throughout at Swinburne.