SEASONSES ASSON 2202100221 - MAYMAMAY 1 SEASON 2021 - MAY 22 East Malvern Community Bank® Branch are proud sponsors of Amateur Football. With every product or service we offer, money goes back into the community to support local clubs, organisations and initiatives like Amateur Football. As an East Malvern Community Bank® Branch customer you benefit from competitive products and great service and get the satisfaction of knowing your banking is contributing to your club. To find out how your club can benefit for each referral made, call into East Malvern Community Bank® Branch at 300 Waverley Road, East Malvern or phone Branch Manager, 5XWK+DOO on 9563 6044. East Malvern Community Bank® Branch Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited, ABN 11 068 049 178 AFSL/Australian Credit Licence 237879. (S51971) (05/15) INJURED? EPWORTH RICHMOND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT Open 24/7 | Ph 03 9506 3000 62 Erin Street, Richmond VIC 3121 See current wait time: epworth.org.au IN AN EMERGENCY ALWAYS CALL 000 FIRST epworth.org.au EDITORIAL Volunteers, Vilification & Umpires Brett Connell - VAFA CEO This week we celebrate National Volunteer Week (NVW - May prohibiting certain conduct and providing a 17-23). It is Australia’s largest celebration to acknowledge means of redress for victims of vilifi cation and the generous contribution of our nation’s volunteers, including discrimination. those who perform key roles in community football clubs. To acknowledge NVW the AFL is calling on nominations for the The VAFA fosters and maintains a sporting 2021 Toyota National Volunteer Awards and we encourage you to environment which promotes understanding, accepts the unique nominate a hardworking volunteer at your VAFA club. differences of all persons affi liated with or interested in Australian Football, and recognises the need to prohibit discriminatory or All Auskick Centres, Schools, Community Clubs and Leagues are vilifying conduct. invited to nominate an outstanding volunteer as part of the AFL The VAFA relies upon the overarching AFL Vilifi cation and National Volunteer Awards. Discrimination Policy, as well as other applicable AFL Victoria The AFL Community Football National Volunteer of the Year Policies including the AFL Victoria Member Protection Policy. award recognises the outstanding work of a volunteer within the The VAFA’s Vilifi cation & Discrimination Policy establishes the grassroots environment of local football in their local community. means of redress for players, umpires, offi cials and volunteers The volunteer may have contributed to aggrieved by what they reasonably consider to be vilifi cation or the completion of a major or signifi cant discrimination based on their individuality. project throughout the year, gone above We are all In short, the VAFA policy is clear in that no and beyond throughout the COVID affected Association Participant or Club Offi cial shall 2020 season or they may be someone who engage in conduct which may reasonably be has contributed to a number of roles over a responsible in considered to incite hatred towards, contempt long period. for, ridicule of or discrimination against a making our club person or group of persons on the ground of Click below to view the selection criteria for their: race; religion; gender; colour; sexual each AFL National Volunteer Award. preference, orientation or identity or special and playing ability or disability. https://www.afl .com.au/clubhelp/club- management/volunteer-management/ environments safe The VAFA has processes in place to address national-volunteer-awards?utm_so matters which are brought to our attention urce=Media+Reports+Contacts&u - processes we take very seriously. We tm_campaign=cd09a7b4f6-EMAIL_ places for all implore the whole VAFA community to stand CAMPAIGN_2021_04_29_03_52_ up and call out behaviour that should not be COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3bd2306995- tolerated either on or off the fi eld. cd09a7b4f6-373248470 We are all responsible in making our club and playing • Nominations will be open from Friday 14th May 2021 until environments safe places for all and we ask our whole community Sunday 8th August 2021. to band together to stamp out any form of vilifi cation or discrimination across the VAFA. We pride ourselves on our wonderful VAFA community and regularly talk about the terrifi c role volunteers play, so how about On a brighter note, while our umpire numbers are improving this week i) pat a volunteer on the back and say thank you and ii) slightly, it was great to hear of an instance last week where seriously consider nominating someone at your club who you think a former AFL player, now at a VAFA Club, provided direct fi ts the criteria. encouragement to a female boundary umpire who was struggling to throw the ball in in blustery conditions. This “working together” On a more concerning note, the last few weeks in the VAFA, and approach is far more productive, rather than some who have across community football in general, the incidence of vilifi cation taken it upon themselves to turn to social media to snipe at the matters being reported has been prominent. VAFA’s umpire shortage and other Association matters – please remember, we are all in this together. The Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA) reinforces that it is committed to fostering an enjoyable environment by See you at the footy. The Amateur Footballer The Journal of the Victorian Amateur Football Association May 22, 2021 I Vol 20 No. 7 1 WILLIAM BUCK PREMIER MEN’S Nick Armistead Battle of Thermopylae for Ayce and his men Despite Old Brighton claiming yet another victory, there is Williams kicked a season-high four goals. Charlie Beasley was a new ladder leader in William Buck Premier Men’s with St outstanding in defence for the T’s for the second week in a row Kevin’s OB soaring to the top of the table following their and their young brigade of Dylan Xenos, Hugo McGlashan and 74-point Round 6 victory over Old Melburnians. And Xavier Fry gave supporters every inkling the club’s future is they did it without Tom Boyd (their leading goal kicker) and bright. The Tonners will host Old Xaverians at the Beach Oval Jarrad Waite (that guy who kicked 58 two years ago). Their in the RSN Match of the Round in a clash of second vs third – forward set-up of Billy Kanakis (4) and Boyd’s replacement arguably the most enticing match-up of the year to date. Sam Barnett (3) caused havoc for OM’s defenders, but the Two losses were never going to turn into three as Old Xavs most surprising/impressive move was Sam Critchley starting returned to form in emphatic fashion, defeating Collegians forward and kicking the fi rst goal of the game. After averaging by 59 points at Toorak Park. For the fi rst time this season, just 62ppg in the fi rst fi ve rounds, SKOB hit their straps on Xavs produced the three-headed monster up forward of Saturday with 126. Kanakis will be missed as he relocates Ryan Schoenmakers, Grant Valles and former Sydney Swan, to Sydney but with the two power forwards returning soon, Xavier Richards. Schoenmakers was the pick of the bunch SKOB’s scoring woes may be a thing of the past. As for OM’s, with a match-high four goals, but two from Richards on debut this was their third test against a top four side after going and another standout performance from Valles gives Xavs a down to Uni Blues (R3) and Old Brighton (R5). R1 Rising Star forward line as potent as any – especially when Rohan Bewick nominee, Ed Nichols, is currently operating in the elite category returns. It was a devastating start for Collegians with Tom after another two goals and a standout performance, but now Penberthy returning for his fi rst senior game since the 2018 at 3-3 after starting 2-0, OM’s will be keen to improve their Grand Final but going down with an ACL injury in the opening record when they travel to Harry Trott Oval this weekend. term. With John Meesen sitting out, it left the Lions without a While Brian Waldron may have described his tip as idiocy ruck to combat Jason Holmes, but Oli Jackson did his utmost on last week’s FTLOTG Podcast, there’s no denying Joe while kicking two goals. The Lions are left at 1-5 after six Pignataro’s tip of Old Scotch to defeat Uni Blues was rounds but will be hoping the likes of Sam Hibbins and Tom inspired. The Cardinals, who had narrowly defeated the Snow Sheridan return for their clash with OM’s. Dogs one week earlier, made the most of their opportunities In the fi nal game, Caulfi eld Grammarians claimed their in front of goal with 10.9. In the end, that was the difference third win on the trot with a 42-point win over St Bernard’s as Uni Blues delivered a masterclass in poor kicking - sending at the Snake Pit. Offensively, the Fields are the best in the through 11 straight behinds in the opening half and fi nishing competition over the past three rounds with an average of the game with 5.18 thanks to a 4.4 fi nal term. Brodie Easton’s 119ppg. Keegan Stewart was the main target this week with form has been a highlight of Scotch’s season to date, and he four goals while Julian Dobosz didn’t play, and Brett Eddy was continued with a BOG performance, while Aidan Franetic was needed only once. On the fl ip side, it was the Snow Dogs’ third just as impressive. When Scotch’s defence is on song, they’re loss in a row. Bernard’s averaged 83ppg over the fi rst three winning games with an average of 52 points against in their rounds but have since managed scores of just 56, 57 and 58.