CARING FOR THE MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN OF THE RUGBY LEAGUE COMMUNITY Annual Report 2017 Annual Report January - December 2017 menofleague.com 1 Contents A message from the Chairman 3 Our people 5 Our committees 6 Our supporters 8 2017 Gold and Corporate Members 9 Wellbeing 12 Wellbeing highlight: Jake Steane 13 Wellbeing spend 14 Membership 15 Financials 16 Major events 18 How your membership can help 19 2 A message from the Chairman 2017 was my inaugural year as Chairman of the The appointment of experienced staff in key areas Men of League Foundation, and what a year it was! of the Foundation has further demonstrated our commitment to meet our corporate government Our founding Chairman, Ron Coote AM, decided responsibilities. it was time to step down after giving his all to the Foundation for the past 15 years. The launch of our new membership program will be a key focus in 2018. I was very pleased to I was extremely honoured to follow in the footsteps see the results of the membership survey which of such an icon, after having served on the board of showed that the top two reasons to join the directors the previous year. Foundation were to improve the lives of others, and to support the organisation financially. Since Although Ron has stepped down as Chairman, his we were founded in 2002 the main reasons to be position as Honorary President will mean that he involved have not changed. continues his involvement with the Foundation for many years to come. The wellbeing of the men, women and children involved in our great game will always be at the Every year, the Men of League Foundation takes heart of the Foundation. Wellbeing grant recipients great strides forward in supporting those in the in 2017 included everyone from former NRL greats rugby league community who have fallen on hard to our youngest and most vulnerable community times. 2017 was no exception. members. These recipients were experiencing hardship through disability, illness, injury and other Our two largest events were once again a huge challenging circumstances. It was our privilege to be success. The National Gala Dinner celebrated our able to provide financial and emotional support to 15th Anniversary while also paying tribute to those individuals and families in their time of need Ron Coote’s contribution to the Foundation. At the and the Foundation looks forward to assisting even dinner, we were very privileged to announce that more people during the year ahead. There is nothing we had been selected as the official Australian that makes me more proud of the rugby league Charity partner of the Rugby League World Cup. family than the way we take care of our own. This was a fantastic opportunity that provided a platform not only for fundraising initiatives and I am truly grateful to our activations, but also for showcasing the wonderful members and corporate work that the Foundation does within the rugby partners, as well as our 40 league community. In line with the RLWC17 plus local committees and partnership, our Queensland Annual Lunch was their army of volunteers themed on World Cup success, with over 860 for making a difference people in attendance – our most successful event to those lives of the men, in the Foundation’s history. women and children in the rugby league We have taken significant steps forward to community. ensure that we meet our corporate governance responsibilities to ensure that the Foundation is financially sustainable. To assist with this, the Kind Regards, national board has created board sub-committees Prof. the Hon. assisted by external advisers to improve on our Stephen Martin service delivery. Member #465 Annual Report January - December 2017 3 “ Words cannot explain how much your charity has given me a new outlook on life “ - Mark Walsh 4 Our people 2017 Honorary Positions Name Position Dates acted Ron Coote AM Honorary President Started as Honorary President 27 April The Hon. John Fahey AC Patron Whole year 2017 National Board Members Name Position Dates acted Prof. the Hon. Stephen Martin Chairman Started as Chairman 27 April Geoff Thoroughgood Company Secretary Whole year & Treasurer Mark Gasnier Board Member Resigned 27 April Brad Howell Board Member Whole year Alan Sullivan QC Board Member Whole year Alan Tongue Board Member Started 27 April Darryl Van de Velde Board Member Whole year Helen Wood Grant Board Member Whole year 2017 Men of League Foundation Team Name Position Dates acted Frank Barrett Chief Executive Officer Started as CEO 27 April Emile Assaf National Manager Whole year Corporate Services Vanessa Bolzan National Manager Started 21 August Membership & Fundraising Mark Bunting QLD Wellbeing & Education Whole year Paula Feagaiga Membership & Database Executive Started 25 September Kellie-Ann Furner National Manager Administration Started 10 August Samantha James QLD Event Manager Started 18 April Belinda Perry QLD Administration Officer Whole year David Shillington QLD State Manager Started 14 August Bruce Walker NSW State Manager Started 23 October Annual Report January - December 2017 5 Our committees 2017 Men of League Foundation Committees Committee President Secretary Brisbane Ian Gatenby Vance Rennie Bundaberg District Terry Dodd Greg Pershouse Canberra Monaro Noel Bissett Steven Troth Central Coast Don Parish Trevor Andrews Central Highlands Michael Roach RJ Stewart Central West John Lasker Norm Cook Far North Queensland John McAllister Chey Bird Far South Coast Colin Clarke Sheldon Wykes Fraser Coast Kevin Embrey Jeff Bacchi Gold Coast Ian Amos Wayne Thompson Goondiwindi Ernie Silcock Peter Sullivan Gympie Ross Groundwater Greg Pountney Illawarra Peter Fitzgerald Bob McKellar Macarthur/Southern Highlands Ron McEntee Stephen Hazelton Mackay Paul Hudson Alf Abdullah Mid North Coast Brian Atherton Kevin Rayment Newcastle Hunter Garry Leo Peter Corcoran North Coast Peter Barrett Terry Clark North West Don Pascoe John Campbell Northern Rivers Phillip Chesham Tony Cicchinelli Northern Sydney Trevor Bailey Jim Phelan Northern Territory Dave Cannon John Barry Penrith Alex McKenzie Adam Przybyla Riverina Kel Tilden Ian Lloyd Rockhampton Dominique McGregor Stan Smith Roma Owen Lingard Jason Coonan South Coast Chris Burke Carol Weller Southern Monaro John Bedingfield Tom Herbert Southern Sydney Terry Hughes Bruce Thompson Sunshine Coast Don Oxenham Barry Marsden Sydney Metro Henry Morris OAM Seamus O’Connell Toowoomba Tony Coonan Rick Laing Townsville Mark Williams Terry Feeney Tweed District John Strong Tom Cassin Upper Hunter Paul Medd Erica Edwards Western Australia James Sullivan Justin Reid Western Region Martin Cook John Croft, Wayne Burgess Victoria Peter Foreman Greg Brentnall 6 Annual Report January - December 2017 7 Our supporters The Men of League Foundation would like to thank the following sponsors for their invaluable support and close partnership in 2017. 2017 ClubGRANTS We are most grateful to the following clubs who have selected the Foundation as one of their beneficiaries. Canterbury League Club Queanbeyan Leagues Club Panthers Penrith Queanbeyan Kangaroo Rugby League Football Club The Juniors Magpies Waitara Ryde-Eastwood Leagues Club Tuncurry Beach Bowling Club Collegians Rugby League Football Club Smithfield RSL Dapto League Club Warilla Bowls and Recreation Club Cabramatta Rugby League Football Club 8 2017 Gold & Corporate Members Our Corporate and Gold members generously supported the Foundation in 2017. We thank them all for their contribution and it is exciting times ahead as we look to review these membership models. Gold Members Corporate Members Glen Appleby Richard Holder Martin O’Rourke Dead Knick Capital Pty Ltd Neil Armstrong Mark Holmes Mark Payne Michael Deane | Barry Grace Don Bailey Bradley Howell Robyn Prenzler Wilson Anthony Hancock Matthew Benson Mitchell Joyce Yvonne Purtell George McNeill | Craig McTavish Garry Boyd Lynn Kearney Martin Raftery Joe Reitano | Colin Ward Billy Brant Jeff Kilian Michael Rasmussen Peter Brien Andrew Kippen Phillip Reid Garry Cameron Rick Laing Terry Ryan Daryl Campbell Bill Lansbury Steve Ryan Ferdinando Campisi Brendan Leamy Andrew Saunders Richard Campling William Lee Constantine Serban Greg Clay Gary Leonard Michael Sharp Andrew Coates Geoffrey Logue Graeme Smith Glenn Connor Rick Lyddiard Rod Smith Peter Corcoran Wayne Madden Mitch Spencer Bruce Cowan Scott Markham Darren Stevens Ian Cunningham Jason Markwell Luke Stewart Phil Dawe Stephen Martin Anthony Sullivan Michael De Vere James Mason Erin Sullivan Terry Dodd Sam Mayer Alan Sullivan Chris Drayton Tina McClintock Peter Sullivan Gary Driscoll Jane McNeil Rodney Summerville Luke Ellis Ken Mildwater Peter Taylor Stephen Miller Colin Foran Rodney Thompson Daniel Molesworth Rodney Geer John Tomasetig Ben Giblett Robert Murdoch Noel Towler Glenn Gillroy Trevor Murphy Justin Wakefield Gregory Glover David Murphy Ian Walker Glenn Gorick Mark Murray Stephen Want Loreen Green Rick Murray Bill Wavish Justin Hamilton James Myatt Cheng Wei Lin Wayne Hampton Dale Naumann Garry White Denis Hayes Joey Neukam Steve Williams Jeff Heard Shane Nichols Colin Woods Levi Hegarty Aaron Nicoll Steve Wylde Michael Herbert John Noakes Tony Yates Craig Higgins Nick Noonan Darrell Hinga Stewart O’Connor Annual Report January - December 2017 9 Image: NRL Imagery 10 Image: NRL Imagery Annual Report January - December 2017 11 Wellbeing Wellbeing is the core business of the Men of League Foundation In 2017, funding was distributed across In 2017 the Foundation had 159 requests for Queensland, New South Wales,