COUNTRY PREMIERS GATHER FOR ANNUAL AWARDS

The country came to the city on the weekend with the staging of the 2009 Annual VCFL Premiers Dinner on Saturday 17^th October at the Hilton on the Park.

In a great night of celebrations, the WorkSafe Victorian Country Football League recognised premiership teams from all over the state, as well as acknowledging outstanding contributions from country volunteers, administrators, umpires, and in publishing.

Representatives from every premiership team joined league administrators, VCFL directors and staff, sponsors, and friends of the VCFL to celebrate another successful year of country football in Victoria.

Highlights of the night included the presentation of the 2009 Volunteer of the Year Award to Leonie Griffiths of the Balranald Football Netball Club for her outstanding achievements as administrator and driving force behind local community campaigns, and the Tatura Football Netball Club being awarded the VCFL Club of the Year.

Leonie Griffiths spoke with honesty and passion of the importance of football clubs in the life of small townships, and the way that the football club can galvinise a town around a community campaign, as Balranald FNC did with the Pink Footy Day campaign to raise awareness and funding for breast cancer support. Balranald FNC donated $28,000 to the Breast Cancer Network Australia and the local CanAssist support group.

The audience was entertained by Russell Robertson and comedian Adam Rozenbachs.

Other award winners included James Richardson from the Southern Umpires Association, named as Umpire of the Year, and Heyfield Football Netball Club amassing the most points in the Most Disciplined Club in the VCFL.

The WorkSafe VCFL congratulates Rod Ward, Lee Hartman, Wayne & Faye Burrows, and Trevor Arnel for being recognised in the Administrator of the Year category.

2009 VCFL PREMIERS DINNER- HONOUR ROLL

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR

Leonie Griffiths – Balranald FNC – Central Murray Football League

Finalists

Bryan Ryan – Bridgewater FC

Grant Jones – Woorinen FC

Rob Steel – Wedderburn FC

VCFL UMPIRE OF THE YEAR

James Richardson – Southern Umpires Association

ADMINISTRATORS OF THE YEAR

Central Admin Hub

Rod Ward – Ballarat Football League

Lee Hartman – Football Geelong

Finalists

Stephen McQueen – Western Vic Football

Major League

Wayne & Faye Burrows – Murray Football League

Finalists

Michael Iredale – Sunraysia Football League

David Heard – Western Border Football League

Stephen Walter – Yarra Valley Mountain District Football League

District League

Trevor Arnel – Heathcote & District Football League

Finalists

Chrissy Hawker – South West District Football League

Diane Ryan – Central Highlands Football League

Ken Barnes – Tallangatta Football Leagsue

VCFL RECORD OF THE YEAR

Major League

“MPNFL Record” – Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League

Finalists

Official Record – Hampden Football League

Record – Geelong Football League

The Footballer – Wimmera Football League

Record – West Gippsland Latrobe Football League

District League

“HDFL Matchday” – Horsham District Football League

Finalists

Record – Lexton Plains Football League

The Elvee – Loddon Valley Football League

The Rocrd – Colac & District Football League

VCFL MOST DISCIPLINED AWARDS

Club

Heyfield Football Netball Club – North Gippsland Football League

League

Hampden Football Netball League

VICTOR SPORTS VCFL CLUB OF THE YEAR

Tatura Football Netball Club – Goulburn Valley Football League

Finalists

Kolora-Noorat FNC – Warrnambool & District Football League

Maffra FNC – West Gippsland Latrobe Football League

Horsham Demons FNC – Wimmera Football League

Upwey-Tecoma FNC – YVMDFL

Kinglake FNC - YVMDFL