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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2024-11-27 Daily Xml
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SANFL Premiership

Mr PATTERSON (Morphett) (16:02): I move:

That this house—

(a) congratulates the Glenelg Football Club for winning the 2024 SANFL League Premiership;

(b) commends Norwood Football Club for winning the Minor Premiership;

(c) acknowledges the SANFL for promoting men's and women's football in South Australia; and

(d) acknowledges the important role local football clubs play in our community and thanks all volunteers for their hard work over the course of the season.

If we look back it is only a few months ago now, and it seems like time flies, but the grand final in the SANFL this season was one of the best grand finals this century. It saw Glenelg, who were the 2023 premiers, taking on Norwood, who of course were the 2022 premiers as well. So, really, this year's grand final was to set once and for all during this period of time which of those two great teams could put their hand up and say, 'We are the dominant force in the SANFL at this point in time.'

Of course, it was very challenging for me on the day having played for Norwood. I have many great friends back at Norwood but, being the member for Morphett, Glenelg is not only firmly geographically situated in Morphett—being at the heart of it—but also really in the emotions of so many people who live in the area. Because of the ocean, Glenelg is like a magnet for people. So many people who live in the local area barrack for Glenelg and, because you can go in all four directions, you will find so many Norwood supporters everywhere. Of course, in the lead-up to the grand final the shopfronts down Jetty Road put out their support for Glenelg. It really was going to be hotly contested. As I said, Norwood finished on top of the ladder with a dominant season. They should be congratulated and in the motion, of course, I do commend them.

The minor premiership—if it was the English Premier League, of course, finishing top of the premiership in and of itself basically cements you as one of the premier teams for that year, whereas in Australian Rules football that just gives you the first ticket to be able to then go into a final series, and what counts, of course, is the grand final.

Glenelg finished fourth. They had a fairly solid season, but you would have to say they had their challenges. A number of the teams in the top five had beaten them over the course of the year. Norwood certainly had. Sturt had—they were above them—and Centrals had as well. It was certainly not going to be easy. Glenelg had attempted on five prior occasions to come from the elimination final and go through and win the premiership and were unsuccessful on each occasion.

We can obviously remember 1982, which was the last time Glenelg got through to the prelim. Basically it was infamous, due to the carnage that Port Adelaide inflicted upon many of the Glenelg players, Dave Granger amongst them, to the point where they got to the grand final, again against Norwood, and fell short.

It was a hotly anticipated game that was before us. The game day itself was magnificent with perfect football weather. The sun was out, but it certainly was not too hot. The previous year's grand final had been played in temperatures of around 30⁰. This time it was mid-20s, mild with not much wind, which always makes for a fair game because one side might not get the jump on the other with the weather. Of course, the public of South Australia came out in support. As I said, both teams are greatly supported in their local area so the crowd of 35,000 was fantastic.

You would have to say the vocal and noisy crowd, while not as noisy as maybe an AFL game, was actually much more entertaining because you have two opposing crowds, cheering or crying out in derision in equal numbers. Those games remind me of playing in Melbourne with those big two-sided crowds. It makes for a great atmosphere, and it was.

Just even the entry of the teams onto the ground again reminds you of the halcyon days of SANFL. You had the banners there which the teams came through and fireworks going off. It really was a tribute and it gave significance to the occasion.

The first half was very competitive. You could see Norwood was starting to gain the ascendancy, but just the game style and team patterns of Glenelg probably allowed them to keep in the game. As opposed to the equivalent, they were able to limit the amount of scoring that Norwood could do.

There was certainly one passage of play which I suppose talks to the team, the first nature of Glenelg, and that was, I think, Matty Allen who is a fantastic midfielder for Glenelg. He was running into an open goal and he himself was probably only 30 metres out and could have kicked and had a shot at goal, but instead he passed to his captain, just a little dink kick 15 metres away, which then allowed captain Liam McBean to kick truly and make certain of it. Sometimes those little plays are great because they bring your teammates into the game. Certainly Liam McBean, while he was playing a good game, sometimes that play just gets the star and Liam proved instrumental towards the latter stages of the game.

As I said, the teams were fairly even in the first half and at half-time Norwood went in with a 13-point lead and then straight after the break kicked another goal. So in the premiership quarter, usually known as the third quarter, you were thinking, 'Here we've got the top of the table team making their move.'

In that circumstance, the play ended up with a strong mark again by the captain, Liam McBean, this time on a very tight angle on the boundary 45 metres out. Liam has gone back and basically put it through without the goal umpire having to move. It was a beautiful skill and speaks to a lot of the talent that is going around in the SANFL. It is a fantastic competition to have those skills on display.

Again, it was an arm wrestle. You could not say the third quarter was the premiership quarter. It saw Norwood go into that break 13 points up. You would say, 'Okay, well, they are the minor premiers and they should go on with it,' but that was not to be the case. I am saying Liam McBean's name very often, but that is because of the way the play turned out. He was very instrumental. He kicked the first goal of the quarter, quickly followed by the 2023 Jack Oatey medallist, Lachie Hosie.

Lachie's story is a great one. He was injured early on in the season and was unlikely to play for the whole season, but with a fantastic work ethic he was able to get his body right just in time to contribute in the finals series. Liam McBean then went on and kicked the third of Glenelg's goals for the quarter, putting them up probably for the first time in the game. You could really feel the momentum shifting. I have talked about the crowd, and the cheer squads behind really brought that to life.

Not to be denied, Norwood had plenty of good players in their team. In fact, they had the Magarey medallist Harry Boyd. He was able to wrestle back the lead. He took the ball out of the ruck and kicked a goal in the forward half to then say, 'Okay, well, maybe this could go Norwood's way.' Unfortunately for Norwood, up stepped Liam McBean. The ball was to him at that stage like a magnet and he was able, with one hand, to pluck one in a contest where probably he should not have. Again, kicking from 45 metres, he went back and kicked truly.

The game was line ball all of the last quarter. Both teams deserved to win. I know many people say that, but for me I wish it could be true. Both teams play a big role in my life. Of course, my kids play at Glenelg. My daughter, Violet, plays in the women's league team and my son plays in the under 16s, so they have great affinity for it and great coaching. Ultimately, Glenelg got over the line at siren's end. It really was a case that they just happened to be in front at that point in time.

Commiserations to Norwood and their coach, Jade Rawlings, as well as to the team and the supporters. Congratulations to Glenelg. I talked a lot about Liam McBean, the captain. He had a great day. He ended up winning the Jack Oatey Medal, which is for the best on ground, and he then got to hold the premiership cup aloft.

At the start of the game there was only one player in Glenelg's history who had three premierships to his name, and that is the great Peter Carey, the game's record holder for the SANFL. He was just a fantastic player. By the end of the game, another six Glenelg players had taken their place, namely Matthew Snook, Max Proud, Jonty Scharenberg, Darcy Bailey, Liam McBean and Luke Reynolds. Congratulations to them and to all the other players, as well as coach Darren Reeves, who has done a fantastic job in his two years at the helm.

You would have to say that this win could not have happened without the players. They have a great support structure behind them. The board have done a fantastic job, led by president David Whelan, past presidents Peter Carey and Nick Chigwidden, and all the other board members, including Robert Gillies, Teri Hopkins, Dion Moroney, Lorraine Caruso and Claire Hammond. Congratulations also to the staff. The CEO, Justin Scripps, has done a fantastic job, as has head of football, Paul Sandercock, and talent manager, Darren Trevena. Kristin Jeffery deserves a special mention. She is basically the front face of the club. She deals a lot with supporters, with sponsors and getting everything going. She is always a happy face. She probably has 10 jobs to do and not enough time, so well done to her.

The game itself shows what a showcase the SANFL is. We should be very proud of the SANFL. It has a great history here and it has a great future as well. The young ones coming up really do give a glimpse into the future of footy. We have some great programs run by the SANFL in under 16s and under 18s both for boys and girls.

The under-16 girls won the national championships. Congratulations to them this year. The under-16 boys came within a whisker. As I said, my son plays at Glenelg. He was in the state squad as well. Unfortunately, he did not get to play as he had an injury. The boys played a fantastic first two games and then ran into Victoria Country. The SA boys were leading, probably comfortably too, in the last quarter. Unfortunately, Vic Country came back. It is probably a lesson for them in taking their foot off the pedal, really. They had the game done and dusted, but somehow the under-16 Vic Country boys managed to mark when it was golden point, because the scores were level at full-time. Vic Country managed to mark on the boundary after an extra play, golden point, and kicked a point to win the championship. It was unfortunate for the SA boys.

The under-18 boys had a challenging season. They beat the Allies and then went on to get beaten by the traditional footy states of WA and Victoria. The under-18 girls had a very good championship. They came off winning the national championships two years running, and so they were looking good. My daughter, Violet, I mentioned before, plays for Glenelg. She was the captain of the under 18s, which is just a terrific honour for her and a testament to her dedication. The team played really well. They took it to the line; they were in the running. They beat the Allies in WA. Unfortunately, playing over in Victoria, they were beaten by Vic Metro, who were certainly the better team on the day. You would have to say the weather probably suited the Victorians, because it was windy and wet, so that was really unfortunate.

I will focus my last comments on some of the local teams as well, because we have some great local teams in Morphett. We have PHOS Camden, which is a great team. We have Morphettville Park, and just outside of the electorate we have Plympton bulldogs. They are all great teams. Plympton Bulldogs, though, is a real magnet, and so they draw a lot of players, both boys and girls, men and women, from the electorate of Morphett. I love heading out to them.

In terms of where we are in the debate and knowing that I will have the opportunity to close, I might delve down a little bit more in my closing remarks about the importance of those local footy clubs. Congratulations to Glenelg Football Club on being back-to-back premiers. They should be truly very honoured with that in terms of where it puts them in the club's history. Well done to Norwood again. You need two teams to make things competitive, and certainly that grand final was a fantastic grand final. Congratulations Glenelg.

Ms CLANCY (Elder) (16:17): I rise today on behalf of the government in support of this motion brought to the house by the member for Morphett. No doubt he would have had a bit of a crisis of conscience on the day, as a former Redleg who now represents the community of Glenelg, but it is clear that his family is well established in the Glenelg Footy Club as well, so I am sure it was a great day. Glenelg fought back in the game to win the flag and secure back-to-back premierships. As someone who grew up in Somerton Park, was raised a Bays supporter, is a Bays supporter and cheered them on in 2021 at their unsuccessful grand final bid, I was really stoked with the result. The Tigers are known for their passionate fan base and rich history and have produced numerous AFL stars, and I congratulate them on their success in 2024.

It is fair to say that Norwood were arguably the best team all season and were unlucky in defeat on the day. Nevertheless, they should be really proud of their excellent year and will no doubt be looking forward to bouncing back in 2025. The SANFL for years now has been an exemplar in inclusiveness and equality and have led the way in ensuring all South Australians can be involved with our beloved sport either at a community or semi-professional level. The SANFL plays a pivotal role in promoting and developing Australian Rules football in South Australia. It fosters grassroots football, providing pathways for young players to progress to elite levels, including the AFL. It also strengthens community connections through regional and urban clubs, offering participation opportunities for all ages.

Beyond football, the SANFL contributes to local communities by supporting inclusivity and physical activity. Its enduring tradition and competitive structure remain central to South Australia's sporting identity, but arguably none of this would be possible without the hard work of volunteers at football clubs at all levels, like the Weekley family at Mitchell Park Football Club. They are a big Bays family. You cannot really say Mitchell Park Football Club without mentioning the Weekley family. They are all so integral to that club, along with the member for Waite's cousin, and volunteer in so many different capacities. They are really engaged and we are very lucky to have those types of volunteers around.

Volunteers are the backbone of football clubs, playing a vital role in their operation and success. They contribute their time, skills and energy across various areas, like admin, coaching, event management, fundraising and facility maintenance. Volunteers ensure clubs remain accessible and affordable, fostering community involvement and participation in sports. Coaches and team managers provide mentorship, guiding players to improve skills and build confidence. Event organisers and fundraisers support financial stability, enabling clubs to invest in equipment, infrastructure and development programs.

Beyond the practical contributions, volunteers create a really welcoming environment, fostering camaraderie and a sense of belonging among members. Their passion helps to sustain clubs and inspires others to engage with sports, promoting physical activity, teamwork and community spirit. Without the dedication of volunteers, many grassroots and amateur sports clubs would struggle to operate, highlighting their indispensable role in the success and sustainability of their much-loved clubs.

So here is to all of the volunteers, especially at the Kenilworth Football Club, Mitchell Park Football Club and Colonel Light Gardens Football Club. Just over the boundary into Badcoe and out of my electorate, we also have the Goodwood Saints Football Club and Edwardstown Football Club, and over the other boundary into Unley we also have the Mitcham Hawks Football Club. Thank you, especially to all of those volunteers, and go the Bays. I commend the motion.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: As a Magpie supporter, I do not agree with you, sorry, member for Elder.

Mr WHETSTONE (Chaffey) (16:21): I, too, rise to support this little bit of fun. It is a private member's motion that has been brought to this place by the member for Morphett to celebrate Glenelg Football Club's win in the 2024 SANFL league premiership.

I have an interest in this motion, but it is conflicted. The conflict is that I played junior footy at the Bay in the late sixties, my father played footy at Norwood in the late fifties, and my son played footy at West Adelaide in the early 2000s, so it is always a tug of war. But the Bay has always been my team of choice and it was great to watch Glenelg win back-to-back premierships in 2024, with a five-point win over Norwood.

As the member for Morphett said, Liam McBean, the captain, played an outstanding game. He was the difference between winning and losing, I think—and commiserations to Norwood. Glenelg have won back-to-back premierships. It is their seventh premiership since being founded in 1920. Their first premiership was in 1934. I must say that one of the great premierships I attended for Glenelg was in 1973, the grand final at Adelaide Oval. One of the highlights was Barrie Robran. I remember Graham Cornes taking a screamer in the forward pocket, kicking the goal and Glenelg going on to win the grand final.

You have to congratulate Norwood. They were minor premiers throughout the season. They played great footy, but as it came into the finals series Glenelg just hit their straps. There was a real vibe down at the Bay that they could smell success and that the premiership was there to be had.

I must say that South Australia is a sporting hub for AFL and both men and women's football are at a particularly high standard nationally. My view, even unbiased, is that the SANFL is probably the premier football league within the state series. I think the SANFL, particularly with the inclusion of women's football now, is really driving that growth sector.

I have to congratulate CEO Darren Chandler. I think he is doing a great job promoting local footy across the state and beyond, but it also has a flow-on effect to have a great standard at the SANFL. It also makes great footy, with SAFA, the amateur league. My team of choice is of course Prince Alfred Old Collegians. They really are a great institution, the reds. My son went to school at Prince Alfred College. They are an ongoing support base for the Old Collegians. They filled every division, they are up there. It was only a couple of years ago that they were premiers in every division bar one; it really shows the dedication by the volunteers within that organisation.

I also want to acknowledge that footy—sport in general—is a great connector, a great piece of the community fabric. The SANFL are doing a great job but it is particularly important in regional South Australia that football brings communities together. What has been highlighted is the importance of footy and the inclusion of having netball in the same or a similar venue on the same day so that it is bringing families together, and it really does make a great outing for those country communities to come together and be part of a great sporting spectacle as it is.

Up in Chaffey I have three footy leagues and that makes it pretty tough to get along to all of the games all of the time. The Riverland Football League (RFL) is alive and well. Renmark did a great job this year; they were premiership winners and they really hit their straps towards the end of the year and they were again the winners.

The independent league is going along okay; the footy league there is marginal. It is mostly those smaller communities that come together. They do a lot of travelling. I know that some of those clubs travel well over 100 kilometres to a game on a weekly basis, so it really is dedication for them.

The River Murray Football League is also another one in the Southern Mallee. I think they have done a bit of amalgamation over the last season. They have come together and they are making it work. We all understand in the country setting in regional football that it is becoming more marginal, it is harder to get a team on the ground, so we need the dedication of those volunteers of those small footy clubs coming together to make sure that it works. They try to have inclusivity with junior footy so that they have some depth; I think that is very important. Again, as I say, the more footy boots they can get on the oval on a given game day really does bolster the ongoing viability of country footy.

As I said, it is keeping communities together and bringing in young people, keeping them active and healthy, trying to keep them off their devices. That is the bane of a lot of parents in today's society but the best way to do that is to keep them active and moving and playing sport.

I want to take the opportunity to acknowledge the former Liberal government for its investment into sport—$400 million over the period of government, $35 million for the infrastructure grants and $10 million for dedicated grants to the regions. The electorate of Chaffey were recipients of that money. We saw some great pieces of infrastructure go in. We have seen scoreboards, we have seen lighting, in some instances we have seen an amalgamation of grant money that has seen a new clubhouse, change rooms and facilities. That really was a shot in the arm to keep those sporting clubs viable and attractive. We all know that we have to make sure if we want people to continue to attend sporting events, you have to provide facilities and make sure that the grounds are in a safe state and you have to make sure in most instances you have lights. Nowadays people are time-poor and we have to be flexible and make sure that we do everything that we can to accommodate people playing sport and continuing to turn up.

I urge this government to continue to invest in regional infrastructure. It is critically important that they do that—and metro sport as well, but I think it is really important that country sport is a very important part of common society, particularly in regional settings, so we do not want to see them falling behind.

An active community is a healthy community. The volunteers and the work that they do cannot be understated—the hard work over the season, the dedication, making sure that we have umpires on the ovals. As a former soccer coach and a former boundary umpire, anything I can do to contribute to keeping those teams there and make sure that we keep our small clubs alive and well is much appreciated. I want to acknowledge the local families, the volunteers, the umpires and all the volunteers behind the scenes within those clubs. They do a great job and they are the reason that people turn up every game day. They are the people who are the backbone of our sporting clubs, and no more so than in our regional sporting clubs.

Well done to the member for Morphett. The Glenelg footy club is alive and well. It is my team of choice. I must say I have a lot of fond memories and I still have great friendships from those junior footy days. Many would understand that I attended school down south in Somerton Park. Stephen Kernahan was a classmate and his brothers were also part of that era and, of course, we cannot forget Harry, the father. They were a great footy family and they are still involved today. As the member for Morphett would know, it takes great people to keep a great sport alive. What we have seen today is that this motion is acknowledging the great contribution to AFL, SANFL and country footy.

Mr TEAGUE (Heysen) (16:31): I rise to commend the motion, and what a good motion it is. I hope that we are back again doing precisely this around this time next year for three in a row because it was great last year and again this year. It is particularly fitting that it is the member for Morphett who is moving the motion in circumstances where the grand final has been such a hard-fought contest between these two great clubs.

Of course, the member for Morphett goes understated and is very modest about it the whole time. He is a best and fairest player for Norwood, best and fairest in '93, and a great champion of that club who went on to glory in the AFL for Collingwood. For him to be graciously shining a light on one of the opponents in the SANFL speaks to his sporting character and as well, of course, to representing his local area.

For me, Glenelg is heart and soul. Growing up and going down to my grandparents on Eton Road at Somerton Park, we spent a lot of time there. This was back in the days of the Footy Replay. We would have KG's Footy Show and The Muppets and you would hear all about heroes like John Paynter, my PE teacher and Jack Halbert and these wonderful heroes of SANFL football. It meant that I grew up heart and soul with Glenelg, and it did not hurt to be right there in the thick of it when I was only learning, as a 10 or 11 year old, that when Glenelg wins back-to-back in '85 and '86 those were only the third and fourth premierships in the club's history. Of course, '73 is this epic moment, and you have to go back decades to '34 for the first one. For Glenelg to go back-to-back in '23 and '24 is a historic achievement for the club. It really cements Glenelg among the echelon. We know—

Mr Patterson interjecting:

Mr TEAGUE: I was too young. We know what a proud history the SANFL has had. We know that it was the place where the most exciting brand of Aussie rules footy was played during all those VFL years. Of course, everything changed with the advent of the Crows, and going into '91 and all the rest of it. As the member for Chaffey has also reflected, the SANFL has continued to go from strength to strength, and it is true to say that it is the place where footballers now really want to play their best footy. There is no better example of that than Liam McBean, who, it is right to emphasise, was the great champion of the day.

In a close fought contest, if Liam McBean had missed just once, the game goes the other way and Norwood would have been worthy winners. It is a testament to his achievement that—there he is, a champion of the game—he is choosing to play his best footy in the SANFL, and for Glenelg. He now joins Peter Carey, 'Super', as a triple premiership player alongside several others. For a long time, Peter Carey was the only one, having played in 1973, 1985 and 1986. Not only that, but Liam McBean does it wearing Super's No. 5 guernsey. It is a tribute to Liam McBean, the Jack Oatey medallist, and what a great performance and what a great exponent of the game.

I pay particular tribute to Peter Carey OAM for his continuing decades of service beyond his record-breaking achievements as a player, leading the way at the club. I also pay particular tribute to all of those who are leading at Glenelg, particularly Rob Gillies—very thoughtful of Rob—and his significant contribution to the Glenelg Football Club.

On a personal note—and I will embarrass her—our eldest, Emily, has achieved considerably more success than I ever did in her football career, playing in a premiership last year for Payneham Norwood Union. As a sign of the fabric that the member for Chaffey referred to about the way footy works in community, there Emily is, and she has been fortunate to be mentored and coached by another Norwood legend in Garry McIntosh. Garry made his real post-playing life so much around making a massive contribution to Payneham Norwood Union and in turn bringing along a generation of women footballers.

In Emily's case, she had the good fortune to be captain of her football team at school and be brought over to the club with the encouragement of one of the teachers to play among a group of women who had largely been drawn from the ranks of high achievement in other sports. Now, we are starting to see girls and young women coming up, having played footy from a young age, and it is great to see that, and it is a tribute to our clubs that we have been able to see the growth in women's football across the board.

The motion is rightly drawing attention to and acknowledging the important role of local footy clubs in the community, and Payneham Norwood is one of those. I see week in, week out in the Hills the really central role in the community that those clubs in the Hills footy league play at the centre of towns, large and small, throughout the Hills in Heysen. One in particular, the Macclesfield Football Club, is doing a great deal of work at the centre of the community.

I might say, with a risk of slightly further embarrassment, that Dr Forkert's father is president of that club. Mr Forkert has led the way brilliantly with the Maccy Footy Club. It is an example of where footy meets community meets service. It is one thing for Stan Forkert to be at the head of the footy club; he is working alongside Dennis Oldenhove. Heading up the local RSL and driving community initiative, bringing along young people is really there at the core of the community at Macclesfield.

Reference has been made to the importance of facilities infrastructure. That is something that clubs can raise funds for and through volunteer efforts we can see improvement, but it is somewhere where government has a role to play as well. I join with those others who have contributed to this debate by really urging government not to drop the ball on continuing to fund those facilities for local football clubs so that we can continue to see great players emerging from the Hills in particular, from my point of view.

We know that Aussie Rules runs through the veins of South Australians. It is a good thing that here we are celebrating that greatest of achievements in the SANFL grand final, and it is congratulations to Glenelg on going back to back. I applaud the motion and I pay tribute to the mover.

Mr PATTERSON (Morphett) (16:41): Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this: the member for Elder, the member for Chaffey and, most recently, the member for Heysen. It really shone a light on and, again, congratulated the Glenelg Football Club on their season, but it is clear from what everyone was saying that that is really, I suppose, the exemplar, but it is also about all the football clubs throughout the state that make such a wonderful ecosystem and really such a heartbeat for every local community.

Talking about those local football clubs, it is worth really going through because for a strong SANFL competition we do need to have strong local clubs. I mentioned very briefly towards the end some of the fantastic local football clubs in my electorate; of course, we have PHOS Camden, Plympton Football Club, which is just outside it, and Morphettville Park. Maybe I will turn my attention first of all to Morphettville Park because it is an instrumental club in terms of football. It has both a men's program but, importantly, also a fantastic women's program. You would have to say they were really front and centre of the charge of women's football here in SA before the Crows came in.

Just recently, literally this week, the Morphie Park Footy Club has had one of their own, Ebony Marinoff, take out the AFLW Best and Fairest. They, understandably, have great pride about that. Ebony has strong links to Morphettville Park Footy Club, playing there in premierships back in 2014, 2015 and 2016. It is amazing to think, here we are 10 years after that first premiership in 2014, where she has landed as the premier talent in the AFLW. Along the way, she has won a premiership, of course, at Glenelg in their SANFLW team, and then she has gone on to win premierships at the Crows as well. The Morphie Park Footy Club can take great pride in that, and I know Ebony has strong links back to that club.

The club itself is run on volunteers, and none more so than Paul and Brenda Farrelly, who do a fantastic job there of just making sure the club runs so smoothly and gives the opportunity for the next generation of kids to come through. So congratulations to Paul, Brenda, the board there, all the players and the supporters and volunteers on the work they do, and topping that off with Ebony's great result just this week with the AFLW Best and Fairest.

PHOS Camden is another fantastic club with again a great talent pathway. Many of the players who played in the Glenelg premiership team came through PHOS Camden. I remember watching Jonte play when he was a junior. He used to play against my son. He was obviously a standout player and quite easily could be playing in the AFL. He is a great player. They are run by President Sarah Fitzpatrick and at the recent AGM she was reappointed as president. She came from the juniors into the seniors, which provides that great linkage between the two. The team will need that because unfortunately the team was relegated this season. They had a team chockful of juniors and that will give them a good springboard, hopefully, to have a terrific season in 2025.

Finally, Plympton Football Club play in the same division as Morphettville Park in the men's competition. Both teams got into the finals. Plympton ended up getting as far as the prelim final but unfortunately did not make it. They are also well served with some great volunteers, none more so than President Jamie Morgan. He is terrific. The club has won the SANFL Juniors Club of the Year. Jamie has been up for many awards, and he really is an exemplar of what is possible, changing and driving the culture of that club and making it a great location. All these clubs are in areas that are gentrifying growing up. Congratulations to them. Thank you to all the volunteers. You are the reason that local footy in South Australia is so strong.

Motion carried.

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