DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
IT IS A PLEASURE TO WELCOME YOU TO THE WESTERN REGION FOOTBALL LEAGUE GRAND FINAL DAY FOR 2006. I AM SURE WE ARE IN FOR TREAT OF FOOTBALL TODAY BETWEEN HOPPERS CROSSING AND PORT MELBOURNE COLTS, SEEING OUR GAME PLAYED AT ITS VERY BEST.
AS YOU KNOW, 2006 HAS BEEN A CELEBRATION OF 75 YEARS OF SPORTING EXCELLENCE IN THE WESTERN SUBURBS OF MELBOURNE. OUR FOOTBALL COMMUNITY IS REFLECTING ON BEING A FOCAL POINT FOR THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH WE LIVE YEAR IN, YEAR OUT SINCE 1931. IT IS AN OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT OF WHICH WE SHOULD ALL BE PROUD.
AT THE 75TH CELEBRATION HELD THIS YEAR, MANY OLD FRIENDS OF THE WRFL WERE RE-UNITED AND REMINICED ABOUT THEIR PART OF IN THE HISTORY OF THE WEST. HEARING DIFFERENT STORIES FROM CLUBS AND PLAYERS OF OLD WAS INDEED A WONDERFUL THING.
THIS YEAR I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING MR PETER HOLLINGS, A FORMER LEAGUE PRESIDENT AND RECENTLY TALKING WITH MR JOHN HUNTINGTON A FORMER LEAGUE GENERAL MANAGER. I ALSO RECEIVED A LETTER FROM MR TED HUDSON OF WILLIAMSTOWN, WHO PROVIDED MUCH INFORMATION ABOUT THE HISTORY OF FOOTBALL IN THE WEST INCLUDING REFERENCES TO THE MANY CHURCH BASED LEAGUES AND JUNIOR LEAGUES THAT HAVE NOW ALL BECOME PART OF THE WRFL.
IN ORDER TO CAPTURE ALL THIS WONERFUL HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE, THE WRFL WILL BE LAUNCHING A BOOK IN 2007 THAT FOLLOWS THE STORY OF OUR LEAGUE FROM ITS INCEPTION. THIS BOOK WILL NOT ONLY BE A HISTORY OF OUR LEAGUE, BUT A STORY OF THE WEST.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THIS YEAR HAS SHOWN IS THAT OUR LEAGUE IS A STORY OF PEOPLE. THE MOST IMPORTANT ASSET OUR LEAGUE HAS ITS PEOPLE - THE PEOPLE WHO PLAY AND UMPIRE OUR GAME, THE PEOPLE WHO ADMINISTER THE LEAGUE AND CLUBS, AND THE PEOPLE WHO TURN UP TO CHEER FOR THEIR TEAM.
TODAY WE WILL SEE THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIFE BLOOD OF OUR GAME PLAYING, UMPIRING, WATCHING AND CHEERING, JUST DOING WHAT THEY LOVE BEST TO DO. OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS WE HAVE SEEN OTHER GRAND FINALS FROM UNDER 11's TO DIVISION 2 SENIORS WHICH WAS WON BY GLENORDEN FC, WHO I HAVE NO DOUBT WILL BE A WORTHY CONTESTANT IN DIVISION 1 NEXT YEAR.
AFTER TODAY, ANOTHER 3 TEAMS AT U18, RESERVE AND SENIOR LEVELS WILL ENTER INTO THE ANNALS OF WRFL HISTORY AS PREMIERS FOR 2006. WE WILL ADD ANOTHER CHAPTER TO THE HISTORY OF THE WRFL. AND AS THIS YEAR CLOSES WE MUST LOOK TO THE FUTURE.
2007 WILL COMMENCE WITH A NEW WRFL CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER. THE LEAGUE CEO OF THE PAST 3 YEARS, DAMIEN PHILLIPS, IS LEAVING US NEXT WEEK TO TAKE UP THE POSITION OF CEO WITH THE WEST ADELAIDE FC IN THE SANFL. DAMIEN HAS OVERSEEN THE GROWTH AND STABILISATION OF THE LEAGUE, BUILDING ON THE WORK OF THE MARK PENALUNA. I THANK DAMIEN FOR HIS LEADERSHIP AND DRIVE IN OVERSEEING THE MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE WRFL.
JUST AS 2006 HAS HAD ITS CHALLENGES, SO WILL 2007. IN RECENT DAYS I HAVE BEEN APPROACHED BY ORDINARY PEOPLE WHO CARE A GREAT DEAL ABOUT THEIR FOOTBALL LEAGUE AND THEIR COMMUNITY. OUR LEAGUE HAS MADE MANY ADVANCES IN THE PAST FEW YEARS AND I AM PROUD OF THOSE ACHIEVEMENTS TO WHICH WE HAVE ALL CONTRIBUTED. BUT WE CANNOT REST ON OUR LAURELS, FOR IF WE DO, WE WILL CONDEMN THE GREATEST SPORTING AND SOCIAL INSTITUTION OF THE WEST TO A DARK AND POINTLESS FUTURE..
DURING THE PAST WEEKS, MANY PEOPLE HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN AS TO THE STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOUR IN OUR LEAGUE AND WHAT WE ARE DOING TO ADDRESS THESE CONCERNS. DURING THESE DISCUSSIONS ALL HAVE BEEN PASSIONATE AND GENUINE IN SEEKING A WAY FORWARD, SO THAT OUR FOOTBALL COMMUNITY IS NOT ONLY A STRONG SPORTING INSTITUION, BUT A PILLAR OF SOCIAL STANDARDS.
THIS YEAR, THE WRFL EXECUTIVE CONFRONTED AND DISPATCHED UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOUR, AND PUNISHED THOSE CLUBS WHO DID NOT MEET THE EXPECTED STANDARDS. I HAVE NO HESITATION IN SAYING THAT WE ARE NOT AFRAID TO DO WHAT MUST BE DONE TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN THE GOOD ORDER OF THE LEAGUE. THE LEAGUE IS ALWAYS ENCOURAGING OF GOOD BEHAVIOUR AND SPORTSMANSHIP.
THE EXECUTIVE IS FIRM IN THE BELIEF THAT PLAYING FOOTBALL IN THE WRFL IS PRIVILEGE, NOT A RIGHT, AND ANY CLUB OR INDIVDUAL WHO DOES NOT MEET OUR STANDARDS WILL NOT BE WELCOME.
THE JUDICARY OF THE WRFL TAKES TO ITS TASK STRONGLY AND WITHOUT HESITATION. YET IN THE EYES OF SOME IT IS NOT ENOUGH. QUITE RIGHTLY, THE EXPECTATION OF SETTING A HIGH STANDARD IS HELD BY MANY AND WE AS AN EXECUTIVE, I AS THE PRESIDENT, MUST AND WILL RESPOND TO IT.
WE CAN REFORM THE JUDICIAL PROCESS TO BRING MORE VIGOUR TO THE PROSECUTION OF OFFENCES. WE CAN AMEND THE RULES RELATING THE APPEALS PROCESS, LIMITING APPLICATIONS TO NEW EVIDENCE OR PROCEDURAL FAIRNESS. WE CAN GIVE THE EXECUTIVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE SUBMISSIONS TO ANY CASE BEFORE THE JUDICARY THAT IT DEEMS NECESSARY.
BUT WE CANNOT DO IT ALONE. OUR GREATEST STRENGTH, THE WRFL MEMBER CLUBS AND THEIR SUPPORTERS, ARE ALSO THE HARSHEST CRITICS. THE CLUBS, QUITE RIGHTLY, EXPECT US TO PROVIDE THEM WITH A COMPETITON THAT MEETS THE HIGHEST STANDARDS AND SETS THE EXAMPLE FOR OUR CHILDREN, OUR FAMILIES AND OUR COMMUNITY.
HOWEVER, WE CANNOT PRODUCE A JUDICARY THAT IS DESIRED BY THE CLUBS WITHOUT THEIR HELP. THEREFORE, TODAY, HERE, NOW, I AM ASKING EACH CLUB TO PROVIDE TO ME TWO PEOPLE - ONE THAT WILL BE A NOMINATION FOR THE JUDICARY, ONE THAT WILL BE A WRFL UMPIRE.
MANY PEOPLE WITHIN CLUBS PASS COMMENT AND NOW I AM GIVING YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP ME IN THIS TASK. INDEED, THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM WHO I WILL BE ASKING TO RESIGN FROM THEIR CLUB POSITIONS TO TAKE UP THE ROLE OF BEING A JUDICIAL MEMBER. THE LEAGUE EXECUTIVE CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH AND IT IS NECESSARY TO CALL ON THE PEOPLE OF THE WRFL TO PUT ASIDE THEIR CLUB ALLEGIANCES FOR GREATER BENEFIT OF FOOTBALL AND THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE LIVE IN.
GIVE ME THE PEOPLE I NEED TO STRENGTHEN OUR JUDICARY AND TO ASSIST THOSE WHO SIT ON THE TRIBUNAL, INDEPENDENT HEARINGS COMMITTEE AND APPEALS BOARD AND I WILL DELIVER THE FRAMEWORK FOR THE OUTCOME BEING SOUGHT.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO PROVIDE SPONSORSHIP TO OUR CLUBS AND OUR LEAGUE, WE NOW, MORE THAN EVER, NEED YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT IN HELPING US TO BUILD OUR COMMUNITY, TO SHOW OUR CHILDREN HOW TO BE BETTER CITIZENS AND TO BE PART OF SOMETHING THAT IS GENUINELY GOOD.
THERE ARE THOSE THOUGH WHO WOULD TURN AWAY FROM US. EVERY YEAR AT THIS TIME, THERE ARE RUMOURS OF MEMBER CLUBS GOING TO OTHER LEAGUES, IN THE FALSE BELIEF THAT ISSUES THAT EXIST IN THE WRFL DO NOT EXIST ELSEWHERE. THESE RUMOUR MONGERS ARE NOT PRESIDENTS OF MEMBER CLUBS, BUT THOSE WHO HIDE BEHIND THE CLOAK OF ANONIMITY.
LET ME BE VERY CLEAR IN REPLY TO THOSE PEOPLE. I WILL USE EVERY FIBRE AND EVERY OUNCE OF DETERMINATION IN KEEPING THOSE CLUBS THAT ARE CRUCIAL TO THE LONG TERM FUTURE OF THE WRFL IN THIS LEAGUE. WITHOUT COMPROMISING THE INTEGRITY OF THE WRFL, I WILL DO ALL THAT I CAN TO RETAIN THE COMMITMENT OF CLUBS TO THIS LEAGUE, BY ADDRESSING YOUR GENUINE CONCERNS AS MUCH AS IS POSSIBLE.
HOWEVER, SHOULD ANY CLUB THAT I BELIEVE IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THIS LEAGUE STILL PURSUE A PATH ELSEWHERE, LET ME BE VERY CLEAR - I WILL DO ALL I CAN TO BLOCK YOU, FRUSTATE YOU AND PREVENT YOUR MEMBERSHIP ELSEWHERE.
WHY? BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THE GREATEST STRENGTH OF OUR LEAGUE IS THE UNITY OF THE WESTERN SUBURBS. BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD NOT CUT AND RUN WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH. BECAUSE WE SHOULD EXPECT TO SET A BETTER EXAMPLE FOR OUR CHILDREN AND WE SHOULD SHOW THEM NOT TURN AWAY IN THE FACE OF HARDSHIP, BUT TO STAND UP, BE COUNTED AND TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
I HAVE ASKED THE CLUBS TO HELP ME, HELP THE EXECUTIVE AND TO HELP THEMSELVES BY GIVING ME THE PEOPLE I NEED TO MAKE OUR LEAGUE EVEN BETTER THAN IT IS. I AM PUTTING THIS ON THE PUBLIC RECORD TODAY SO THAT THERE CAN BE NO UNCERTAINITY AS TO MY COMMITMENT AND RESOLVE. MY NAME IS IAN HAMM, I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE WESTERN REGION FOOTBALL LEAGUE AND I AM DETERMINED TO MAKE THIS LEAGUE THE PREMIER COMMUNITY SPORTING BODY IN THE MELBOURNE.
TODAY THOUGH IS ABOUT THE FOOTBALL AND ITS PROMISES TO BE VERY EXCITING. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING IN 2007 AND MAY YOUR TEAM WIN.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU.
Last Modified on 06/03/2008 21:54