`Friars undefeated before Christmas!
The Friars have had a buoyant start to pre-season with good participation and great enthusiasm led by the new Senior Coach Dick Baker. Off the field the President Norm Elliott and his committee are working hard to ensure everything is in order for a great season on and off the field. The association is moving pretty well also having released its senior fixture for the 2015 season, Under 19 fixtures always lag as clubs work out their teams for this competition much closer to the start of the season. Before letting loose with the President and Coaches updates there are a couple of key dates for Friars to get in the diary.
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Wednesday January 28
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Pre-season Training Resumes
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Friday February 20
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Friars Golf Day, Eastern Golf Club
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Sunday March 15
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Practice Match - Old Mentonians (Away)
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Saturday March 21
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Practice Match - Blackfriars (Adelaide)
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Saturday March 28
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Practice Match - Park Orchards (Whitefriars)
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Saturday April 11
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Round 1 - Whitefriars vs Ormond (Whitefriars)
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For the round one match we will be looking to host a triple header with the Under 19s kicking off the dew and of course the Season Opening Lunch for which details will be provided in due course.
Another Friar in the Big League
Congratulations go to Christian Petracca (pictured above) drafted by Melbourne as the 2nd selection in the AFL Draft. We wish him all best for a fruitful career as joins a bevy of other Friars plying their trade at the top level of the game.
And one departs.
Congratulations also go to Stephen Gilham who announced his retirement from the AFL at the end of the season. His tally of 114 games over 11 years would have been much greater if not injuries. Drafted at No 16 in 2002 for Port Adelaide, he went on to join Hawthorn and later GWS. At Hawthorn he became the third member of the Premiership Friars Club in the 2008 defeat of Geelong. Well Played Stephen!
A Message from the President
As 2014 comes to a close we look forward as a Club to a much improved and enjoyable year ahead in 2015 both on and off the field.
It is a privilege to have been elected the President of our Club at the most recent AGM and, on behalf of all our supporters, members, players and officials I would like to officially thank John Crough for his tireless effort and commitment to our Club as President over the past 3 years. John's involvement with our Club goes back over 15 years during which he has made an invaluable contribution and undertaken many roles at the Club.
The pre-Christmas training has been well attended by the playing group and there is a real energy and enthusiasm amongst the players and the coaching staff. Whilst it is early days, there has been a great deal of work put in already by Dick Baker, Dean Thorn, David Kelsey and Jeremy Freeman to ensure we are preparing to the best of our abilities for the season ahead. The challenge for all players, coaches and the Board is to build on this foundation as we move into 2015 and finalise our preparations for the season ahead.
As always, there is a considerable amount of work that goes on behind the scenes in running a football club and our Club is no exception to this. Our volunteers and officials have all been busy ensuring that our Club is well ran and well prepared for the year ahead. We look forward to showing the players and our supporters the benefits of this hard work in the New Year.
A common theme you will hear from me in the year ahead will be the "1 or 2 things you can do to help make our Club better". These may be:
Buy a membership;
Attend a Club function or luncheon;
Sponsor the Club;
Put your hand up to fill a role on match day when you can (boundary, goal umpire or other official role);
Donate some items for a raffle or prize;
Come to a game and bring your family or some mates along with you who haven't been for a while; or
Countless other things you may think of.
Our Club success will continue to be built on the efforts of many and not just a few.
On a specific need that we still have to fill for 2015, we are still on the lookout for a Reserves Coach for next season and if you, or someone you know, is interested in such a role then please let me know. This would be a rewarding role for a past player stepping into coaching or for an experienced coach with a focus on developing players and working with a passionate group of coaches.
Finally, I'd like to wish you all a safe and Merry Christmas and look forward to seeing you in 2015 as a supporter or player at our Club.
Go Friars!
Norm Elliott
A word from the Coach
The first 5 week block of pre-season training has been completed and the coaching staff have been pleased with the efforts put in by the group to date. I'd like to particularly acknowledge Ben Kelsey and Declan Power who both have a perfect 10/10 attendance record - well done boys! Quite a few have only missed one session also so well done to those lads as well. The rewards for all of your hard work will come your way in spades.
We have had more than 80 different players attend the training sessions so far which is a fabulous number. As usual, there are still quite a few who are or have been away overseas, tied up with work or maybe even pondering their (premature!) retirement so we look forward to seeing them back training soon. When we get everyone back we'll have a big Friar contingent lighting up the track.
For the players a running/core training program will be sent around by Monday. Please make every effort to complete all of this program as specified to ensure that you consolidate the training block just completed. Put it on yourself to get fit as we simply can't afford to start from scratch again when we return to training towards the end of January. Don't take short-cuts as these will always catch you out in the end. Meet up with your mates and train in groups to make it easier.
Our 2015 practice match schedule is now cast in stone - we play Old Mentonian's (away) on Saturday 14th March, Blackfriars (in Adelaide) on Saturday 21st March & Park Orchards at mighty Friar Park on Saturday 28th March. Please put these dates in your diaries.
Thanks to Luke Sandy for all his work organising the club clobber and to Andy Daou for his work trying to get sponsorship funds through a deal with Genesis. Make sure you support both of these initiatives.
Thanks to the committee for all of their hard work and support behind the scenes so far. Much of this work is thankless stuff but vital to all footy clubs. Get around them and help out wherever you can.
Finally, I hope you and your families have a Merry Christmas and safe & healthy New Year. Let's all work hard to make 2015 a memorable one.
Look after yourselves & enjoy.
Go Friars,
Cheers Dick
2015 Memberships
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Social Member
$80
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Full membership rights of the club including voting rights at the AGM
Ticket to one Matchday Club Luncheon
Free drink after each home game
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Gold Friar Member
$250
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All the benefits of a Social Member
Tickets to all regular Matchday Club Luncheons
Free drink after each home game.
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Friars Golf Day 2015
The Battle for the Brown Jacket is on again!
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Friday February 20 from High Noon
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Eastern Golf Club
473 Doncaster Road
Doncaster
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$100 per player (includes golf, BBQ and more)
Ambrose Competition – suitable for any level.
Nearest the Pin, Longest Drive and a $10,000 Prize for a Hole in One.
RSVP and Enquiries – sal.ciardulli@bigpond.com friarsfooty@gmail.com
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Golden Golfer Offer – Golf Day and Gold Friar Membership - $330
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Sponsorship opportunities available
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Stay connected with the Friars on our Facebook Page. Where you will pics and information of clubs progress through the season.
Wishing all a safe and happy Christmas period and the Friars continuing their undefeated run into 2015!
Merry Christmas,
Go Friars!
Last Modified on 23/12/2014 21:41
