The Home and Away season finished last Saturday with Lorne playing at home against Colac Imperials. We now have four football teams and one netball team competing in the Finals Series – an outstanding result!
Apart from the number of teams playing finals, highlights of the year include:
- Introduction of a new Under 13’s football team
- Introduction of helmets for the Under 13’s, with 100% take up by the players
- Installation of a new electronic scoreboard at a total cost of $190,000, of which the majority of the Club’s contribution was funded through generous sponsorship commitments
The challenges for next year are the same as this year: raising the funds to ensure the Club remains financially viable. Here’s a few numbers to consider:
- The cost of running the Club on an annual basis is in excess of $210,000
- Payments for Affiliations, Umpires, Trainers, Coaches & Players total $145,000 including:
- League Umpires $12,000,
- AFL Affiliation is $8,000
- Our Revenue sources are Gate $18,000, Food & Beverage $45,000, Membership $20,000 and CDFNL dividend $2,000 leaving a shortfall of over $140,000
- The Club relies very heavily on fundraising events and our generous Sponsors to cover our annual shortfall. This year we had 35 Gold/Silver & Bronze Sponsors and over 25 Coterie members
- That’s the financial resources needed. Then there’s the human resources. At each Home Game, the Club needs over 50 volunteers doing all sorts of tasks: timekeepers, canteen, BBQ, Gate entrances, runners, etc
So, the Club has some serious challenges to overcome. It’s no different now to the last few years, but it’s worth restating the most important challenges we face:
- Lack of AFL financial support for grassroots football & netball, the very soul of most townships throughout Victoria. Imagine if the money spent to play a game of football in Shanghai, China was invested in supporting Country Football?
- Because of the limitations of finances and people, there is the potential for one or two clubs in the Colac and District Football & Netball League to fold within the next two years. Remember Forrest?
- It is very difficult to fill Committee positions with more younger members of the Club. In the mid-eighties the Executive Committee consisted of all players with an average age around 24. In 2019, the average is 56 years. (Thanks to Carly Enticott for bringing the average down!!)
Let’s hope there’s some great results for Lorne in the Finals Series to spur us all on. Go Dolphins!
Football Results
Under first year coach Jack Hollmer and assistants, Brock Shiels & Lee Hollmer, the Dolphins senior team has finished on top of the ladder earning a weeks rest before starting their finals campaign. Amazingly, 47 players played senior football this year showcasing the club’s depth, six of those being U/18 players.
Jack Hollmer was able to entice a host of former club juniors back to the club this season including George Steven, Oscar Coutts, Liam McCauley (Colac), Lochie Donne (South Barwon), Tyson Mathews (Apollo Bay) and Justin Pimetel (Anglesea) which has helped the club’s depth.
The Reserves, coached by first year coach Aaron Rethus, have had a consistent year only losing 3 games and finishing in 2nd place, earning a double chance in finals. Led by league leading goal kicker Sam Kelly at full forward and club legend Steven Oliver in the midfield, the Reserves are well placed to go one better this year.
Under 18s coached by Allan Alford, have had a great year only dropping two games to the unbeaten Beac Bombers, finishing in 2 position. With a full list available for finals, Allan is confident his boys will be a genuine premiership contender.
Under 15s coached by Miah Atwell, have struggled for numbers this year with players unavailable due to school football commitments, but still managed to finish with 9 wins and 8 losses and snuck into 5th position, earning the right to an elimination final. With a full list available, we are hoping for a strong performance.
This is the first year the league has fielded an Under 13s competition. With low numbers it was a struggle each week for first year coach Andrew Allen. They showed great determination and improvement as the season progressed just missing finals, finishing in 6th place with 9 win & 9 losses.
Miah Atwell
Netball Results
Netball at Lorne this year has a new feel about it… it’s not hard to understand why when we welcomed 16 new families to our junior divisions alone! It’s quite possibly one of the largest intakes of new junior members and their families across 13s, 15s and 17s we have seen at the club. The enthusiasm and work rate was exceptional and the travel from the families hugely appreciated. Some of our dedicated junior netballers came from Colac, Alvie, Winchelsea, Birregurra, Anglesea and Aireys Inlet.
With the finals upon us we now focus our attentions on our B Grade stars, who very deservingly finished on top of the ladder at season end. Losing only one game but overcoming many close encounters, the girls are primed and ready for the second finals campaign in three years.
We are very looking forward to celebrating the season at our Presentation Dinner and final function of the year on Thursday 26th September. Tickets will be available for purchase very soon and we welcome all of our valued supporters and followers to come and join us on the evening.
Carly Enticott
