CARLTON great, sometimes bad boy, Brendan Fevola has taken his support for the Fish Creek Football Netball Club’s recovery, after the disastrous fire of November 2023, to a new level.
Going beyond donating dozens of cans of his new ‘Everyday Australia’ beer for the ‘Rising from the Ashes’ fundraising sports night last Saturday night, he told a pack room of revellers at the Leongatha Memorial Hall that he would pull on the famous Kangaroos’ jumper this season, for free, in yet another fundraising effort.
And in so doing, he committed his wingman on the night, 287-game St Kilda legend, Leigh ‘Joey’ Montagna, to a spot in the Fish Creek twos!
“I’m going to need an extra, extra large jumper and a normal-size pair of shorts and Joey will play in the Twos,” he told a jubilant crowd.
Will they have them? You bet!
Speaking at the end of the night, to give out their thank yous for the incredible amount of support the club received in putting on the night, club presidents Ray Stefani and Nick Shaw said they would definitely find a spot for both Brendan Fevola and Leigh Montagna in the senior team for a feature fundraising match during the season.
With the auction of holidays, AFL entertainment packages and sporting memorabilia to follow, it was a popular way to end a highly entertaining and successful fundraising night.
So far, the final amount raised is undisclosed, but would be upwards of $30,000 raised on the night not including the $26,000 pledged from the annual Fish Creek Hall summer holiday fundraising effort and $6000 from the Fish Creek Community Development Group.
With the work already done, and funding from other sources, Ray Stefani said the club would have its temporary rooms open in time for the start of the season and would be able to host all of its home games this year.
But he left no one under any illusions that there is a still a long way to go.
“Everything about Fish Creek comes back to that old saying, little town, big heart and the same goes for a lot of other small-town clubs and I include Mirboo North in that too. Despite the job they have ahead of them, after the tornado which struck the town, they’ve been able to send some support over here for us tonight,” said Mr Stefani.
New Mirboo North FNC President Andy McArthy and several others supported the night.
“But we’ve still got a long journey ahead of us to rebuild our rooms,” Mr Stefani said.
Co-president Nick Shaw joined in, thanking the many people and local businesses who had contributed to the success of the night, paying tribute to the Traralgon Football Club who had bought a table and sent over 12 representatives of the club, which was still battling back after their rooms were destroyed by flooding a few years ago.
He pledged reciprocal support for a function they were planning.
The night was a highly entertaining affair with guest speakers Neil Balme, David Parkin, Belinda Snell, Kate Eddy, Brendan Fevola and Leigh Montagna providing their insights into sport and their own careers, coving a variety of subjects including the concussion related injuries.
A highlight of the night was the performance by one of Australia’s best stand-up comedians Des Dowling.
Auction results included: $6000 & $5000 for 2 x AFL hospitality packages (12 people), $1900 golf package (4 players) at Cathedral Lodge and Golf Club in the north east of Victoria, $2100 for a signed 2023 Collingwood football jumper, $950 for a signed Ricky Ponting bat, and $1200 for the Steven Bradbury ‘last man standing’ memorabilia.
