Welcome, everyone, back to Pirtek Park for our Round 1 battle against Latrobe. It is great to see so many members, sponsors and supporters here today. This year we are aiming to have a record amount of members signed up. Andrew Cure has taken on the membership coordination role alongside Dudley Corbett, so if you haven’t already signed up, catch up with them today at the game and be apart of something special! Last year’s grand final loss seems like a distant memory now as the boys have put in a big pre season over summer. Pete has recruited well, picking up such players as goal kicking sensation Rohan Baldock, former AFL and State League player Andrew Lee, Kyle Harman, Brad Green and Will Huxtable. Rohan and Andrew will also be assistant coaches under Pete. Rodney King and Jack Templeton will captain our Seniors with Jacob Brown and Finbar Wray-Mccann being their vices.

We also have a new President this year, former player and coach Brian Lane. Brian brings a wealth of knowledge to the club and is working extremely hard on such things as sponsorship, membership and getting old players back to games. Darren Emmerton is our Vice President, Emily Young our Treasurer and Toby Ray remains Secretary.

We would like to also thank our new and existing sponsors as well as our new major sponsor Derek Gee Installations. We really look forward to continuing to work with Derek over the coming years.

Another exciting thing happening around our football club over the summer is the emergence of our new womens football team. A lightning premiership style day was held in March which was a real success as the girls got their first taste of the game. A roster for this year’s competition is still in draft and should be released in the coming weeks. Tracy Thomas-Turnbull has done a fantasic job coordinating the girls as well as running training sessions prior to appointing our coach Bruce Howard. Ashleigh Shotton has been named our inaugural Captain with Lila Wijesingha-Fromader vice. Make sure you hang around following our senior game as the girls will be playing a practice match against Latrobe.

Also our new Ambassador Bianca Clayton, partner of reserves coach Nick Rolls, will be holding her first function for the year in the VIE Financial clubrooms, kicking off from 7:30pm. Matt and CJ will be playing some great tunes for you to dance the night away to! Entry is $10.

Today our teams will be wearing black arm bands in respect of the recent passing of club patron Wes Thow. Wes was greatly respected by our players and club as a whole and will certainly be missed.

All the best to our teams today.

GO TWO BLUES!

Location

Penguin, Tasmania