Hello Burners,

What a year 2025 was for the club, in my first year as Junior President.   Coming into the role, we had come off a year in 2024 where we won both the EFNL best conducted Club and Whitehorse Club of the year.  Our outgoing President, Sharyn Berry, has led the club brilliantly, and we were in a terrific place off the field.  League records with 31 teams and over 650 players in 2025 are testament to that.

The executive committee resolve was to maintain and enhance how we engaged with you, our community.   We strive to be the best club off the football field for our community.  Backed by an amazing social committee, led by Janet Puschenjak and Cressida Davies, we were able to achieve a lot.

• Launched a new website with an E-Commerce platform. No more bank transfers!
• Merch and mouthguard day with over 400 people through in 3 hours
• Preseason Barefoot bowls social night at Blackburn Bowls Club was a lot of fun for those attending
• Launched the Blackburn WhatsApp community
• Over 2 Million Instagram views this season.
• Grid games for our youngest Burners during Senior matches.
• Our famous trivia night, which again sold out in an hour! Make sure you are quick in 2026.
• Thank you night for all our volunteers and sponsors.
• Big Freeze night again raising valuable funds for Fight MND. Thanks to all those cold and wet.
• 6 Age Group led open club nights. Whilst specifically directed at age groups, we really want to welcome anyone down to catchup with others in the community.
• 6 open club nights, including a huge Grand Final night with free pizzas for all who attended!
• Presentation day in a new format. U12 Twilight game for Jed with a half time sprint, all the awards and then culminating with a huge fireworks display.  We promise even more souvlaki next year!
• Graduation dinner bidding farewell to all our graduating boys and girls that leave the Junior Club. Best of luck to you and your families.  You will be missed.

The engagement and conduct of the Blackburn community has seen our reputation enhanced.   Blackburn were once again shortlisted for Best Conducted club of the year.  This is based on the umpires scores of every game as to the conduct of our coaches, our spectators and our players.   Whilst we didn’t win it, to be finalists again is incredibly commendable.  It’s again a testament to the calibre of people that play, support and volunteer for our club.

From a welfare perspective we partnered with Nunawading Rotary and Blackburn Lions club.  With their support, and our platinum sponsor Comfort, we were able to donate thousands of dollars to members of our community in genuine need.   From registration to merchandise, we are immensely proud we can confidentially support some members of our community when they need help.

With so much going right off the field, we resolved to put more effort into on field performance.   All up we more than doubled the dollars we put into the football programs in 2025.

• Invested in Reversible Jumpers across the entire club.
• Started a coach education day bringing in outside expertise to focus on many aspects of on field support. Thanks to all the coaches that attended.
• Engaged Project Gap for athletic testing of our older players.
• Partnered with RookieMe Coach to give all coaches access to modern, up to date drills and skills to support them in their coaching journey.
• Got RookieMe play for all teams, to assist with rotations and player positioning.
• More new footballs than ever before, including trialling Buffalo balls.
• Net went up at the Northern End of West Oval
• Finally, we announced an Australia wide club first partnership with AFL Max to launch the Blackburn Academy, coming in late 2025.

So how did we do…???   We had 14 teams achieve finals, with 7 of those teams making Grand Finals.   A great result from 21 competitive sides.  On an amazing Grand Final day, we brought home all 7 Flags!  A league record that will take some beating by any club.

So, a huge congratulations to our Girls U12, U14 and U18 Blacks as well as both U15 and U16 Boys sides.  Also, all the coaches and volunteers that helped get them over the line.   To have not one team lose on Grand Final day shows the character and grit of our premiers.   4 of those games were decided by 2 pts or less.

All this cannot be possible without an amazing support executive and broader committee.  So a huge thanks to the following people in the executive for the hours they put in to our amazing club and their partners who enable them to contribute as much as they do.

• Matt Rowe – VP
• Sally Webb – Treasurer
• Dave Fakhry – Football Director
• Sharyn Berry – Community Engagement and Welfare
• Aleesa Altube – Head of TMs

Finally our Secretary and Girls Co-ordinator Sarah Fulton, who’s youngest daughter graduates from Juniors this year.   Thanks for 2025 and all the proceeding years, you have been amazing support to a number of presidents and executive committees, as well as the girls program.

We have the pleasure of Rebecca Pooley joining us in the secretary role in 2026.   Welcome Bec.  We are on the lookout for someone passionate about the Girls program to help continue to grow it.   If you, or someone you know can help, please reach out.

Also a huge thanks to the broader committee.

• Katrina Bugeja – Merchandise
• Liz Harper – Registrar
• Michael Meehan – Grounds & Council coordinator
• Rob Lackey & Toby St Clair – Trainers Co-ordinators
• Anna & Pete Nowland – Apparel
• Luke Riley & Paul Harman – Equipment
• Stephen Marsh and Michael Iacuone – Sponsorship
• Rebecca Pooley - Milestones
• Janet Puschenjak, Cressida Davies, Kylie Porter, Julie Hammond & Anthony Powell – Social Committee
• Darren Holland, Claire Margerison & Martine Oglethorpe – Social Media
• Craig Hannam – Concussion Co-ordinator
• Steph and Glenn Rodwell & Oriel Millard – Auskick Co-ordinators
• Paul Oglethorpe – Tribunal Advocate (Luckily not used!)

As we move into 2026 Katrina, Michael I and Liz are handing over their roles.  Thanks so much for the work over the years you have all put in.  A big thanks and welcome to Kirsty McDonald and Rhett Orr taking over Merchandise and Registrar.

Many thanks also to all of you who have put your hand up to volunteer in any capacity.  Whether game day or at club functions, we can’t run a club this big without support.  If you can help in 2026, please reach out to myself or any member of the executive.   We would love to speak to you.

So that’s a wrap on 2025 so we now move into 2026.  Registrations will open on November 1^st 2025 for existing players to register for 2026.   You will have a few weeks to guarantee your child's spot at the club before we invite the players on our waitlist to join.   If you know of good families looking to join the club, please have them register interest via the Junior registration page on the website.

If you who want to be part of the 2026 journey in Coaching, applications have opened.   Please register interest at the following link.  https://forms.office.com/r/vrurLdZNfs

I am immensely proud to be part of this community.   I hope you are too.  I am already getting my head around how we improve and go again in 2026.    Have a happy and safe break and I’ll see you again when we resume.

Go Burners!

Simon – BJFC President