Nola Marino (Forrest, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to thank and congratulate the South West Football League—the board, the umpires, the volunteers and every club—on a great season. This weekend we will see the grand finals played. The grand final in the league will be between Bunbury and Donnybrook—and it will be an old-fashioned Donnybrook of a competition. In the reserves we will see Eaton Boomers take on Harvey Brunswick Leschenault. In the colts, we will see Busselton take on Bunbury. They all will be very competitive games. Country footy is alive and well in my part of the world and I'm very proud of the football league in the south-west.

I also mention that the South West Women's League played its grand final yesterday. Bunbury defeated the Harvey Bulls for the second year in a row. I know of the commitment and passion of the women who've taken up the opportunity. This is the second year that women have played Australian Rules Football in the south-west. They were leaders in this space. There are now several teams playing and the competition will continue to grow. I want to acknowledge every one of those women who've had a go at this game and absolutely love it, and the vibrancy that they've brought to each club that they're part of, and the way that they compete on the field—it is a deadset competition every time they go out there. I wish the very best to every team facing a grand final this weekend. Leave nothing behind, because there won't be a tomorrow. That's what you have to take into this game—it is not to leave anything behind. You have to give it 110 per cent. That, I'm sure, is what each member of those teams will do.

I want to acknowledge, too, the winner of the League Fairest and Best, Mitch Lynn from the Augusta Margaret River Football Club—a great season by him. There were many other awards given out that night. I'm really proud to say that I sponsored the women's Fairest and Best medal, which was won by Carly Allen of Bunbury. I congratulate Carly on her achievements.

One other very important person I want to acknowledge is Bob Hislop of Bunbury, who was the WA Country Football League—across the state—Volunteer of the Year. I spent 10 years as the president of an AFL footy club and I can tell you that all of us—every club I've worked with—absolutely and utterly rely on our volunteers. I thank them for what they have done in making yet another successful season for the South West Football League.