
Hot water services, chalk, boots: footy greats celebrate 'spirit' of local sports clubs
Volunteers all around Australia make their way to local junior footy clubs in rain, hail or shine to chalk up pitches, roll out the BBQ and clean kids' sports boots.
It's some of those volunteers who paved the way from Diamond Creek junior footy club in north-east Melbourne to the AFL Grand Final at the MCG for Collingwood champion Heath Shaw.
It comes as Shaw is recognised for an iconic moment at the 2010 Grand Final replay between Collingwood and St Kilda that enthralled fans.
His dogged smother of a footy off St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt's boot that day has been immortalised in Toyota's 'Legendary Moments' ahead of the Good for Footy Round on July 4.
Football great and media personality Brian Taylor credited the gritty smother to Shaw's skill and acknowledged grassroots volunteers who help kids all around Australia achieve their dreams.
"This Good for Footy Round we celebrate all things footy, and those volunteers and the coaches and all the people that actually do things when it's absolutely pouring with rain at the junior footy club at 9am and it's 5 degrees," Taylor said.
Taylor said Toyota's grassroots involvement had contributed funds for hot water services, boots and facility repairs for local clubs.
Toyota has raised more than $21 million with the Good for Footy and Good for Cricket programs since 2008.
Shaw, a 325 gamer, also paid tribute to local footy.
"My local club was Diamond Creek and I played from under 9s all the way through so you've got the opportunity to play AFL and it starts at the grass roots.
"The AFL is number one in [grassroots footy] and there's nothing they won't do to help develop young players and give everyone a chance to just kick a footy."
Shaw said he would always be remembered for the smother.
"To see this moment take centre stage, and for it to be selected by Toyota to inspire the next generation is really special.
"I wouldn't be here without my junior footy club. I really do appreciate them and what Toyota does to contribute to community clubs across the country is incredible. That's what footy is all about," Shaw said.
If it's bucketing down with rain and too nippy outside for the house moggy, you'll still find the heart of local communities beating strong.
Volunteers all around Australia make their way to local junior footy clubs in rain, hail or shine to chalk up pitches, roll out the BBQ and clean kids' sports boots.
It's some of those volunteers who paved the way from Diamond Creek junior footy club in north-east Melbourne to the AFL Grand Final at the MCG for Collingwood champion Heath Shaw.
It comes as Shaw is recognised for an iconic moment at the 2010 Grand Final replay between Collingwood and St Kilda that enthralled fans.
His dogged smother of a footy off St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt's boot that day has been immortalised in Toyota's 'Legendary Moments' ahead of the Good for Footy Round on July 4.
Football great and media personality Brian Taylor credited the gritty smother to Shaw's skill and acknowledged grassroots volunteers who help kids all around Australia achieve their dreams.
"This Good for Footy Round we celebrate all things footy, and those volunteers and the coaches and all the people that actually do things when it's absolutely pouring with rain at the junior footy club at 9am and it's 5 degrees," Taylor said.
Taylor said Toyota's grassroots involvement had contributed funds for hot water services, boots and facility repairs for local clubs.
Toyota has raised more than $21 million with the Good for Footy and Good for Cricket programs since 2008.
Shaw, a 325 gamer, also paid tribute to local footy.
"My local club was Diamond Creek and I played from under 9s all the way through so you've got the opportunity to play AFL and it starts at the grass roots.
"The AFL is number one in [grassroots footy] and there's nothing they won't do to help develop young players and give everyone a chance to just kick a footy."
Shaw said he would always be remembered for the smother.
"To see this moment take centre stage, and for it to be selected by Toyota to inspire the next generation is really special.
"I wouldn't be here without my junior footy club. I really do appreciate them and what Toyota does to contribute to community clubs across the country is incredible. That's what footy is all about," Shaw said.
If it's bucketing down with rain and too nippy outside for the house moggy, you'll still find the heart of local communities beating strong.
Volunteers all around Australia make their way to local junior footy clubs in rain, hail or shine to chalk up pitches, roll out the BBQ and clean kids' sports boots.
It's some of those volunteers who paved the way from Diamond Creek junior footy club in north-east Melbourne to the AFL Grand Final at the MCG for Collingwood champion Heath Shaw.
It comes as Shaw is recognised for an iconic moment at the 2010 Grand Final replay between Collingwood and St Kilda that enthralled fans.
His dogged smother of a footy off St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt's boot that day has been immortalised in Toyota's 'Legendary Moments' ahead of the Good for Footy Round on July 4.
Football great and media personality Brian Taylor credited the gritty smother to Shaw's skill and acknowledged grassroots volunteers who help kids all around Australia achieve their dreams.
"This Good for Footy Round we celebrate all things footy, and those volunteers and the coaches and all the people that actually do things when it's absolutely pouring with rain at the junior footy club at 9am and it's 5 degrees," Taylor said.
Taylor said Toyota's grassroots involvement had contributed funds for hot water services, boots and facility repairs for local clubs.
Toyota has raised more than $21 million with the Good for Footy and Good for Cricket programs since 2008.
Shaw, a 325 gamer, also paid tribute to local footy.
"My local club was Diamond Creek and I played from under 9s all the way through so you've got the opportunity to play AFL and it starts at the grass roots.
"The AFL is number one in [grassroots footy] and there's nothing they won't do to help develop young players and give everyone a chance to just kick a footy."
Shaw said he would always be remembered for the smother.
"To see this moment take centre stage, and for it to be selected by Toyota to inspire the next generation is really special.
"I wouldn't be here without my junior footy club. I really do appreciate them and what Toyota does to contribute to community clubs across the country is incredible. That's what footy is all about," Shaw said.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


West Australian
7 hours ago
- West Australian
Adrian Barich: Why THAT kick from Dom Sheed will go down as one of sport's most exciting moments
If given the chance, would you like to hold the destiny of a team, club, state or even a nation in your own hands? It's a good question, isn't it? If you could be the difference between sporting success and failure, would you accept the challenge? Please pause while reading this and ask whomever you're with (maybe even call someone) and ask, if offered the chance, would you want to be Dom Sheed on that afternoon in September in 2018 at the MCG? Would you want to be on the runway jumping for Olympic gold in Beijing? Injured and against the odds, would you want to have one more jump like Steve Hooker needing to over 5.96m on his final attempt. No second chances. Just ice in the veins, and possible gold around the neck. Or Cathy Freeman in 2000. With the entire nation on her back, after a build-up that included lighting the Olympic cauldron. She won gold with 112,000 people in the stands and billions watching on TV. Some athletes can withstand the pressure and deliver in key moments. It's almost 20 years since John Aloisi converted that penalty that sent 80,000 fans at ANZ Stadium into raptures as the Socceroos qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1974. If you had the choice, would you have wanted to be in Aloisi's boots that night? To do one thing that you will always be remembered for, for the rest of your life. Fail though and you'll be left with all the ugly questions. Do you want to be Adam Gilchrist, smashing 149 off 104 in a World Cup Final, with a squash ball hidden in his glove. On the biggest stage, Gilly didn't flinch — he flourished. In the NRL, it was Johnathan Thurston, who iced the 2015 Grand Final with a golden point field goal, the smile hiding his killer instinct. Or on the biggest stage of all, the Augusta National, no one delivered under pressure quite like Tiger Woods. That chip-in on the 16th in 2005. Tiger made the impossible look easy. That was mental toughness and absolute belief under the most intense spotlight in sport. But would you want to be in the cauldron at that moment? Be the one that must deliver? I won't list them but plenty of sports people are remembered for choking at the worst possible time. Who wants to do something that every kid dreams of. To have destiny in your own hands. Choose me, gods of the game. Let destiny land at my feet. Call my name, footy god — let this be my moment. To be the master of the clutch play. This will seem over the top but when they asked me to write a match report after Dom Sheed kicked that goal in the 2018 grand final, I wrote: 'The red Sherrin in Dom Sheed's hands wasn't just a football, it was the beating heart of Western Australia. As he lined up for that improbable kick, it was as though he held the hopes, the pride and the very soul of a State that had waited decades for this chance, almost pulsating in the leathery grip of that ball.' Four million watched that day, probably two million were supporting West Coast and the other half Collingwood — the Pies are that polarising. And in the households in Perth the noise that exploded in the lounge rooms when Sheed slotted the goal, not with some wacky kick around the corner but the standard drop punt, was pure, unfiltered chaos. It starts as a sharp intake of breath, then the room erupts. Cushions fly. Drinks spill. Voices crack in disbelief as everyone leaps to their feet. It was a primal sound, not polished or pretty, but full of heart. The kind of noise that only comes when everything's on the line and somehow, your team delivers. Walls shake. The dog bolts. It's not just celebration: it's a release, it's relief and raw joy, all packed into a single, unforgettable moment. To deliver in the biggest moment of his life was unforgettable for Dom. My friends at King Eddies have told me that from October 2018 through most of 2019, Dom or Dominic was the most popular name for newborn boys. While even some of the newborn girls were even getting Dominique or just Dom. The Americans have a lot of these ultimate childhood fantasy moments. World Series, bottom of the ninth, one on and two outs, down by one and Kirk Gibson, with two injured knees hits a home run. In basketball, few moments are as iconic as Michael Jordan's game-winning shot in the 1989 NBA Playoffs. With the score tied at 100 and seconds on the clock Jordan swished the net as the buzzer sounded, sealing victory for the Bulls. This moment exemplified Jordan's legendary 'clutch' gene. MJ a good example of a unique breed of athlete who doesn't just handle pressure — they feed off it. These are the players who somehow find another level when it matters most. They don't just perform, they decide outcomes. Call it 'ice in the veins'. Call it 'big moment magic'. Moments of bravery like Nina Kennedy's clutch clearance at 4.90m in Budapest, under intense global pressure, cementing her as one of the best in the world. Calm, fierce and fearless when it mattered most. The truth is that sport doesn't remember the ordinary. It remembers those moments. These athletes remind us why we watch sport, for performance under pressure. For those rare times when greatness meets the moment and says: Give me the ball. I've got this!


Perth Now
7 hours ago
- Perth Now
Celebrating Dom Sheed and some of sport's best moments
If given the chance, would you like to hold the destiny of a team, club, state or even a nation in your own hands? It's a good question, isn't it? If you could be the difference between sporting success and failure, would you accept the challenge? Please pause while reading this and ask whomever you're with (maybe even call someone) and ask, if offered the chance, would you want to be Dom Sheed on that afternoon in September in 2018 at the MCG? Would you want to be on the runway jumping for Olympic gold in Beijing? Injured and against the odds, would you want to have one more jump like Steve Hooker needing to over 5.96m on his final attempt. No second chances. Just ice in the veins, and possible gold around the neck. Or Cathy Freeman in 2000. With the entire nation on her back, after a build-up that included lighting the Olympic cauldron. She won gold with 112,000 people in the stands and billions watching on TV. Some athletes can withstand the pressure and deliver in key moments. It's almost 20 years since John Aloisi converted that penalty that sent 80,000 fans at ANZ Stadium into raptures as the Socceroos qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1974. If you had the choice, would you have wanted to be in Aloisi's boots that night? To do one thing that you will always be remembered for, for the rest of your life. Fail though and you'll be left with all the ugly questions. Do you want to be Adam Gilchrist, smashing 149 off 104 in a World Cup Final, with a squash ball hidden in his glove. On the biggest stage, Gilly didn't flinch — he flourished. In the NRL, it was Johnathan Thurston, who iced the 2015 Grand Final with a golden point field goal, the smile hiding his killer instinct. Or on the biggest stage of all, the Augusta National, no one delivered under pressure quite like Tiger Woods. That chip-in on the 16th in 2005. Tiger made the impossible look easy. That was mental toughness and absolute belief under the most intense spotlight in sport. But would you want to be in the cauldron at that moment? Be the one that must deliver? I won't list them but plenty of sports people are remembered for choking at the worst possible time. Who wants to do something that every kid dreams of. To have destiny in your own hands. Choose me, gods of the game. Let destiny land at my feet. Call my name, footy god — let this be my moment. To be the master of the clutch play. This will seem over the top but when they asked me to write a match report after Dom Sheed kicked that goal in the 2018 grand final, I wrote: 'The red Sherrin in Dom Sheed's hands wasn't just a football, it was the beating heart of Western Australia. As he lined up for that improbable kick, it was as though he held the hopes, the pride and the very soul of a State that had waited decades for this chance, almost pulsating in the leathery grip of that ball.' Four million watched that day, probably two million were supporting West Coast and the other half Collingwood — the Pies are that polarising. And in the households in Perth the noise that exploded in the lounge rooms when Sheed slotted the goal, not with some wacky kick around the corner but the standard drop punt, was pure, unfiltered chaos. It starts as a sharp intake of breath, then the room erupts. Cushions fly. Drinks spill. Voices crack in disbelief as everyone leaps to their feet. It was a primal sound, not polished or pretty, but full of heart. The kind of noise that only comes when everything's on the line and somehow, your team delivers. Walls shake. The dog bolts. It's not just celebration: it's a release, it's relief and raw joy, all packed into a single, unforgettable moment. To deliver in the biggest moment of his life was unforgettable for Dom. My friends at King Eddies have told me that from October 2018 through most of 2019, Dom or Dominic was the most popular name for newborn boys. While even some of the newborn girls were even getting Dominique or just Dom. The Americans have a lot of these ultimate childhood fantasy moments. World Series, bottom of the ninth, one on and two outs, down by one and Kirk Gibson, with two injured knees hits a home run. In basketball, few moments are as iconic as Michael Jordan's game-winning shot in the 1989 NBA Playoffs. With the score tied at 100 and seconds on the clock Jordan swished the net as the buzzer sounded, sealing victory for the Bulls. This moment exemplified Jordan's legendary 'clutch' gene. MJ a good example of a unique breed of athlete who doesn't just handle pressure — they feed off it. These are the players who somehow find another level when it matters most. They don't just perform, they decide outcomes. Call it 'ice in the veins'. Call it 'big moment magic'. Moments of bravery like Nina Kennedy's clutch clearance at 4.90m in Budapest, under intense global pressure, cementing her as one of the best in the world. Calm, fierce and fearless when it mattered most. The truth is that sport doesn't remember the ordinary. It remembers those moments. These athletes remind us why we watch sport, for performance under pressure. For those rare times when greatness meets the moment and says: Give me the ball. I've got this!


The Advertiser
7 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Lyon outlines long-term plan for Saints' star playmaker
Ross Lyon sees shades of Andrew McLeod in Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera as he plots to turn St Kilda's out-of-contract playmaker into one of the greats. Arguably the AFL's hottest property, Wanganeen-Milera showcased his immense talent in the Saints' 20-point defeat to Hawthorn on Saturday night. The 22-year-old tallied a career-best 43 disposals and had 1004 metres gained despite the efforts of a series of Hawks stoppers who went to him. The blistering display came amid reports St Kilda are growing in confidence the silky South Australian will stay at Moorabbin despite strong interest from his home state. Lyon refused to buy into that speculation, but was happy to divulge his plans for Wanganeen-Milera in the event he does sign a new deal with the Saints. "We know what we're building," Lyon said. "Andrew McLeod was used half-back, midfield, forward when he won his Norm Smith (medals). "(Adelaide coach Malcolm) Blight moved him through the lines, right? "We know he (Wanganeen-Milera) has got half-back, we know he's got mid, and I think he can do a bit of forward stuff. "So yeah, we've got a long-term plan that he becomes great, rather than just a great half-back. "But there will be moments and times over a period of time." St Kilda attempted to use Wanganeen-Milera through the midfield earlier in his 79-game career but found his body wasn't yet conditioned to the workload. His latest performance, which Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell said gave him "nightmares", suggests more time away from his customary half-back role is imminent. Wanganeen-Milera's 43 touches included 15 in the final term when he was unleashed through the middle. "They went to him to try to shut him down but he really worked for the team and helped free up people and helped us, and he still got it," Lyon said. "Then we injected him in the midfield and I thought he was electric in the midfield in the last quarter." St Kilda have reportedly offered Wanganeen-Milera a deal worth at least $1.2 million a season, which includes options to stay for up to eight years. Asked if he was confident Wanganeen-Milera will stay, Lyon gave nothing away. "I dunno, I dunno," he said. "Noted though, noted." Mitchell, while pleased with Hawthorn's win, conceded he had no way of stopping Wanganeen-Milera at Marvel Stadium. "I knew he was a really good player, but we tagged him with three or four different players in three or four different positions and he was just too good," Mitchell said. "Whether he was winning it contested or uncontested, he's just a star." Ross Lyon sees shades of Andrew McLeod in Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera as he plots to turn St Kilda's out-of-contract playmaker into one of the greats. Arguably the AFL's hottest property, Wanganeen-Milera showcased his immense talent in the Saints' 20-point defeat to Hawthorn on Saturday night. The 22-year-old tallied a career-best 43 disposals and had 1004 metres gained despite the efforts of a series of Hawks stoppers who went to him. The blistering display came amid reports St Kilda are growing in confidence the silky South Australian will stay at Moorabbin despite strong interest from his home state. Lyon refused to buy into that speculation, but was happy to divulge his plans for Wanganeen-Milera in the event he does sign a new deal with the Saints. "We know what we're building," Lyon said. "Andrew McLeod was used half-back, midfield, forward when he won his Norm Smith (medals). "(Adelaide coach Malcolm) Blight moved him through the lines, right? "We know he (Wanganeen-Milera) has got half-back, we know he's got mid, and I think he can do a bit of forward stuff. "So yeah, we've got a long-term plan that he becomes great, rather than just a great half-back. "But there will be moments and times over a period of time." St Kilda attempted to use Wanganeen-Milera through the midfield earlier in his 79-game career but found his body wasn't yet conditioned to the workload. His latest performance, which Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell said gave him "nightmares", suggests more time away from his customary half-back role is imminent. Wanganeen-Milera's 43 touches included 15 in the final term when he was unleashed through the middle. "They went to him to try to shut him down but he really worked for the team and helped free up people and helped us, and he still got it," Lyon said. "Then we injected him in the midfield and I thought he was electric in the midfield in the last quarter." St Kilda have reportedly offered Wanganeen-Milera a deal worth at least $1.2 million a season, which includes options to stay for up to eight years. Asked if he was confident Wanganeen-Milera will stay, Lyon gave nothing away. "I dunno, I dunno," he said. "Noted though, noted." Mitchell, while pleased with Hawthorn's win, conceded he had no way of stopping Wanganeen-Milera at Marvel Stadium. "I knew he was a really good player, but we tagged him with three or four different players in three or four different positions and he was just too good," Mitchell said. "Whether he was winning it contested or uncontested, he's just a star." Ross Lyon sees shades of Andrew McLeod in Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera as he plots to turn St Kilda's out-of-contract playmaker into one of the greats. Arguably the AFL's hottest property, Wanganeen-Milera showcased his immense talent in the Saints' 20-point defeat to Hawthorn on Saturday night. The 22-year-old tallied a career-best 43 disposals and had 1004 metres gained despite the efforts of a series of Hawks stoppers who went to him. The blistering display came amid reports St Kilda are growing in confidence the silky South Australian will stay at Moorabbin despite strong interest from his home state. Lyon refused to buy into that speculation, but was happy to divulge his plans for Wanganeen-Milera in the event he does sign a new deal with the Saints. "We know what we're building," Lyon said. "Andrew McLeod was used half-back, midfield, forward when he won his Norm Smith (medals). "(Adelaide coach Malcolm) Blight moved him through the lines, right? "We know he (Wanganeen-Milera) has got half-back, we know he's got mid, and I think he can do a bit of forward stuff. "So yeah, we've got a long-term plan that he becomes great, rather than just a great half-back. "But there will be moments and times over a period of time." St Kilda attempted to use Wanganeen-Milera through the midfield earlier in his 79-game career but found his body wasn't yet conditioned to the workload. His latest performance, which Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell said gave him "nightmares", suggests more time away from his customary half-back role is imminent. Wanganeen-Milera's 43 touches included 15 in the final term when he was unleashed through the middle. "They went to him to try to shut him down but he really worked for the team and helped free up people and helped us, and he still got it," Lyon said. "Then we injected him in the midfield and I thought he was electric in the midfield in the last quarter." St Kilda have reportedly offered Wanganeen-Milera a deal worth at least $1.2 million a season, which includes options to stay for up to eight years. Asked if he was confident Wanganeen-Milera will stay, Lyon gave nothing away. "I dunno, I dunno," he said. "Noted though, noted." Mitchell, while pleased with Hawthorn's win, conceded he had no way of stopping Wanganeen-Milera at Marvel Stadium. "I knew he was a really good player, but we tagged him with three or four different players in three or four different positions and he was just too good," Mitchell said. "Whether he was winning it contested or uncontested, he's just a star."