Boronia Hawks Football Netball Club has been in a great partnership with the Knox Club over many years. We are absolutely delighted to announce that this partnership will continue in 2020 with Knox Club as our Platinum Sponsor. A valued and loyal supporter, they have welcomed us for post game day award ceremonies and hosted dozens of fantastic events from balls to presentation nights.
All BHFNC players are members of the Knox Club and enjoy the great benefits that come with it. If you’d like learn to learn more about a membership or any of their offerings, please visit the Knox Club website.
“Please find attached a timeline that the League is working to with AFL Victoria and the other Metropolitan Leagues. We believe a united approach is critical to working through and making any decisions on Competitions. Hopefully this provides some clarity at least in terms of key dates and when you can expect to hear further updates”.
The Club’s Board of Directors has been meeting regularly via Zoom in the last few months to manage the impact of Covid-19 on the Club’s operations. Following the recent announcements from the the Victorian Government, AFL Victoria and EFNL, we had an expanded Board meeting last night with representatives from our senior and junior football, netball, veterans and Auskick sections. Thanks to Ash Johnston, Candyce Wright, Kat McMahon, Sam Dunkinson and Wayne Preston for their important contributions to our preparations.
Although the Club is subject to the release of guidelines and protocols from the governing bodies, we are able to start planning for the eventual resumption of managed training sessions in groups of ten (plus a coach or manager). We are developing our own set of training guidelines so all players and coaches will fully understand their ongoing obligations to personal hygiene and social distancing. We will be ready when the time comes.
The most pleasing aspect of the meeting was to hear of the enthusiastic engagement by our senior playing groups over the last two months. Our senior mens and women’s footballers are training in isolation, but are absolutely exceeding expectations as they build their fitness. Our players and coaches are to be congratulated for their team spirit, support for each other, and dedication to the game and the Club.
We will be in touch regularly, so please keep your eye out for updates on our website and Facebook pages and groups. “Hawka Talk” will continue every Wednesday night at 7:00pm on Facebook for the foreseeable future. Please tune in!
Please take care of yourselves, family and friends. Do the right thing and we will all be able to come together again as a Club.
GO HAWKA!!!
Scott Nicholas, Chairman, Boronia Hawks Football Netball Club Inc.
This eulogy for Bob Henry was delivered at today’s memorial service for our greatest clubman.
The Boronia Hawks Football Netball Club is mourning the passing of its greatest ever contributor. In Bob’s early years he had stints playing football at the Yarraville Social Club and then Camberwell in the 1940’s but when he moved to Boronia in 1950, the Boronia Mayblooms soon became his home away from home. Bob played on a wing and half forward until 1958 and then moved on to the committee in 1959. He quickly became President in 1960 and then for decades served as the Club’s Vice President. Bob has been honoured for 50 years dedicated service in 2000 and was recognised for 70 years service last season. Even in his 70th season he was still chopping up onions as we prepared for the hosting of First Division Finals.
Bobby was much loved by generations of players. From the Murra’s, Lace and Tunna’s in the 70’s to the Panda’s and Bomma’s in the 90’s he was adored by so many as he had an incredible capacity to make connections with the youth of the Boronia area. Bob wouldn’t care if you were the local doctor, local copper or local brickie, if you played for ‘The Hawka’, you were one of us and you were all going to be treated with respect and dignity. As Vice President, Bobby would be seen sweeping out the rooms after the games, pouring beers behind the bar or handing out apparel as the clubs property steward. He did it all! He also gave ‘free’ advice to all Club presidents, always offering support and encouragement as he had a great appreciation of their efforts at running the Club as he had once been in that role.
Bob spent hours in the company of friends like Mick and Kay Kimmitt, Nigel Spokes and later in his life, Ellen Johnson was there to always make sure he didn’t go thirsty or hungry. They would all be so disappointed they couldn’t be here today to see off their lifelong friend.
Our club, Bob’s club, will hold our own memorial service when all the restrictions are lifted and no doubt many a story about Bobby will be told over a beer or three. His list of achievements are too long to mention but I know for a fact our triple premiership win in 2018 made Bob beam with pride for weeks as the legacy of his decades of toil was on display for all to enjoy!
Bobby will be sadly missed on a Thursday night at the club and on game day with his binoculars following every tackle and contest. His name will live on as our senior best and fairest award is named in his honour. We thank Bob and his family for allowing him to create the backbone of a club that is currently striving to match the values he has instilled on us over the last 70 years. He will be missed but never forgotten!
Greg “Flash” Hannon
Senior President, Boronia Hawks Football Netball Club
The Henry family will lay Bob to rest tomorrow. Sadly, only ten people are allowed to attend his funeral due to current restrictions. The family has chosen not to ‘live stream’ the memorial service. They have asked for the Club to provide a eulogy for Bob and he will be carried out to our Club’s theme song. A copy of the eulogy will be posted on our website tomorrow afternoon at the conclusion of the service.
Supporters may wish to pause for a moment to remember Bobby at 2:00pm on Friday, when the service is scheduled to commence.
The Club will hold another fitting memorial with all Bob’s friends from the Club and his family when all restrictions are lifted. The Board is currently considering additional ways to memorialise Bobby’s service to the Club for current and future generations of players and supporters.
Special deals for the Boronia Hawks community are available from our major sponsor Ferntree Gully Motor Group. We have already had many vehicles purchased by club members, family or friends. Choose a great new set of wheels from:
Boronia Hawks can benefit greatly if all players, supporters, members, friends and relatives contact me, Greg Hannon, by phone or text message on 0438 616 130 prior to purchasing a vehicle. I will ensure they get the very best deal and that the Club earns a commission. This must happen prior to the purchase for the Club to be rewarded. If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to contact me!
This morning our club awoke to the sad news that our ‘legend’, our ‘patriarch, our ‘constant’, our much loved ‘Bobby‘ had passed away after a long battle with cancer. Bob was 95, a magnificent innings in every respect! Bob loved our club and we loved him back. I will never forget the images of every single senior player acknowledging and touching Bob as they left the change rooms before last year’s preliminary final. As Bob sat in his walking chair, each player thanked Bob for contribution to our club and supporters had few dry eyes!
Bob has had over 70 years of involvement at the “Hawka.’ From President in 1960 to decades as Vice President, trainer, property steward and later in life, passionate supporter, Bob saw it all and did it all. As ‘down to earth’ as anybody I’ve known, Bob left his ego at the door when he entered the rooms and just worked! From marking our the grounds with Micky to sweeping the change rooms after training and after games, Bobby was always there and was always ‘giving back.’ My first recollection of meeting Bob was in 1980 when he was vice president but also a trainer wearing his white overalls on match day. He would run out to the field, wipe the mud out of your eyes with his warm towel and bucket that he carried religiously and give you some friendly advice on how to get a kick. He would curse at Shoey from taking a chair into the showers and celebrate every win as though it was his first.
Later in life, his son in law, John, would kindly drive Bobby to the club on match days and on Thursday nights. We thank you, John, for doing that for us. Mick, Ellen and Kay would make sure he was warm and had a beer and something to eat and he would watch the game from his binoculars and revel in a club victory. Bob was a player’s man and he loved to speak to our senior players after a game and god help Clarky if he tried to stop him. Bob would tell the players why he loved our club so much and that legacy of ‘giving’ is now instilled into every single player at our club.
I feel fortunate I got to know Bob, I feel even more fortunate, that Luke, my son, has two Bob Henry Medals that Bob presented to him and I feel fortunate that his club, our club, is striving to improve and grow and that he leaves a club that is in such good shape due to the hard efforts of people like Bobby during our foundation years.
We will appropriately celebrate the life of Bob Henry at our club when the social distancing rules are relaxed to the stage where we can fill our rooms and joyously recall the life and times of our Bob. On behalf of the Club I have sent our condolences through to John and his family.
Here is the latest update from AFL Victoria, regarding the plans possible returns to training and playing for community sport. The second week of May could see some great news!
Being President of our Club has always been a privilege. It is something I don’t take for granted. You just wish to make a meaningful difference and leave the organisation in a better position than when you took over. I actually don’t find the role a burden, quite the opposite surprisingly, as our Club instilled in me at an early age the responsibility to ‘give back’ when the timing was right.
Greg Hannon
I’ve reflected over the past week as Dean Collins – ‘Collo’ has been battling his serious health condition as to why our Club is just so important to so many of us and why I’m grateful that I’ve been a small part of this club since I turned up to play here at age 15.
Dean and Jayden Collins
I’m grateful for:
The friendships ( life long ) that so many of us have made from been associated at this club. With Collo’s predicament, so many of us realize just how fortunate we are that so many within our community genuinely care about each other.
The people that are Boronia. I’m all about fighting hard for new facilities but bricks and mortar do not make up a club. What makes up a club is quality people that care about each other and share similar values. We have that in spades at the ‘Hawka’ and other clubs continue to question why and how.
The leadership at our Club. The Board and the various committees that strive to make our Club improve. The Coterie, the members, the old boys and the supporters that keep giving their time to enable us to function and thrive.
Our coaches. Ash has created a panel that would be the envy of any club. Matt, Steve, Brock, Joey, Greg, Ray, Scott, Fletch and Cats. These people steer a big ship and do a wonderful job at guiding, supporting, mentoring and coaching our playing cohort.
The role models I’ve been fortunate enough to learn from. From Macca to Murra to the Kimmitts to the former Presidents that still take an active interest in the club. We are drowning in quality people that want our club to be strong and to continue to grow.
For the fact that after a couple of coaching stints I came back to where I belong. Fazz and I communicated about this during the week. When mates like Collo are struggling, we understand more than ever where we belong and where our energies should be spent. It’s great to have Fazz back; it’s great to see Shoey back at the club; and it’s great that we have people like Bomma, Panda, Dillio, Leanne and Plugga running our Hawks Nest Coterie and making it so inclusive and enjoyable.
Collo is on the way back, thank god! He has a long journey in front of him but each day he slightly improves. I’ve included some photos for you to look at. One when he had a thousand tubes keeping him alive and one with his thumbs up from yesterday.
Dean CollinsA chirpier Dean Collins!
Bomma represents the club when communicating with Amanda and Dean as he has to be treated very carefully. Bomma has ridden the ‘Collo’ journey as much as his family has (probably over the past 30 years too! ) and I’m sure he is planning celebratory drinks (when we can meet together ) to toast Collo’s miracle comeback!
Boronia Hawks wishes to express our deep sadness at yesterday’s loss of four serving members of Victoria Police.
Our Club has many current and former players, volunteers and supporters associated with the police community and our thoughts are with them as they mourn the tragic loss of their colleagues.
We are reminded today of the enormous service to the community provided by our police, and we offer our sincere sympathy and condolences to all family and friends of the four officers taken in the line of duty.
