Thursday, 24 September 2026

 Jeff BOURMAN (Eastern Victoria) (10:07): Moe Football Netball Club ended a 59-year premiership drought – 59 years; that will be how long I have been alive on Saturday – with coach Leigh Poholke’s side overcoming a valiant Leongatha to win the 2026 Gippsland football league premiership in an epic contest at Traralgon. This victory means more than just a football result. The club helps young men and women grow on and off the field and court. It works with charities to support young people at risk, leads conversations about mental health and youth suicide and promotes respect and inclusion. Through its close association with the late Neale Daniher and his family, the club also championed FightMND across Gippsland. Moe has changed enormously since its last premiership in 1967. The town has faced the loss of major industries, including textiles, and a profound change in the power sector. Its strengths have not always received the recognition they deserve. Through it all, the club has remained a place where generations have found connection and shared local pride. To every player that has worn the maroon and blue over those 59 years and to the supporters who stayed loyal through some very lean seasons, congratulations. It takes a village to run a club like Moe. President Mat Howlett leads an extraordinary group of volunteers; administrators; trainers; runners and timekeepers; people who work the gate, canteen and can bar; those who clean the rooms; and many, many more. The premiership belongs to them too. You have earned this premiership. You have built something that matters well beyond football.