A Positive Voice - NWFA Editorial

There has been a fair bit of negativity surrounding the Banjo’s NWFA in the last couple of weeks.

Keyboard warriors, those who know better and people determined to undermine the good work being done around the competition.

This combined with big margins threatens too bring unstuck the fabric of the competition.

We have seen social media negativity, and this is the double-edged sword of social media. While so much good can come of the promotion of our Association and The Advocate promoting itself via Facebook, there is the risk that people will saddle up their high horse.

Today’s editorial will look at the good that is happening around the NWFA. The positive stories that make our competition the envy of all other “country” footy comps around the state.

1. Turners Beach were struggling for a team in the reserves last week. To avoid a forfeit, the club reached out to its opponent, Spreyton, and asked for some player to bolster the numbers. In the interest if getting a game of footy underway, Aydon Briggs, Toby Murphy, Vincent Hall and Kristan Johnstone all played in enemy colours. This act of selfless behaviour enabled a club to field to teams which meant a group of people who wait all week for Saturday got to play Australia’s pastime. These four players are to be commended for their dedication to the ethos that we all play footy for the same reason, for the game’s sake. As Bradman said of cricket, “play the game for the game’s sake.” These player personified Bradman’s famous words and should be congratulated at every opportunity.

2. Rosebery Toorak has been beaten by a combined 1,078 points across two grades in the last two weeks. This is obviously not good but what we see from the West Coast is a dedicated committee putting together two dedicated teams of players to front up and play footy no matter what the result is expected to be. Last week’s editorial by Duncan Murfet was spot on in relation to how his club keeps working to allow people of the West Coast an opportunity to play the game. Rosebery Toorak may not be in a good place on field but with a strong committee doing its best to facilitate games in a regional area, the club is in better shape than it looks.

3. How many field umpires are needed each week? Does anybody know? For two umpires in each grade we require 16 umpires. The group of umpires who are officiating in the NWFA are a dedicated bunch of people who do their best each week to allow games to go ahead. My call in this editorial is for us to see the positive things being done by the umpires. It’s super easy to criticise the umpires who may miss a holding the ball call or not pay advantage but I challenge all who follow this competition to find another group of people who study the rules, train hard and give everything they can to get games underway. Maybe clubs can instigate a “buy the umpire a beer” campaign? Just a thought.

4. Finally, this year we have appointed an official photographer. Jake Gleeson has been seen at grounds all around our Association snapping seniors and reserves, getting some great shots and aiding the promotion of the NWFA via the Facebook page. Jake came to us as an unknown and has fast developed a bit of a reputation for taking brilliant photos and demonstrating hard work in how he edits and submits for the programme and Facebook. If you see Jake around, make yourself known and pat him on the back.

So, before you hit the old QWERTY, have a look around, what do you see? You may see a competition with a few problems but scratch the surface and you will find so much good, happiness and positivity in and around the competition, not just the quest for the Banjo’s NWFA Cup.