BORONIA HAWKS FOOTBALL NETBALL CLUB INC.
Senior Men's & Women's Football and Netball, Junior Boys & Girls Football, Auskick and over 35's Veterans and Masters Football. Affiliated with EFNL. We acknowledge the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation as the traditional custodians of the land in Boronia.
Huge thanks and congrats to Michael and Zac Papworth, the ultimate father-son coaching duo, taking the helm of U10s in 2026!
Michael’s a seasoned coach and veteran of the game, while Zac’s our very own goal-kicking machine who was part of the 2025 U14 Interleague squad and trained with U16 Eastern Ranges earlier this year.
Well done Papworths, the U10s are in for a great season!
We’re excited to announce that Shane Allsopp will be an U19.5 Assistant Coach for the 2026 season.
Shane played footy at a high level himself at Box Hill in the VFL and is also a senior premiership player at Scoresby. Alongside his role with the U19s, Shane will also be leading our U8s this season.
We’re very lucky to have Shane as part of the program. Keep an eye out for more announcements coming soon!
Our 2026 Junior Head Coaches are locked in! Huge congratulations and thanks to the amazing coaches below.
Now we’re on the hunt for two more awesome coaches for the U8 and U10 mixed teams, send your expressions of interest to boroniajnr@efnl.org.au
Jump on board the Hawka train in 2026!
Nevy is no stranger to the program, playing in 2023 and 2024 before supporting from the sidelines as Team Manager last season. Nevy joins Masters Coach Danny Weston to lead the side throughout 2026. Nevy is dedicated, knowledgable and will bring fantastic insights to the squad this season.
We’re excited for a big year ahead, so if you’re interested in joining our growing squad of Over 35s women, don’t hesitate to reach out!
We couldn’t be more excited to announce our Senior Assistant Coaches for our Premier Women’s side in 2026.
We’re pleased to welcome Steve Brotja to Boronia, after he has spent the last five years with Upwey, the past three as their Senior Coach, where he is also a life member and played over 200 games. Steve previously coached within the Eastern Ranges program where he first connected with our Senior coach Sean Buncle. We can’t wait to have Steve in brown and gold.
Also returning will be Scott Nicholas and Tim Cavanagh. Scott spent seven seasons as our Senior Coach, leading us to a Division 1 Premiership in 2023 before transitioning to Women’s Football Operations while maintaining an Assistant Coach role.
Tim joins us for his fourth season as part of the Women’s program taking on a number of roles across Senior and Development teams following a successful stint at Ferntree Gully where he took the side to a minor Premiership in 2021.
Josh returns after his first season in 2025, where he has already built incredible relationships across the squad, and brings a great balance of fun, care and guidance to the group. Dean joins the Senior program after coaching our Under 18 Girls side in 2025, and we’re excited to add his knowledge and expertise to the ranks in supporting our big numbers of U18s joining the Senior squad next season.
Boronia FNC would like to thank Dave O’Reilly and Ray Lacey for their contributions to our women’s football program as the outgoing coaches of our Masters Women’s team.
Both Dave and Ray have had long histories at the club, and over the past few years have played an important role in our Women’s Masters team. While they’ll both still be around the club and supporting the program, we will miss them on the sidelines with the Masters and their impact will be felt for many seasons to come.
We’re excited to have announced last week that Danny Weston has been appointed to coach the Masters for season 2026.
We’re thrilled to announce that Danny Weston has been appointed our Masters Coach for the 2026 season.
Danny is no stranger to coaching at Boronia, with a highly successful tenure within our junior girls pathway. This included coaching our U16 Girls to a Premiership in 2023, many of who will be stepping up into Senior football in 2026. Danny had a long career within the EFNL playing with Vermont and Blackburn, and will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the program next season and can’t wait to get started. Danny will take the reigns from Ray Lacey and Dave O’Reilly who have done a fantastic job coaching our Masters side over the past few years.
Boronia Hawks Football Netball Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Danny Fotinatos as our new Men’s Development Coach for the 2026 season.
Danny joins the Club from the Whitehorse Pioneers Football Club, where he has captained their Development Team for the past four seasons. During his time at Whitehorse, Danny established himself as a respected leader, known for his professionalism, composure, and ability to inspire those around him.
Danny brings with him fresh perspectives and valuable insights from a club that has been on the rise in recent years. His leadership experience and deep understanding of the game will make him an outstanding addition to our Men’s coaching group.
Throughout the recruitment process, Danny impressed with his emphasis on developing strong relationships with players. He has a proven record of leading teams in a way that balances high performance with personal growth, and he understands the importance of fostering a positive, accountable, and connected team culture.
Danny’s coaching philosophy is grounded in setting clear standards, building accountability, and uniting players around a shared vision for success. He values clear, consistent, and respectful communication, ensuring that players understand their roles, receive constructive feedback, and feel confident to ask questions.
His adaptable communication style — whether working with players, fellow coaches, parents, or community members — enables him to build trust and rapport across all levels of the club.
The Boronia Hawks FNC is excited to welcome Danny and his partner Steph to the Hawka Nest and we look forward to the energy, leadership, and passion he will bring to our club.
We’re confident that Danny will play an integral role in continuing to strengthen our Men’s football program and in shaping the next generation of Hawks.
Welcome to the Hawks, Danny!
