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.
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.
Please refer to the attached update from AFL Victoria that outlines the key steps in a return to our football and netball activities.
The key message is: “we have not given up on this season. We are hopeful that we will be back on the field as soon as it is safe to do so and you can be confident that you will have our full support to ensure this return is as safe and well prepared as possible”.
“We are aiming to provide a more detailed update at the end of April, post the announcement of an expected roadmap for the elite game”.
AFL, NRL, Wimbledon, Tokyo Olympics and now the Hawka Legends Game have all been cancelled for 2020. This is really sad as we had two teams of Club legends ready to play. The GOOD NEWS is that they now have another 12 months to fine tune their skills and hamstrings! Many thanks to Karen Little, Leanne Rech, and Dave Murrihy for all their hard work in getting this event up and (almost) running. We will see all these legends in action NEXT YEAR!
Over the past few years Boronia Hawks Football Netball Club has taken targeted steps to improve the off-field support for our players, volunteers and members to look after their mental health and wellbeing. We are now very proud to announce the launch of our Club Wellbeing Hub on the Club’s website. Please check it out to see the full range of wellness support and services recommended by the Club.
Thank you to Club ChairmanScott Nicholas and Director, Community & Inclusion Karen Little for their leadership in this important aspect of our Club’s Community Program.
