NHFC Newsletter May 2023

After a formal mid-season performance review with our head coach of men’s footy, the Board has decided with Adam’s agreement, to appoint him to continue in his current coaching role in 2024. Adam has also accepted our request that we consider an option to extend his role into 2025. This will provide us with the support we need as a club to transition to the new competition.

Adam was originally appointed for 2023 at a time when there was much uncertainty about the future of the TSL beyond this year. Now that we know that the TSL will continue in 2024, we have commenced getting our people on board to lead us to further success next season.

Adam’s impact on the club in his role as Head Coach, has been significant in a very short period, moving us from a club in a development phase into a winning phase. Within the men’s playing group, Adam has instilled a strong sense of belief in their ability and has allowed his assistant coaches to flourish and develop as stronger leaders in the footy context.

Adam’s previous track record as a coach in Melbourne is significant and has highlighted his ability to quickly turn the fortunes of senior teams around to the positive, where he was a Premiership Coach. Adam is well regarded in Tasmanian footy and has recently been appointed to the role as Assistant Coach of the Tasmanian Senior Men’s team to play Queensland at North Hobart Oval on 1 July.

More than just coaching his team, Adam has demonstrated a strong commitment to developing a club culture built around family values and family involvement in the club. Adam’s wife Kate and his children are fully involved in the club and are supportive of Adam continuing in this role next year. Adam provides the sort of leadership we need to ensure we succeed and deliver on our Club’s Purpose and Goals.

Over the next few weeks our club Directors will be formally reviewing our coaches’ performance and development across all teams/roles. We then plan to have all positions for 2024 in place by the end of June.

I thank the club members who attended our briefing and discussion session regarding the changes to the competition past 2024. We heard a range of views about our preferred future and clarified and confirmed the risks and opportunities arising from the conclusion of the state-wide competition. Since that meeting I have met with Damian Gill and Andy Bennett from AFL Tas regarding the 2025 competition structure. From that meeting I learnt that It is likely that there will be a six-team premier league in Hobart with the five southern based TSL clubs and one other club to join from the SFL. This premier league in the South will be for men’s and women’s as well as under 18s and may extend to include younger age groups. A working group comprising club presidents, AFL Tas and SFL executives will be formed to develop this knew competition. Whilst this is a major change for our club, we are looking at it as an opportunity to further deliver on our club purpose and strategic goals.

As you may well know our GM Paul is on an extended holiday in Europe. It has taken an army of volunteers to cover the work that Paul does. In particular I thank Rick Tipping, Peter Fisher and Shane Arnol who have picked up much of this workload. This is over and above the full range of tasks that other members of our volunteer brigade have continued to undertake.

‘Winners are grinners’ with four wins on the last weekend in May. It’s been a long time since each team that we put out on the paddock returned the win. Our Senior Women’s led out on Friday night with the first win for the weekend, and then the men delivered the goods in all three matches against Launceston. The club room was on fire after the win against Launceston.

Several casual observers at the club have noticed a general feeling of positivity across all sections of the club community which has been building steadily over the past few months. People have commented to me how it is visible that our players are enjoying their footy and the club vibe and they can see our club culture is very strong at present. This is not simply about our recent success on the paddock, it’s a steady growing positive mindset, with well intentions, and it’s a way of being, as we enjoy our time together as a footy club. It’s led collectively by our coaches, volunteers, senior players and our highly committed Board of Directors.

Let’s work hard, to keep this positivity going.

Dave Kilpatrick
President
May 2023

Picture below: 2003 NHFC Premiers – 20 year reunion to be celebrated on 17 June

The web site update, complete with a new look and feel and greater functionality, is now completed. Our newsletters will be posted on the web page with the intention to phase out the production of printed copies.

Membership renewals, facility hire bookings and event tickets can be accessed from the site.
Match fixtures and results information can be found with direct links to that information which is updated weekly for all NHFC teams. New content under the Tridents (NHFC Coterie group) tab will soon include key historical artefacts:
– NHFC Hall of Fame document – with profiles of all members of this exclusive group; and
– NHFC senior player honour roll – 1881 to 1941; and 1945 to 2023 (current) – a record of all players to have donned the red and blue at senior level over 142 years.

We thank Peter Fisher for coordinating this work.

We thank Rick Tipping, our Director for Wellbeing and Volunteers for organising signage at our oval to remind all of our responsibility to show respect to all who attend our oval. This is particularly important when considering how we interact with umpires who undertake the difficult task of officiating at our ground to ensure we can conduct our footy matches.

Picture below – Adam Bester and Jack McCulloch endorsing our desire for respectful and inclusive behaviour and a safe place at our club.

It was great to see 1987 NHFC premiership star Ross Christensen drop-by NH Oval last week. For those that may not know, Ross was recruited as a ruckman/forward and assistant coach from Footscray in the VFL. He was a key player in our outstanding 1987 team, culminating in a resounding victory in the State-wide Grand Final, at North Hobart Oval, defeating Glenorchy (158pts to 106pts).

Ross now lives in Sydney and made the trip to Tassie to generously present his 1987 lace-up guernsey (#2) to Damien Dillon of the Tasmanian Football Museum. Ross was warmly welcomed to our club by his 1987 NHFC premiership captain, Mark Devine, and team-mate, Leigh Collidge, and also took the opportunity to have a good look around his old club. Hope to see you back soon, Ross.

Below – ’87 Premiership skipper, Mark Devine in the clubrooms with Ross (and his lace-up), alongside premiership player Leigh Collidge.

Don’t miss out – enjoy the most sensational view of the footy in the TSL – from our range of Corporate Boxes at North Hobart Oval.
Boxes for our next home game against the Glenorchy Magpies on 17 June 2023 are now on sale at https://www.trybooking.com/events/eventlist/eventListingURL?aid=5359

Our next President’s Lunch is sure to be a beauty. This event is on our home game day against Glenorchy Magpies and will incorporate the 20th anniversary reunion of our 2003 Premiership team.

This event will be held in the club’s Hi Sense Room (top floor of the Plaister Stand), commencing at 1230pm.

2003 NH premiership coach, Brendon Bolton (current Collingwood senior assistant, former Carlton senior and Hawthorn assistant coach) will be attending along with many of his premiership players, coaches and staff. Bolts will feature in a Q & A session during the event, hosted by none other than 2003 Premiership player Richard ‘The Bear’ Robinson.

The event will feature lunch, catered by club sponsor – Rodney Dann of Wattlebanks Catering (himself a 2003 premiership player!) – first drink on arrival plus a full bar service. Tickets are $50 each.

NH members are cordially invited to attend this important event – please book soon to avoid disappointment as numbers are limited. Tickets online at https://www.trybooking.com/events/eventlist/eventListingURL?aid=5359

Our annual players’ cocktail event is on again next week.

Starting at 8pm at The Post Street Social, Franklin Wharf, Hobart, this is sure to be another great night out.

Dress is formal and ticket price covers snacks. Drinks available at normal bar prices.

Don’t miss out, make sure you book now at https://www.trybooking.com/events/eventlist/eventListingURL?aid=5359

The focus of the NHFC Physical Performance Unit this month has been to prepare the players for the rigours of the upcoming colder months. Our emphasis whilst the weather has been stable has been to keep topping up the players running capacity, performing their in-season lifting program as well as a huge emphasis on their recovery. Now that we enter June and July with the colder and wetter days ahead, we will hopefully be prepared and have confidence in the foundations we have built over the long preseason and first part of the season. We will do regular pool sessions as well as indoor sessions when the unruly weather keeps us off the ground.

This month we also had our Junior Under 15’s academy players into the club. A big focus has been the football skills element but we have also introduced them to the PIT and performed a 30 minute strength and conditioning session.

High Performance Tip for this month

Nutrition – now that we are heading into Winter with limited exposure to the Sun, make sure you take a Vitamin D supplement.
Training – during Winter we tend to hide and stay inside more often. This time of year its harder to get those daily steps in. We should be aiming for 10,000 steps per day, so every chance you get, go for a walk. Walk the extra loop to the office, walk the stairs, park your car on the top level and walk the stairs up to the car at the end of the day. Every bit counts!
—
Samuel Yee – NHFC High Performance

The last weekend of May was a massive success for The North Hobart Football Club!
The seniors had a nail-biting win, winning by a single point, with big Jack McCulloch kicking three goals. Cohen Stephenson also excelled, being awarded Best on Ground. After a seesawing affair, our boys came out on top with a complete team performance and got the victory over the reigning premiers!

Our Development League men were on fire, dominating with three quick goals before outscoring their opposition in every quarter. Matthew Yates and Max Cowburn both scored four goals each, while Lachie Payne played an exceptional game and was given Best on Ground alongside Brad Young who was dominant in the middle.

Our Senior Women’s team continued their stunning run of form, winning by a whopping 52 points against the Tigers. Jamie Symons scored two goals and was given Best on Ground, while Emily Mifsud and Claire Ransom each scored two goals.

And finally, a massive congratulations to our Under 18s team, who triumphed against Launceston. Angus Cracknell was named Best on Ground, and Falcon Palmer scored an impressive three goals!

Our Reserves women’s team had a bye that weekend to freshen up and hit the ground running in the next round.

We could not be prouder of our players, coaches, staff, and volunteers for all of their hard work and dedication. It has been a very long time since we had all 4 playing teams get the complete sweep over our opposition, so let’s keep the momentum going and celebrate the sweet taste of victory together!

Go Dees!

In mid-May the club hosted a workshop for international students as part of a ‘skilled volunteers program’ run by the Multicultural Council of Tasmania (MCOT) and Australian International Youth Association (AIYA). The program has also been supported by the Department of State Growth and Study Tasmania.

Our goal was to introduce participants to our wonderful game and welcome them to our own footy community. We already have some terrific student volunteers. We’d love to see these numbers grow and, who knows, recruit some future champion players!

The workshop had three parts to it.

We introduced participants to the history of the game, they took part in a footy rules and skills session run by AFL Tasmania’s Footy Development Team and then we had a discussion with them about work opportunities that exist in the sports industry more broadly. A key goal was to give them enough knowledge to be able to talk footy around the coffee machine at work. We even gave them some tips on how to choose their own team.

Regardless of whether they end up going for West Coast, the Bulldogs, or, who knows, maybe the Tassie Devils, we hope we’ve made sure that North Hobart will be their local team!

We are making major strides in our development as the Men’s program continues to strengthen and gain momentum. There’s a palpable sense of optimism around the club, fueled by recent victories, player growth, and a consistent routine that supports and nurtures all aspects of our gameplay. One of the season’s highlights so far includes the thrilling Round 8 win against the reigning premiers, Launceston. This encounter saw us implement a consistent game plan across all four quarters, reflecting tactical maturity and a cohesive team dynamic. The energy around the club is high, with the morale of both players and staff reaching new peaks. The commitment, hard work, and resilience of all club members have fostered a fantastic atmosphere, making every training session and match a testament to our shared dedication.

The Men’s Program has settled into a productive weekly schedule designed to optimize performance:
1. Monday: The week starts with an evening rehabilitation session in partnership with Back In Motion Physio. This is complemented by flush runs and recovery weights, as well as fundamental skills sessions and line meetings.
2. Tuesday: The club’s main session takes place, emphasizing ball movement and tactical execution.
3. Thursday: A shorter, more intensive session occurs, culminating in the Player’s Tea and a senior team meeting, fostering both camaraderie and strategy alignment.

However, every season has its setbacks, and for us, it’s unfortunate long-term injuries to Connor Downham (5-8 weeks), Jake Dixon (season), Fletcher Keeling (2- 5 weeks), Hugh Williams Jnr (TBC), Copper Leek ( 2-8 weeks) and Cal Daly (3-4 weeks). Despite these challenges, we are in high spirits. There is a shared sense of pride in the progress we (players, coaches, board members, volunteers) have made over the season. The determination and dedication displayed by everyone involved continues to strengthen the North Hobart Football Club’s trajectory. The joy of the season, the thrill of victory, and the shared commitment to improvement are tangible at our club. This consistent momentum, coupled with a steadily strengthening Men’s program, heralds a promising future for the club. We stand as a testament to the tenacity, grit, and unity of the Tasmanian football community.

Adam Bester
NHFC Senior Coach

We’re committed to our women’s teams having equal access to every facility, support and opportunity which were traditionally only available to men. Our women can aspire to play at the highest level possible – including in the national women’s competition – the AFLW.
One of our women, Claire Ransom, was recruited last year by the God Coast Suns.

As a part of our commitment, we have a nation-leading policy to develop a player payment scheme for the women’s program. This will allow us to:
A. retain talent already in our women’s program to continue our current success,
B. attract new talent to propel the program to new heights, and,
C. establish North Hobart’s position in the women’s football landscape as one of both inclusion and aspiration.

To support our commitment, we’re looking for Tasmanian companies and organisations that want to be part of the change.
If you know of a company or organisation that might be interested in this opportunity, we’re developing a prospectus to give them more information.

Please put them in touch with our Marketing Director, Mark Stewart at markstewart.nhfc@gmail.com

The season has started well for the Under 18s and we are already 7 games into the season and sit at 4 wins and 3 losses but we have been competitive in all our matches to date.

This season for the first time our Under 16.5 and 18 teams are training together on a Tuesday and Thursday night before the men’s senior squad, which has been a great initiative with many players needing to alternate between the two teams.

After just 7 games we have had over 40 different players play in the 18s side. Many are playing their first match at 18s level, over the last couple of weeks in particular we have been hit hard by illness, injury and unavailability, providing the opportunity for our 16s boys to step up – which they have done admirably, while some of the older boys have led the way.
The future looks bright.

Matthew Ferguson – U18 Coach

While we have some fantastic support already, we are seeking additional contributions of weekly vouchers and other prizes for our players across all teams (2 x men’s teams, 2 x women’s teams and our U/18 lads).
We’d also welcome one-off donations of prizes for our weekly raffles.

If you can help, or know someone else who can, please get in touch with our Club Marketing and Communications Director, Mark Stewart, at markstewart.nhfc@gmail.com

The home of football is once again the venue for State footy when Tassie takes on Queensland in both men’s and women’s senior representative footy, on Saturday 1 July. Making it an even bigger day, the Tasmania Devils start the day at 10am with their match against the Northern Knights in the Coates Talent League.

As NHFC will be hosting the day we will need more volunteers than ever to assist in our kiosks and bars on the day.

So please put this important date – Saturday 1 July – in your calendar and contact Chris Smith now at csmith21@live.com.au to register your intent to help.

Go Demons!

The season start this year is quite a bit different for the North Hobart women’s program being the reigning premieres has added an air of expectation to the season that we are keen to build upon after the excellent work in to 2022.
We have again been lucky to have recruited some quality players and people to our group and the team has had a good solid preseason
The Senior side has started the 2023 season with 4 wins which has been fantastic, and this has helped set up a possible top two finish.
We have continued to develop and debut several players in the first half of the season with 12 debuts over the first 5 rounds.

We also have 6 players in the SFLW Southern Rep side 4 in the U20 Rep side and 7 players in the State Squad
State squad members – Angelica Clark, Chelsea Thomas, Claire Ransom, Laura Negri, Jamie Symons, Emily Mifsud and Elise Barwick
We currently have 11 players in the Devils squad and regularly have 10 playing which is a testament to the NHJFC and the great work of the junior coaches.

We are looking to consolidate our position in the four with the aim to improve throughout the season so that we are matching it with Clarence and Glenorchy who have been the bench marks of the competition.

Chelsea Clark is doing a great job coaching our Reserves team in the Div 3 competition. Chelsea is supported by playing assistant coach Shannon Harris and Assistant Coach Claire Ransom. Our Reserves team is improving each game and had a big win against Lauderdale recently. The team currently sits on 4th place on the ladder and with a few more wins will play finals. The team has a great culture and approach to the game. Players are enjoying the game and developing skills along the way.
It has been difficult some weeks to assemble a full team. To improve on that we are hoping that all players can commit to each game unless injured. Missing a game should be the exception as it requires all players to be available to get the team on the field. Our Reserves team has the potential to go all the way to the finals this year.

Darren McConnon
Womens Coach

The last weekend of May was a great weekend for the Dees both on and off the field. On our big day against Launceston we celebrated the women of North Hobart, with our annual Ladies’ Luncheon 2023.

Thank you to our guest speaker Ally Bradley, EGM Victoria and Tasmania for Southern Cross Austereo, who generously shared her story with us.

Thanks To Catherine Sandric for organising a great event and for her super skills as host and MC.