This Wednesday at the Woodlands Golf Club, the Southern Football Netball League Hall of Fame night will see five new outstanding individuals inducted into the exclusive Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame was established in 2015 to acknowledge and celebrate persons who have made significant contributions to the SFNL or the forerunners of the SFNL, being the Federal Football League, Eastern Suburbs Churches Football Association and South East Suburban Football League.
One of the highlights on the SFNL calendar, the 2021 (excluding COVID affected years) SFNL Hall of Fame Dinner will be one to remember for the new inductees.
As it was for the 35 past inductees, who have their names etched in local sporting history.
We spoke to some of the very special inductees from over the years, and asked them what it means to them to be honoured in this way.
You cannot spell Moorabbin without the letter “M” for Margaret Torpy.
Over 35 years of service to the Moorabbin Kangaroos, Margret is the heartbeat of the club and it simply would not survive without her.
She was one of six inductees in 2016, and the first female member of the SFNL Hall of Fame.
“It’s a great honour and it was unexpected, and it was great recognition of hard work,” Torpy says.
Working tirelessly for the club since 1988, Torpy has received a bunch of honours, and the Hall of Fame sits right up there.
“Over the years I’ve never kicked a football, but (I have) received awards such as the Chairman’s award in 2013, but the Hall of Fame is just such a big honour, ” she says.
Bruce Hill OAM was one of the first people inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015, off the back of some extraordinary achievements.
All up, Hill played around 750 games of football and was still kicking the Sherrin at the age of 67 years old.
An incredible player for both East Malvern and South Yarra, Hill has a list of achievements that you could talk about all day.
But after his playing career, he gave up endless time for his football clubs and his administrative work is what is most noteworthy when you look at his entire body of work in football.
“It’s great all the work off the field gets recognised and the gratification of all the hard work, and to get recognised, it is an honour,” Hill says.
Hill was recognised with an Order of Australia Medal 4 years ago and personally been involved in senior premierships.
However, being named in the SFNL Hall of Fame is “right up there”.
“Obviously getting involved in premierships with South Yarra has been great, but on a personal note, it’s been my biggest achievement, other things like the premierships are more team-oriented, this is a personal honour, because you put the work in yourself and get recognised.”
Dennis Malcolm was also inducted in 2015, one of the longest standing administrators in local footy.
A great servant of both the league and the Murrumbeena Football Netball Club, Malcolm is a Hall of Fame member of both associations.
Malcolm was South East Suburban Football League Treasurer from 1969 to 1991 and SFNL Treasurer until 1994, making him a no-brainer for an induction.
“I made lifelong friends and built good relationships, because you all take pride in your work and enjoy it because you have been involved for so long” Malcolm says.
Malcolm says it is a great honour to be named amongst the greats of the SFNL, but more importantly cherishes the memories he made whilst working in football.
“All the enjoyment being around football and just being involved, it’s great.”
The SFNL 2021 Hall of Fame ceremony is to be held on Wednesday the 15th of June 2022 at the Woodlands Golf Club.
Hall of Fame Inductees will be honoured along with Outstanding Achievement and Distinguished Service Award winners.
