Player Sponsorship 2014 Player Sponsorship Prize Draw - Alex Woodward jumper to be drawn this week!

[Messenger]

Ladies and Gents,


I've received notification from HFC of the first of the player sponsorship events.

2014 Hawthorn Football Club Player Sponsorship Cocktail Function


Date: Tuesday 27th May, 2014
Time: 6.30pm (MCG Tours begin at 7.00pm sharp)
Venue: Harrison Room, Ponsford Stand, Level 2 (enter through Gate 1)
Melbourne Cricket Ground

Dress Code: Smart Casual

We have six tickets to raffle off to this function. Tickets are for members of the sponsorship syndicate only. If you wish to take a partner or child, we are allowed two extra tickets per sponsorship ticket winner at $100 each.

The draw will be happening this week

1. Our raffle drawer this year is well known bon vivant, raconteur and BigFooty Admin Fred.
2. For the function tickets, I'll offer the first tickets drawn out the right of first refusal. If you can't attend we move down the list of drawn tickets until all six places are filled.
3. If you are unable to attend (live interstate, etc), your ticket will go back in the draw and remain live.
4. We ideally need to give HFC names by 7th May. We usually get a little wriggle room though.
5. People that have attended the function in the past have also assisted in getting the rest of the prize pool to me. Namely the signed jumpers that are part of the package. If you are willing to assist me by taking temporary () custody, you won't be out of pocket for postage costs and the like.

Any questions please PM me or post here.

 

[Fred]

Same as last time?

 

[Messenger]

Same as last time?

Yes please.

 

[Messenger]

I'd really like to hear from Davo23 and KOLOKOTRONIS

Check you inbox, gents.

 

[Off The Couch]

I'd really like to hear from Davo23 and KOLOKOTRONIS

Check you inbox, gents.

Now that should make for an interesting pairing

 

[Messenger]

Our draw winners are

KOLOKOTRONIS
Agent Smith
Flukey!
rdhopkins2
TheFourPillars
eldorado

 

[Off The Couch]

Enjoys guys - feedback will be appreciated

 

[Flukey!]

It will be good to put faces to aliases.
Good luck getting the guernsey off me as well

 

[TheFourPillars]

Which one you got? I have jed's

 

[Agent Smith]

I would have thought Agent Smith had first dibs at Mr Anderson's guernsey...

 

[Flukey!]

Which one you got? I have jed's

Woody's.

 

[TheFourPillars]

Bidding for the jumper will start soon

 

[Flukey!]

Bidding for the jumper will start soon

Bidding, what bidding?
It will all come down to leg speed my fellow hawk fan.................

 

[TheFourPillars]

Bidding, what bidding?
It will all come down to leg speed my fellow hawk fan.................

Or Brute strength

 

[Flukey!]

Or Brute strength

No probs. Come and see me when you get there.

 

[Agent Smith]

For those who are interested, the Sponsor's Cocktail Function was a big success (in my humble opinion). Travelling incognito, sans green-tinged Matrix suit and sunnies, I ventured towards the MCG in mixed spirits, having recently heard the potentially serious condition of our head coach. Would this put a damper on events? I found out I was the first of the bigfooty peeps to make an appearance and headed straight for Mr Anderson, who I spotted quite quickly in the crowd. With his arm in a sling, I figured this was the time that Agent Smith would finally prevail in one of the biggest, badass kung-fu fights in cinematic history. Alas, he instead smiled and said hello, putting paid to what might have been...

As it turned out, Woody was standing close by to Jed, so I introduced myself as representing bigfooty as a silver sponsor of them both and had quite a good chat with both of them. Luke Lowden appeared out of nowhere (seriously, very impressive, considering) as I figured he knew he was the third of the sponsored players on our list. I have to echo what others in the past have said about the Hawthorn playing group - considering the diffferent types of people from all over the country (and overseas) that come together to represent our club, I would find it difficult to find a nicer bunch of blokes. It must partially be due to environment, etc, but these guys all seemed like genuinely good guys. Great to see.

In regards to our sponsored players in particular, Jed is a little more introverted than the other two, but once you engage him in easy-going conversation he opens up pretty quickly. I asked him about his shoulder and how far into rehab he is, and he replied he's only just started rehab. Apparantly, he DID have surgery on his shoulder a couple of weeks ago after all, a fact that I either missed or forgot about reading. He appeared reasonably upbeat that he isn't expected back until the end of August, cutting things very fine as to making an appearance this year. If he can manage a game or two at Box Hill as we hit the finals, well, who knows...? Both Alex Woodward and Luke Lowden were very easy to talk to and really made you feel at home. In particular, I'd like to mention the fact Luke sought us out at the end of the evening to thank us for the sponsorship once more.

After a bit of mingling at the beginning, the crowd split into groups for tours of the MCG, which really was restricted time-wise, beginning with a few viewing areas you might not normally see, plus the radio and tv commentary areas. The highlight was then going into the inner sanctum of the team rooms where the Hawks players would meet up at game time, including the locker rooms, meeting rooms, massage, physio, etc, after which we walked up the race onto the MCG. Actually, can all that. The highlight was finding out that Hodgey himself would be personally overseeing the final stages of the construction of this Death Star. Sorry, I drifted off then. I meant to say the highlight was the fact that Hodgey was going to be part of our tour group. Note: Many Bothans died to bring us this information. There can't be many Bothans left in this world, can there?

Well, that brought a smile to this particular Agent (not the Bothans bit, the bit about Hodgey) and I took the chance to chat with him before the crowds encircled him once more. He had a bit of a guard around his hand to protect it which I questioned. He said it's just precautionary and is nothing to worry about. I suggested he would say that even if every bone in his hand was broken, coz that's just the kind of guy he is. He merely laughed it off (but didn't expand on the matter, hmm... ). After a while, the intervention order eventually came though, preventing me from stalking - I mean chatting - to him much further.

Of particular interest of the players that I did chat with after the tour, I asked Spang how he was and he said he was feeling fit and raring to go, so it's up to the coaches to decide whether he comes in this week against GWS. I believe it was an act of Spang that decreed Box Hill would have the bye this week, and such divine intervention could only mean one thing, right? Watch this space.

I also had a nice lengthy chat with the Sheminator (why are you all not surprised) and how he's going. He seems to be enjoying the transition to AFL and all the guys are very helpful in giving him tips and such. Surprisingly, it wasn't a KPP player that he mentioned off the top - it was none other than Cyril Rioli. Thinking about it, that makes sense, though it makes me wonder if you can actually teach half the stuff that Cyril does on a footy field.

In the end, the players and staff were all upbeat and kept a great vibe going for the night, despite Clarko's absence. In the official speeches, Hodgey did say he expected the Angry Ant to be back within a month, considering his tenacity and never-say-die attitude. It sounds as though Brendan Bolton will be the senior coach the entire time that Clarko is away, and will be ably assisted with our other top line of coaches (including Rats, who knows something about the caper).

On a side note, I met up with the other bigfooty guys at the event and was pleasantly surprised to note they were all top blokes (well, they DO barrack for Hawthorn). However, this does potentially dispel the notion of me being the only poster on bigfooty who isn't an a**hole. The only way I could get my head around this was to believe that these were all a**holes pretending to be top blokes. I could live with that. Eldorado did mention at one point that I seemed to disappear around the time Isaac Smith appeared on stage to MC the first bit of the official guernsey presentations to sponsors, only to reappear later on when he went off stage. I still say that's mere coincidence and nothing more.

Lastly, if you made it this far through my ramblings, congratulations. You've just been awarded another bigfooty trophy for sheer determination in getting to the end of this seemingly neverending post.

 

[Off The Couch]

Thanks Agent Smith, pressure is now on the other attendees to give us their report on how the evening went. Glad you enjoyed yourself

 

[Flukey!]

My first HFC event of this type and really enjoyed it.
It was good to chat to a few of the fellow BF boys and got to meet everyone except KOLOKOTRONIS who may not have ended up attending.

I went not expecting a lot more than meeting a few players but it turned out the entire list was there bar 3 - Big Boy, Burgers and one other who I cant recall.

First fellow we grabbed was Hilly who was happy to have a chat and confirmed the contract extension. He sounds wrapped to have extended his contract.
I half jokingly asked if his brother would come across but he said not a chance and that he loved it at Freo.

Had plenty of time to talk to the boys we have sponsored - Luke, Jed and Alex. Great fellows, all three of them and seem to genuinely appreciate the sponsorship. Luke Lowden - what a great guy. Went out of his way to talk to everyone, made sure we got the signatures we needed and chatted to everyone on the tour around the ground. Genuinely good people these lads and you cant help but want them to do well at the club.

Had a bit of a chat to WhiteX as well on the walk around. He said the aim is R19 for a return but he is not going to push it.
He said he would rather play for another 8 years rather than risk his knee by rushing a comeback this year. To come back for perhaps 3-4 games may not make sense in the end and it may just workout that 2015 is when we see him next.

I didn't talk to Brian Lake directly but heard him say he could be good to go next week.

Also talked to Shiels, Birch, Hodgey briefly and a few of the younger guys who some i didn't recognise initially.
Also spoke to Grimmers about how he was going and if he expected a game soon. He seemed hopeful but not super confident. That was my take anyway.

Spangher seemed to be mobbed everywhere. I didn't get to talk to him but he always seemed to attract a crowd.

Saw Mitch as well but he seemed to be on the grumpy pills last night and was luck to get a hand shake from him.

Anyway, terrific night, well worth the cost of sponsorship and really enjoyed it. Thanks to Messenger for organising.
I have posted a few pics but I didn't get many.

 

[TheFourPillars]

Cant really add much to what the above posters have laready said it was a great night i got to have a chat with the young peter nights. Who couldn't believe that he was my boyhood hero. It was a great night and thanks to the HFC and bigfooty for organising this. I was privileged to attend.

 

[Agent Smith]

I went not expecting a lot more than meeting a few players but it turned out the entire list was there bar 3 - Big Boy, Burgers and one other who I cant recall.

I believe it was Langers.

 

[rdhopkins2]

I believe it was Langers.

Yes that's correct.Hale also missed.
I'm on the bus home from work at the moment and will post properly once I'm back!

 

[eldorado]

Reiterate what the other guys have said.

Couldn't be more impressed with the players. I'm not normally one to approach people with small talk on my mind, but Lowden, Woody and Jed came over and couldn't have been more hospitable with their time and their efforts to make us feel at home.

I chatted mostly with Lowden as we made the tour. He is an absolutely fantastic bloke; self-effacing, open, honest, a great laugh. We didn't talk about footy much, mostly about Game of Thrones, HBO, country life, careers in the police, and our respective concussion experiences.

Jed, as mentioned, is probably the least outgoing, but was friendly.

Woody, on the tour, would sidle up along side, and resume talking as if he talking to someone he'd known for years. He appreciated our well-wishes, but was self-effacing about his immediate prospects. Humble, articulate and genuine.

I mentioned to one of the guys how amazing, and overwhelming, it would have been for a 10 year old to be there, surrounded by all their heroes at once...and decided there and then that I had to go irritate my own childhood hero, Peter Knights. If anything, he was even more accommodating and warm than the players, genuinely interested in my (generally boring) life story. I neglected to tell him that I spent the better part of three years in primary school drawing endless repetitions of this photo...

...to the detriment of my own education. It's been mentioned many times around the traps what a super human being he is, so I was glad to be able to confirm this for myself.

Hodgey was blokey (of course) Isaac was a goofy bumpkin on MC duties (of course) and Josh Gibson somehow contrived to present his jumper to the hottest glamma in the room (of course)

Great to meet Flukey, 4Pillars again, rdhopkins, and the nefarious Agent Smith.

Every encounter was positive, and made one feel a part of something special.

Believe what you hear.... We're a great club.

 

[rdhopkins2]

Firstly, thank you to Messenger for organising the sponsorship.

I can't believe how fortuitous I was to have been drawn in the raffle to attend such a magnificent night. I must confess that I was neglectful in obtaining a tip for Brian's Bargain of the week, however I can substantiate that we have an incredible playing group who really did a fantastic job of mingling with their sponsors and holding the club up in such positive light. I said hello to Brian and wished him all the best for a speedy comeback but he was certainly one of the guys hardest to catch a moment with.

Brad Hill was a champ and it was wonderful to hear how happy he was at the Hawks (and that he had re-signed); as we joked, you better work on Steve, mate.

The MC for the night was Isaac Smith who did a great job opening the night and we witnessed a brief Q&A with a few of the younger Hawks; Izzy loved to stir the pot and obtained few good laughs.

From there it was on to tour the 'G and we were honoured to have 2013 premiership Captain Luke Hodge as one of our tour party. Our lovely MCC tour guide Carol invited Hodgey to speak about the prematch preparation of the boys as we were down in the Hawk's change rooms, which I'm sure was a memorable moment for those lucky to be present for such a behind the scenes tour. Whilst moving from the function room to the media centre, to the change rooms, to the oval, it was fantastic to be able to have a good chat with such a good bloke in Luke Lowden and Brendan Whitecross. Lowden is certainly very mature in his approach to his footy and Whitey extremely wise with his injury rehabilitation and conditioning efforts. Jed Anderson is also a wonderful bloke and I hope we see him back sooner rather than later.

It was a fitting touch to the night that so many kids were given the honour of being presented with their Family Club player sponsor's jumper and have their photo taken. Must have been a buzz for them.
For us big kids though, it was a wonderful opportunity to represent Big Footy Hawks on behalf of you all and to know that the players we sponsor are so down to earth, work so hard together as a team (whilst competing for spots on the same list) and made us all collectively feel truly welcome and valued.

Thanks again for the opportunity to attend and the club for hosting such a great event. Knightsy thanking those who attended on the way out was also very memorable.
A huge thanks again to all the players who attended and made it such a memorable night.

 

[halfback dasher]

Any of you lot pose the question if they read big footy or not ? ..

 

[TheFourPillars]

Cheney and schoey don't but they have heard. Here's how the conversation went with Boca when i got a few minutes with him.
Me: Don't worry about them mate they just wish they were you. I mean playing for the premiers in the AFL is every kids dream. Who cares what these keyboard warriors think including myself so long as the coaches love ya.
Cheney: Yeah i was wrapped to get the first few games and was doing all right till Hawkins started wrestling me in the last.
Me: Don't worry mate you aint on your lonesome there many bigger more experienced defenders have been in the same position and hope to see you back in the team.
Cheney: Thanks mate

Great bloke real down to earth and knows his limitations.