Blues News July 2020 - The Season Has Begun

The 2020 season has finally begun! Check out our upcoming events, latest news and match reports from round 1 and 2 below:
1. TJK Auto Repairs Past Players Day This Saturday 18 July 2020
2. Prestige Settlements Ladies Day Round 5 - 1 August 2020
3. 1999 and 2000 Premiership Reunion Round 7 - 15 August 2020
4. Round 1 Report
5. Round 2 Report
6. Willo Hoodies
7. Membership Fees and Membership Jackpot
8. Social Memberships
9. Annual Gibb Medal Awards Gala – Saturday 3 October 2020

1. TJK Auto Repairs Past Players Day This Saturday 18 July 2020
 
This Saturday 18 July 2020, is the long-awaited annual Willetton Football Club Past Players Day sponsored by TJK Auto Repairs. Catch up with all your old mates and watch the Blues take on Quinns. The Beer Shed will be open from 1:00pm with the Reserves game starting at 1:05pm. The main event being the League game starts at 2:45pm.
 
If you want to make a whole day of it get down at 9:50am to watch our inaugural Womens team play their first ever home game against Ocean Ridge. Then watch the Colts at 11:25am. While you're at the club feel free to wander over to the junior oval where you can see the Thirds take on Bassendean.
 
After the League have defeated Quinns and everyone sings the song in one huge circle with all past and current players, we will all move back into our club rooms where the AFL will be up on the big screen. At the club we can tell each other old war stories and see who won the best on ground awards for a week. 
 
Thank you to the generous support of one of our recently retired players Trent Fry, his wife Kristy and their business TJK Auto Repairs for supporting the day. As a big thank you to Trent & Kristy please consider checking your car into their Jandakot premises next time you are due a service and repay the love.
 
Also supporting your club this Saturday is a player who retired a little longer back in Mick Little.  If you’ve lost touch with Mick he is now at the Spinifex Brewery, where craft beer meets aboriginal culture.  Mick is donating some of his product to the club for the day so come along and help your club by hooking in to Mick’s Spinifex beers.
 
Make sure you've organised safe transport home as there is a very good chance quite a few beverages will be consumed through the night as the stories we tell become more inventive and outrageous.

2. Prestige Settlements Ladies Day Round 5 - 1 August 2020
 
Following on from round 3 being the big day for the boys round 5 will be the big day for the girls with the annual Willetton Football Club Ladies Day sponsored by Prestige Settlements on the 1st of August 2020.

Come down to the Willetton Sports Club for a great day full of drinking and dancing! For those wanting to indulge in unlimited wine & champagne tickets will be $35 a head if bought online in advance or $40 at the marquee. Not only does this include drinks but also a delicious grazing table and watching our League team vs Warnbro Swans between 2pm - 5pm up in our marquee on the hill. If you aren't an alcohol drinker you can purchase a ticket on the day for $20 a head so that you can still enjoy the delicious grazing table and fantastic company in our marquee.
 
Once the League game finishes after 5pm everyone is welcomed back to the club for the night to continue the night with raffle prizes and a DJ to encourage lots of dancing.
 
To secure your tickets follow this link: https://rebrand.ly/willettonladiesday2020

3. 1999 and 2000 Premiership Reunion Round 7 - 15 August 2020
 
To commemorate the 1999 and 2000 League Premierships the club is hosting a Premiership Reunion Luncheon at midday on the 15th of August 2020 at the club. If you were a premiership player or know anyone from the premiership teams please share this information with them so they can attend. The club will be putting on some food and drinks for the premiership players and there will be a speech from Premiership coach Paul Kujawski. Once it hit’s 1:00pm everyone will move up to the hill where the beer shed will be opened and everyone can support the reserves and league sides.

4. Round 1 Report
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It was a sombre day as the Willetton Blues Football Club stepped onto the field for round one with the tragic loss of a young Colt’s player just one week earlier in a car accident. The Colt’s, galvanized by the loss, came out hard and won the first game of the day 7.7-49 to Kalamunda Cougars 3.7.-25. The Reserves team followed suit defeating the Cougars reserves side 10.4-64 to 3.7-25.
 
The club’s premier team the League side continued the successful start to the season defeating the Kalamunda Cougars 10.9-69 to 9.4-58 in what was a very physical game to start off the year. The Blues League side has been working hard on some changes to their structures since the return to training and it was evident the changes were starting to come off. 
 
The Blues started the game well and by half time had their noses in front. After half time Kalamunda came out hard and the game tightened up leading into the last quarter. During the last quarter there were multiple lead changes with both the Cougras and the Blues taking the lead for some time. However, the Blues hung in showing real resilience, keeping the pressure on the Cougars and taking the win. The Blues had great contributors across the whole team including outstanding performances from Jake Schleicher, Josh Coleman and Leighton Douglas. 
Goals: 4 Leighton Douglas, 3 Brandon Ellis, 1 Callum Ellis, 1 Nicholas Ho, 1 Jake Schleicher
 
The Blues Thirds side continued the great run after the league game defeating Carlisle 8.7-55 to 4.5-29. And to make it five wins for the club for round one in Wembley the Blues Integrated side defeated Wembley 2.3-15 to 17.17-119. 
 
After the last game of the day all players and supporters were invited up to the Willetton Sport and Community Centre where the club hosted a Beyond Blue Party and raised over $1000 for Beyond Blue to support their mental health work.

​Round 2 Report
 
The Willetton ‘Blues’ Football Club’s inaugural Women’s team had their first official Perth Football League game on Saturday morning taking on Canning South Perth Tigers at Wyong Reserve in Bentley.
 
It was an intense start to the game with play bouncing back at fourth between the 50 metre arcs for half of the quarter without a single stoppage. 
 
The Tigers started to get on top in the second half of the quarter keeping the ball inside their forward 50 however only managing to come away with 1 point at quarter time. 
 
In the second quarter the Blues got on top with Jess Pratley kicking the first goal of the game and going down in the record books as the first women’s team player to kick a goal for the Blues. This goal gave the Blues the lead however the Tiger managed to hang on and kick a goal leaving scores level at the main break. 
 
In the third quarter the Blues started to dominate with Jess Pratley managing to get another goal and take the lead into the three quarter time huddle. 
 
In the last quarter the Tigers came out hard putting relentless pressure on the Blues and keeping the ball in their forward half. With just minutes to go the Tigers had repeat forward entries straining the Blues backline. 
 
In the dying stages the Blues made two costly mistakes whilst trying to kick out of defence with best on ground performer Amanda Schlaepfer intercepting both kicks and putting the Tigers back into attack. The Tigers took a strong mark in the goal square and kicked truly winning the game 2.3-15 to 2.1-13.
 
Best Jess Pratley, Meredith Cramer, Heather Jeffries, Monique Ryan, Mogan Jenyns
Goals Jess Pratley 2
 
In Thornlie the Blues Colts side defeated Thornlie 3.7-25 to 12.8-80, the Reserves side defeated Thornlie 3.9-27 to 8.5-53 however the League side went down 10.7-67 to 6.7-43.
 
At home the Blues Integrated All Abilities team defeated Fremantle CBC Green 11.8-74 to 2.2-14. 
 
At Carine Open Space the Blues Thirds side was thumped by Hamersley Carine losing 21.10-136 to 0.2-2.
 
After the final game of the day all Blues teams returned to the Willetton Sports and Community Centre where best on ground awards were handed out before a karaoke night to celebrate the girls first game. 

6. Willo Hoodies
 
Are you finding you are a little cold rocking up to games or just want to wear your Blues colours everywhere in winter? Your club has just placed an order for club branded hoodies. We have already sold 22 pre-orders so make sure your buy yours at our team store now! We should be receiving stock in just 3 weeks so make sure you order yours to secure it now! 

7. Membership Fees and Membership Jackpot
 
While the majority of players have taken advantage of the early payment discount on their fees before round 1 there is still a large number of players yet to pay any fees. Fees have been cut in half because of the season being cut in half so make sure you get your fees paid. Any player who hasn’t paid their fees is not eligible to win the membership jackpot which currently sits at $100 for Thursday and is drawn every Thursday and Saturday. The membership jackpot is available to financial members and social members. You have to be present to collect the prize when the draw occurs otherwise it jackpots to the next draw. Riley Hunter was our first winner pocketing $150 last Thursday! If you haven't paid your fees make sure you pay them at the team store now.

8. Social Memberships
 
We still have a number of social membership on offer for just $30 each. For that $30 you will get a Willetton Blues Hat, a stubby holder and a membership card. The membership card will put you in the weekly membership jackpot draw each Thursday and Saturday night however you will need to be around to win your prize or it will jackpot to the following week! Buy yours on the team store now!

9. Annual Gibb Medal Awards Gala – Saturday 3 October 2020
 
Lock the 3rd of October 2020 in as a night to get dressed up, have a couple of drinks and dance the night away in style as your club hosts the annual Gibb Medal Awards Gala at Beaumonde on the Point in Perth. 
 
Beaumonde is situated above Embargo where the old Ku De Ta used to be.
 
Tickets will cost just $119 which is over $30 cheaper than last year’s awards night. Plus anyone with a ticket can get 15% off a hotel room across the road at Fraser Suites for the night. 
 
With this being the first year of our girls team it promises to be the biggest awards night we have ever had. 
 
Lock your ticket in at the team store now!