With over 1500 players this year, this local Morningside AFL club is bursting at the seams!
Morningside Panthers are the biggest AFL club in QLD and the female representation is experiencing exponential growth after first introducing female teams in 2018. With a record-breaking 14 female teams, proudly including 2 premiership players and the 1st state player Laura Roy.
Just like Downtown Toyota, Morningside Panthers DNA is community and welfare of the community.
It's always been a pleasure to be a sponsor of this fantastic local community club who has always prioritised its commitment to the welfare of the players.
As David Diamond Club President explains “Morningside “Siders” have a different profile to most ALF clubs, a different DNA that helps them excel on and off the field. What values we walk is really important as we bring through the younger generations and instil those values to them.”
Top 3 facts about the partnership as their local Brisbane Toyota dealer;
- In our 37th year of sponsorship! Founded in 1986 with Barry Kelly the Dealer Principal at the time.
- Prior to sponsorship with Downtown Toyota the club had claimed one premiership flag, since the partnership there have been 10! 10 x more than in the previous 40 years!
- Downtown Toyota provide AFLQ with their fleet of vehicles
As we look to the year ahead and how we can support this fantastic local AFL club in Brisbane as their Toyota dealer within their Morningside community, continuous improvement across various areas surface.
The club now has a full bill of players and Paul Mazzeroti walked us through 3 projects Morningside AFL Club will be focusing on to help facilitate this;
- Finishing a bore and tank project in order to automate irrigation and cut major costs on water supply
- Finishing off the back oval restoration so it is ready for the increased games to come
- Actively working on securing more green space at Cannon Hill to support the growth of the club
Special guests Tracey Squires CEO of AFL Queensland and Greg Swann CEO of Brisbane Lions AFL Club attended the breakfast and spoke during a Q&A session on how their plans will affect local Brisbane AFL clubs.
Two main focuses were outlined being on women and umpires/volunteers.
Ms Squires emphasised the importance of creating a pathway for women into AFL just as beautifully as Morningside Panthers have done, leading the way for Brisbane AFL clubs to follow suit.
Ms Squires also explained that stories had been relayed to her of women changing in their cars as there was not enough room or facilities for women at their local AFL club – so, therefore, has become a primary focus of the initiative. Another important focus is facilities for women, Ms Squires reports seeing women changing in their cars as there was no room in the change rooms.
AFL Queensland trust Downtown Toyota as their Brisbane Toyota dealer for their fleet vehicles.
Greg Swann outlined that 26 of the 29 Brisbane Lions women in the team are in fact from QLD, meaning local Brisbane AFL clubs are instrumental for the future of this team.
Mr Swann said “Hearing how many juniors teams are coming up it’s (women’s representation) only going to get stronger and stronger.”
We are proud of our local connection to community and close ties with such a thriving club and as their Toyota dealer within Morningside and Greater Brisbane we look forward to continuing to support them for many years to come.
