JESSE MOTLOP TAKES HOME JOURNOS’ PRIZE

Jesse Motlop was recently awarded with the WA Football Media Guild “WAFL Player of the Future.”

The WA F ootball Media Guild was formed in 1980 by a group of sports journalists and commentators, including our very own the late George Grljusich, as one voice calling for better conditions at grounds for those covering the code.

In 1979, 52,781 fans had crammed into Subiaco Oval for the Grand Final – mainly standing -and conditions were tight to say the least. In the media box it was much the same.

In those days there were four AM radio stations –  ABC, 6PR, 6IX and 6PM, each with two commentators, a comments man and a technician, and an around-the-grounds commentator at all other grounds providing progressive reports by landline phones (they’d bring their own and plug into a line wherever they could find one at each footy ground).

TV crews and newspaper match reporters and their offsiders were also vying for limited space and phone lines to file their reports in terrible conditions.

Things changed slowly but surely, and ground conditions improved, even though only slightly at some ovals.

The WAFMG still fights on to improve conditions at football grounds, and comes together once a year to celebrate professional achievements, and to nominate a WAFL Player of the Future. This year the recipient being Jesse Motlop.

With Jesse unable to attend, SFFC Director Hayley Manser accepted the award on his behalf in front of sports journalists and commentators including Dennis Cometti, Clint Wheeldon, Tania Armstrong, Adam Papalia, John Townsend, Glen Quartermain, Basil Zempilas, Karl Langdon, Matthew Pavlich and Paul Haselby, and rising footy media stars including Eliza Reilly and Ashleigh Nelson.

Jane Grljusich was also there to present the esteemed George Grljusich Award for best overall news story to Seven West Media’s Ryan Daniels.

Anther Souths favourite who made an impact at the awards ceremony was our very talented photographer and graphic designer Michael Farnell who took home the Best Photo Award with this humorous photo involving our Captain Dylan Main.

It was great to see so many Souths faces at the awards night incluing SFFC champion player and former CEO, Tom Bottrell, who is now the WA Football Commission’s Executive Manager of Country Football, Affiliates and Facilities.