Country Football and Netball: Keeping Communities Connected

WorkSafe Victoria CEO, Colin Radford: End of Season Message

WorkSafe Victoria has proudly stood side-by-side with country football and netball for the past 20 years. 

This partnership means so much to us because we understand how important country clubs are to the health, safety and wellbeing of regional and rural communities. We also recognise how important they have been in keeping communities connected through this pandemic.

While the 2021 season didn’t end the way we hoped, seeing players, umpires and supporters return to footy grounds and netball courts across country Victoria was fantastic.

We felt the excitement of the first bounce, heard the cheers of the crowd and saw the comradery and connection between players and supporters, friends and rivals. 

Of course we also saw great team work on and off the field. And it’s the work that goes on behind the scenes that was pivotal in getting the season off the ground.

So thank you to the club officials, volunteers, umpires and players who worked tirelessly to ensure games could be played in a COVID safe way.

Recognising Local Heroes

Next month, we look forward to celebrating the winner of the WorkSafe AFL Vic Country Volunteer of the Year award.

These local heroes make country football and netball clubs what they are today.

They’re teachers, tradies, carers, factory workers and nurses. They’re mums, dads, sisters, brothers, sons and daughters. They’re hard-working Victorians who know that staying safe at work allows them to play the sports they love. Simple pleasures that have become so valuable during this pandemic.

And of course, they’re our farmers - the lifeblood of any regional community. Sadly we know far too many workers are being killed or seriously injured on farms every year. As the football season wraps up, the agriculture industry is gearing up for a busy harvest season.

This can mean long hours, increasing the risk of fatigue. Fatigue is more than just being tired - it can affect your reaction times, concentration and the ability to think clearly. WorkSafe’s agriculture campaign 'It's never you, until it is' acknowledges that farmers know their land like the back of their hand, but that isn’t enough to make them bulletproof.

Farm deaths and injuries can happen to anyone who doesn’t put safety first. So this harvest season we're encouraging farmers to prioritise safety and take regular breaks.

We’re also encouraging all regional workers to look after themselves and their mates at work. Our role is to reduce workplace harm, but we know we can’t do this alone. We ask everyone in the country to make safety at work a priority. Don’t be afraid to speak up if you feel unsafe on the job. Get to know your workplace health and safety representative or become one. Contact our advisory service if you need support or advice. Join our CountryClubHub group on Facebook to stay connected and get the latest safety tips.

Stay safe over the summer and we can’t wait to join you on the sidelines next year.

Colin Radford

Chief Executive Officer

WorkSafe Victoria