GFNL 2024: Bell Park and Newtown to face off in Zoe Kennedy Tribute Match this weekend

Newtown & Chillwell and Bell Park are fierce rivals at the best of times — and there might be a bit of extra spice in this one. But they will unite for something much bigger than sport.

The annual Zoe Kennedy Tribute Match will take place on Saturday Picture: Alan Barber

Zoe Kennedy was a caring soul.

“If there was one thing that Zoe wanted, it was to save someone’s life. She was that kind of kid,” her father Lachie Kennedy said.

Tragically, Zoe’s life was cut short at the age of 13 in 2020 after suffering a sudden and fatal asthma attack.

Lachie formed the Zoe Kennedy Foundation in her honour, striving to raise asthma awareness and support technological advances for young people with the disease.

Their biggest event on the calendar is the Zoe Kennedy Tribute Match between Newtown & Chilwell and Bell Park, which will take place at Elderslie Reserve this Saturday.

It’s not the only reason this fixture bears significance for the Kennedy family.

Zoe won a junior netball premiership with Newtown & Chillwell the year before she passed, while Lachie won a footy flag with Bell Park and has also been involved with the club off-field.

Her friends from that she played with back in under-13s are now into under-19s, with a best-on-ground medal named in her honour.

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Zoe and her dad Lachie Kennedy

“We had a bit of a joke that it was called the Kennedy Cup when Zoe played Bell Park in the netball,” Lachie said.

“After she passed, when we thought how we could raise money for the foundation, that was an idea we came up with to get the two teams to make a day of it.

“She was just that kind of kid that was very caring and a lot of care for others rather than herself. She would be super proud to think that we are making a difference.

“We are very much arch rivals, Bell Park and Newtown. As much as we have had a massive rivalry over the years, there is a fair bit of love there because there is a lot of friendship groups that are involved in both clubs.

“The clubs have really embraced it and been so amazing to really get behind the foundation and really make it a great day.”

There may be a bit more spice for the rivals this year after the Geelong council controversy in February.

Councillor Peter Murrihy, a former Newtown & Chillwell coach with strong ties to the club, left Bell Park fans in uproar when he thwarted a recommendation to prioritise a $1.7 million upgrade of the Dragons’ base and instead introduced an alternative motion for Elderslie Reserve receive funding.

Council has since said Bell Park will be recommended for federal funding for the proposed female friendly changerooms upgrade.

“I’m not sure if that will add to the rivalry on Saturday, but it was definitely a hot topic when it all happened,” Lachie said.

Bell Park football president Brett Campigli, who helped create the annual event along with Newtown & Chillwell president Shaun McWilliam, believes it was a council issue and holds no hard feelings towards the Eagles.

“It will be pumping the rivalry up, it is always a rivalry Bell Park and Newtown, since the 80s there has been a rivalry. There will be a few that probably put more on it because what has happened recently but it is just the stock standard rivalry we have got,” Campigli said.

“Others will probably see it differently but it is more a city council thing and how it was conducted.”

It says a bit that the two arch rivals are able to set aside their rivalry to honour Zoe.

Bell Park netballers in the Zoe Kennedy tribute game in 2022. Picture: Mark Wilson

“Newtown has been fantastic, obviously Zoe was a very treasured member of their junior netball for years and that will never fall away. As long as the foundation wants to keep using this day we are more than happy to facilitate it,” Campigli said.

The Zoe Kennedy Foundation has raised over $500,000 which have gone towards three major projects: sponsoring a PHD to minimise the burden of pediatric and adolescent asthma management; a mobile and user-friendly spacer known as a ‘Puff-ah’; and an algorithm for critical care clinicians in anaphylaxis and asthma resuscitation (AMAX4).

“It has been a pretty amazing ride, it has made me proud to think that we have got all these people who are believing in us and that obviously asthma itself is a condition that probably doesn’t get the attention it deserves,” Lachie said.

Scarfs, beanies and stubby holders will be on sale at Elderslie Reserve, where there will be a sea of purple on Saturday.

Originally published as GFNL 2024: Bell Park and Newtown to face off in Zoe Kennedy Tribute Match this weekend