Wahgunyah Football Netball Club: How a record-breaking loss could save their struggling club

One of the AFL’s greatest coaches will lend a helping hand at a Victorian footy club after it suffered a soul-crushing 431-1 loss.

Weeks after suffering a soul-crushing loss on the football field, a northeast Victorian football netball club has been lent a helping hand by one of the AFL’s greatest coaches in their fight to stay alive.

Wahgunyah Football Netball club will be trained by three-time premiership coach and past St Kilda and Richmond player Mick Malthouse after the AFL great said he ‘couldn't sit and do nothing’ while a club was struggling.

Wahgunyah club president Darryl Hore said the club had been struggling with numbers for years, but gained the attention of Malthouse after their infamous 431-1 loss against Beechworth FNC nearly two weeks ago.

After an interview on 3AW, Mr Hore said a producer on the show said he had a ‘friend’ who wanted to help him out.

“That friend was Mick, and Mick said ‘I don’t know what I can do, but I’m not going to sit in Melbourne and do nothing’,” Mr Hore said.

On May 26, Malthouse will hold a training session for the seniors side followed by a Q&A and fundraising event at the clubhouse.

“To have someone of his calibre is amazing, the community are buzzing about it.

“Our members-only Facebook page has had over 150 new members join in the past two weeks.”

Darryl Hore said junior participation rates will determine the future of the Wahgunyah Football Club. Photo: Facebook.

Mr Hore said Wahgunyah’s small population of just over 1000 people has made it difficult to find new players, but they won’t back down yet.
“It's been a struggle in the area for years, we’re in a vicinity where there’s a 25 or 30 kilometre radius with four clubs in it.

“The population is dwindling, we’re not seeing more kids at the local high school or more join in the area.”

But local media attention and constant support from the club’s netball department have kept the club alive, Mr Hore said.

Collingwood Grand Final celebrations at Gosch's Paddock in 2010. Nick Maxwell and Mick Malthouse with the premiership cup.

“(The netballers) are definitely carrying the club through, they’re bringing the crowd through the gate.

“The struggle is senior football. We can’t continue to blame Covid, Covid started it but it’s not the be-all end-all.”

How a loss turned into the club’s greatest win

Wahgunyah’s struggle was heard countrywide after the scoreboard of their defeat to Beechworth went viral on Facebook across local footy pages.

Since the loss, Mr Hore said the Moreton Bay Lions in Queensland had offered to help however they could, including buying memberships for locals who couldn’t afford them and sending down merchandise.

“Spare a thought for these guys as they are currently in the middle of more flooding, we think we’ve had a tough year, these great clubs like the Moreton Bay Lions are trying to protect their homes and families while still trying to function as a club, and they still find it in there hearts to send us their best wishes.”

Posted by Beechworth Football and Netball Club on Saturday, May 7, 2022

And Queensland isn’t the only state lending a helping hand.

“I had a lady ring me up and she said ‘I can’t do anything financially but I’ve got an RSA and I’d love to come volunteer on the bar’,” Mr Hore said.

“And then I found out she was from Tasmania.”

Without that loss, however devastating, Mr Hore said it’s been a blessing in disguise.

“Our players were down, but they went in there knowing it would quite possibly be the case.

“Our players took the hard road, but it’s bringing attention to our plight.”

Anyone wanting to help the Wahgunyah Football Netball Club can do so here.