Seaford Junior Football Club: $8000 in jumpers, balls stolen
A volunteer run junior club trying to find its feet after a long year of lockdowns has just taken a big hit thanks to a disgusting act by thieves.
South East
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A “dog act” has left a junior footy club reeling just days after celebrating its return to competition after lockdown.
Seaford Junior Football Club members was devastated after discovering more than $8000 worth of gear including footballs and new jumpers had been stolen from their East Rd clubrooms.
Club president Mark Davenport said the theft was reprehensible.
“It’s stealing from children. Why would anyone do that?”
U11 player Cameron had an interesting theory about a possible motive.
“It’s opposition teams. They’re salty ‘cos we won,” he said.
Teammate Jensen said the incident was “disgusting”.
“We’re just kids. Our jumpers are only worth something to us.”
About 50 leather size 4 and 5 Sherrin and Ross Faulkner branded footballs and 90 U14 and U16 jumpers were taken from a locked storage room that was forced open between May 28 and June 10.
But on Wednesday former Geelong champion Billy Brownless and his Triple M Rush Hour co-host, James Brayshaw, came to the club’s rescue. The pair helped source 20 Burley leather footballs from Kookaburra and donated $1000 from the radio station to help cover the cost of the stolen jumpers.
“When things like this happen at local junior footy clubs, old Wilbur goes to work,’’ Brownless said.
“I got onto this early and went to see the big dog top brass.”
Brayshaw said: “Well done to this footy club and we hope they bounce back quickly.”
Chemist Warehouse has also offered to donate some Sherrin footballs, while an annoymous 3AW listener has offered to pay for the jumpers.
Club officials didn’t know anything was missing until a parent that was having a kick with his son found the storage room door open on June 10. Club officials didn’t know how much had been taken until days later.
Mr Davenport said the club lost power during the wild storms that battered Melbourne on June 10.
“We couldn’t do a proper check at first because our power had been knocked out by the wild weather,” he said.
“When we realised three boxes of brand new jumpers were missing and boxes of size 4 and 5 leather footballs we were really shaken.
“Like all sporting clubs we’ve been knocked around financially by Covid and the kids have really been impacted by the lockdowns.
“A theft like this as a big hit.”
The only silver lining to the loss was a swift response from the community, he said.
“We’ve had some really heartwarming donations since word has got out including 40 footballs and $1000 cash.”
Among the items stolen were clash strips modelled on the same jumpers the Richmond Tigers wore for their historic 2017 Grand Final win.
“The jumpers have SJCF on the back along the neckline so once you saw that you’d know it wasn’t a real Richmond jumper,” Mr Davenport said.
“But at a glance from the front they do look like the 2017 Tigers jumper.”
Frankston police Senior Constable Nick Fletcher said the thefts were a “dog act” and finding the crooks would be challenging without public help.
“There isn’t any CCTV nearby that would be of any use particularly as we don’t have an exact date of the break in,” he said.
“We need someone who has seen or heard something to come forward.”
Anyone with information should phone Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
