Beaumaris Football Club honours Laos poisoning victims Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones

Beaumaris Football Club has celebrated the lives of Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, the Laos poisoning victims who played in a premiership together at the club.

Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles died of Methanol poisoning in Laos. Picture: 60 Minutes

Around 3000 people attended Saturday’s football matches to honour former Beaumaris players Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones who lost their lives to methanol poisoning in Laos in November.

Beaumaris Football Club president Nick Heath said it was an incredible honour to have so many people attend the matches for the inaugural Shining Bright event.

“We were blown away by the support from the community,” he said.

“To have so many people there was very special.

Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones won a premiership together with Beaumaris in 2022. Picture: Instagram

The Beaumaris players huddle before the game. Picture: Alison_R_Photography

Tribute footy bags for Holly and Bianca. Picture: Alison_R_Photography

Mr Heath said the match was played in a spirit that would have made Holly and Bianca proud.

“The match was played hard and fair — it was a really fitting celebration of the girls,” he said.

“Holly and Bianca would have been really proud, watching form up there, about how they played today.

“In a sense, the result was meaningless because (the game) was played with exactly the right spirit.

“Both teams wore pink arm bands and it was great to play a club like Fitzroy with such a long history.”

The pair played for Beaumaris in the club’s junior ranks and won a premiership together in 2022.

Fitzroy prevailed in the senior women’s game by 11 points, 6.3 (39) to 4.4 (28) as Chloe Haritopoulos played a starring role for the Roy Girls with four goals.

The reserves game was also won by Fitzroy, who prevailed by nine points.

The Shine Bright for Holly and Bianca weekend will continue with a luncheon at Sandringham Yacht Club where more than 400 people will be in attendance on Sunday.