North Gippsland: No charge to attend Yarram home match against Churchill

Yarram is trying something different in a bid to get more people at its first home match of the footy season. See what’s happening.

Spectators will be admitted free to the North Gippsland league opening round match between Yarram and Churchill on Saturday with the gate takings tab to be picked up by a former premiership coach who wants to see more people at the footy.

Ryan Underwood coached Yarram to the 2007 flag when the club was still in the Alberton league.

His Melbourne-based construction company is already a club sponsor, but he’s hoping the move to pay for all spectators’ entry at Yarram’s home game will translate into bigger benefits and be a template for other teams to follow.

“The times I’ve been to the footy the last couple of years it feels like the crowds are down,” he said.

“It might still be a Covid thing, but people have found other things to do and community stuff has dropped off a little bit.

“It’s all about getting people through the gate.

“I want the local footy ground to be a place where we reconnect and catch up with friends and family.

“And with the current high costs of living the entry fee to get a family into a local game can be hard to justify.”

Former Yarram coach Ryan Underwood, centre.

His younger brother Griffin is one of Yarram’s greatest players with 11 club best and fairest wins and was co-coach last year.

Beer and champagne will be sold for $2.50 in the first quarter of the senior match with face painting and a jumping castle for children.

Yarram 2007 premiership coach Ryan Underwood is picking up the tab on the gate takings for the club's match against Churchill on Saturday. Picture: Supplied

Yarram president Gerald Finn said the gate takings would be calculated on an average of the past three home matches against Churchill.

“Since Covid we’ve had a lot of people just drop off,” he said.

“It’s just a way of trying to get people back to the footy.

“Ryan is already a sponsor and it’s over and above what he’s doing.”