World Footy News

Belinda Duante has been named 2012 Football Woman of the Year at the Grand Final Comedy Debate at the Crown Palladium. Duante is a senior executive at Richmond Football Club and is the inaugural director of the Korin Gamadji Institute, which provides leadership development, education and training to young Indigenous men and women. She also had a key role in the establishment and development of AFL SportsReady’s National Indigenous Programme and has helped in the development of the Career Oriented Participation in Sport program for first-year AFL players, which now incorporates specific Indigenous considerations.

Richmond CEO Brendon Gale described Duante an outstanding contributor to the Richmond Football Club.
“As a proud Wotjoboluk woman, Belinda has a wonderful understanding of the role football can play in the lives of young Indigenous Australians and she continually advocates for them to stay in the game at all levels,” he said.

“Belinda has played a critical role in the establishment and growth of the AFL’s Sportsready’s Indigenous program and is a role model within the Indigenous community – through her dedication in mentoring young Indigenous players.

“Belinda approaches the issue of reconciliation and closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australia with a great sense of fair play,” Gale said.

The Grand Final Comedy Debate is an annual event recognising women who have made a significant contribution to the game of football. This is the 14th year the prestigious Football Woman of the Year Award has been presented by the Essendon Women's Network, and it is open to any woman involved in football regardless of club or profession.

There are seven criteria the recipient must demonstrate:

• Commitment to the support and advancement of football
• A passion for the game
• The ability to make a difference on the football scene
• A keen knowledge of the game, including its history and its future
• Club Membership
• A willingness to publicly advocate the important role women play in football
• A sense of humour and fair play

Judging for the award is undertaken by an independent panel comprising of Andrew Demetriou (Chief Executive Officer, AFL), Caroline Wilson (Chief Football Writer, The Age) and Justice Linda Dessau (AFL Commissioner).

Duante was up against tough competition this year, with fellow finalists including Cheryl Cates (President of the South Australian Women’s Football League (SAWFL)), Jo Del Prete (Advisory role to the West Australian Football Commission), Peta Searle (Port Melbourne Football Club Assistant Coach), Suki Hobson (Strength Scientist at the Essendon Football Club) and Diana Taylor (First woman on the VFL Tribunal and President of the Western Region Football League).