World Footy News

Six pioneering women have been selected as finalists for the 2012 Football Woman of the Year (FWOTY) award. The winner will be announced at the Grand Final Comedy Debate on Thursday 27 September at Crown Palladium.

The finalists are:

Cheryl Cates - President of the South Australian Women’s Football League (SAWFL)
Jo Del Prete – Advisory role to the West Australian Football Commission
Belinda Duarte - AFL’s SportsReady Indigenous Program and Director of Korin Gamadji Institute
Peta Searle - Port Melbourne Football Club Assistant Coach
Suki Hobson - Strength Scientist at the Essendon Football Club
Diana Taylor – First woman on the VFL Tribunal and President of the Western Region Football League.

The FWOTY award recognises women in the industry who have made a significant contribution to the game of Australian Rules Football. Presented by the Essendon Women’s Network (EWN), this prestigious award is open to any woman involved in football regardless of club or profession.

However, 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.

EWN Chair Jane Grover said the sixteen nominees had all made outstanding contributions to the wider AFL industry in their various positions.

“All sixteen contenders highlight the leading roles that women play in supporting this great game of ours. I am a firm believer that football doesn’t build character – it reveals it,” Grover said.

“This year’s nominees were of diverse and outstanding calibre, with richness from the VFL level through to various board directors.

“Initially, there was a formal nomination, followed by a review process and now the field has been shortlisted to six contenders. Moving forward, the selection panel will be reviewing the finalists and selecting the winner to be announced at the Essendon Women’s Network Grand Final Comedy Debate in September,” she said.

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

Past winners of the award include; Irene Chatfield (1998), Jill Lindsay (1999), Caroline Wilson (2000), Katrina Pressley (2001), Beverly Knight (2002 – joint winner), Bev O’Connor (2002 – joint winner), Jenny Williams (2003), Edna Daniher (2004), Jennie Loughnan (2005), Barb Cullen (2006), Terry Bracks (2007), Susan Alberti (2008), Debbie Lee (2009), Anna Durante (2010) and Lesley McGrath (2011).