New Hampden league president opens up about vision for role

The HNFL's new president, who was elected at the annual general meeting on Monday night, is well known for his involvement with interleague.

Perrett has been the bus driver for the HFNL interleague football and netball teams.

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He's so enthusiastic about it that he'd like to see representative football brought back in some form.

AFL Victoria announced in November 2019 senior interleague football would not run in 2020.

"I would love to see if we could get it back again, that would be great" he said.

"Or even just to try and organise a match between say a Geelong league or something like that.

"Once again money is a problem, it costs a lot of money to put something like that on.

"I've also been involved with the netball state championships in Melbourne, I was the bus driver for them as well."

Perrett, who has been on the HFNL board five years, said he had been a fan of interleague ever since he was a kid.

"I was a top advocate for interleague," he said.

"When Jonathan Brown was coach, I was the bus driver because I've got a licence to drive coaches (buses).

"I used to bus the teams down to Melbourne.

"Browny would have a meet and greet day, I think we watched a game at the MCG one year."

Juniors has been the other big focus for Perrett during his time on the board.

He said he oversaw that the past couple of years.

The 63-year-old said he took on the presidency because he wanted to give back to the game which has given him so much.

He's excited by what 2021 will bring.

"With the filming and ACE Radio it's going to be sensational," he said.

"It'll be great for tribunals with evidence."

Outgoing president Tim Mason announced on Monday night all senior football matches would be filmed in 2021.

The match of the round will be live-streamed in conjunction with a 3YB/Coast FM radio call.

All finals football matches will be filmed as well as all netball grand finals.

The match review panel, which was set to be introduced in 2020, is another new initiative that will come in under Perrett's watch.

Mason, in his president's message at the annual general meeting, wrote it had "come about via feedback on the sometimes-lengthy process of investigations and the tribunal process".

"With the introduction of filming of senior games, we anticipate a reduction in the need for investigations and tribunal hearings," he wrote.

Perrett, who was HFNL vice-president for two years, is also looking forward to helping clubs build their memberships.

"We're there for them, we're not just a board," he said.

"We're there for the clubs, whatever they've got they can come to us at any stage."

Something Perrett already has going for him is stability.

Aside from Mason stepping down, the 2020 board has remained the same.

Gary Attrill, Kym Mathew and Marie Wall renominated for the board on Monday and the other nine members stayed on.

"What Tim Mason's done and the way he's got the board members set up now, is just fantastic," Perrett said.

"And my job is going to be made so much easier by what he has already done."

Mason announced a new administration structure at the annual general meeting.

The HFNL is going to be responsible for its own administration, rather than AFL Western District.

The structure will involve three key positions - administration, finance and marketing and media - with all positions to report to the HFNL board.

It has not been announced who will be holding each of those three roles.

Mason wrote in his president's message AFLWD would still be responsible for monitoring salary caps, player points and tribunals.

Perrett is thrilled with the new system coming into place.

"The way we've got things structured, it's going to be good," he said.

"We're more in charge of ourselves rather than going through AFL Western District.

"We're able to make decisions and tell the clubs straight away and we'll be able to get back to them if they have any queries.

"It's going to be a lot easier."

Perrett's optimism is going to be essential in 2021 as the HFNL seeks to bounce back after the senior season was cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The 2020 Hampden league junior season got up and running for two rounds before it was also called off due to pandemic concerns.

Something else going for the new president is the league's financial position despite the pandemic.

According to the auditor's report the league recorded a loss of $32,712 after achieving a surplus of $43,354 in 2019.

The HFNL took $23,474 income, down $300,079 on 2019 ($323,553).

The league spent $56,186 compared to $280,199 in 2019.

"Due the efforts put in by the executive in season 2019, the league is in a position where it has been able to absorb these costs and is still in a viable proposition as per the auditor's report," Mason penned in his president's message.

"We are still able to invest into future projects that will improve our league and add greater value to our clubs, sponsors, and supporters."

Mason also said at Monday's meeting the HFNL was this year forecasting a $30,000 profit after the implementation of the new administration structure and other projects.

Outside of the HFNL, Perrett owns Portland Floors.

"I've had that for 15 years," he said.

He lives in Warrnambool but commutes to Portland a couple of times per week.

Perrett grew up in Port Fairy and played under 18s with the Seagulls.

He'd later have a kick with Yambuk.

When he moved to Portland in 1978 he played with Heathmere which is north of Portland.

He said he played there for five years before injuring his knee.

"I finished playing football in 1983 or '84 and that was it, I didn't play again," he said.

"But I'm a good spectator."

Before moving to Warrnambool two years ago, he lived in Portland for 40 years.

Perrett said he had been a social member of Portland Football Netball Club for more than 10 years but hasn't held any positions on the committee.

Hampden league teams resumed pre-season in recent weeks and are keen to get back to playing matches next year.

Koroit won both the senior football and open grade netball premierships in the 2019 season.

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