North Melbourne Grand Final Breakfast

The North Melbourne Grand Final Breakfast is a breakfast function organised by the North Melbourne Football Club on the morning of the AFL Grand Final. The breakfast marks the traditional beginning to Grand Final day and is one of the biggest social highlights on the Australian sporting calendar. Watching the event is a ritual for many footy fans and the function plays a huge role in the pre match build up for the Grand Final.

History

The first Grand Final Breakfast was held in 1967 at the Southern Cross hotel, as a valuable fundraising event. The inaugural guest speaker was the VFL's Administrative director Eric McCutchan. The event rose to prominence in the 1970s when the breakfast began to be televised across Victoria, and was officially endorsed by the VFL as the official pre-match Grand Final function. Since then the event has grown into a significant money raiser for North Melbourne, and the guest list has grown to include Prime Ministers, State Premiers and other celebrities.[1]

Event

Although many clubs hold their own Grand Final Breakfasts, the North Melbourne Breakfast was the first breakfast and is currently the only breakfast to be officially endorsed by the AFL. This ensures a guest list that reads as a 'who's who' of Australian business, sport, entertainment and politics. The breakfast includes a Grand Auction, with all proceeds being donated to the Starlight Children's Foundation.[2]

Quotes

Former Prime Minister Bob Hawke described the event as “one of this nation’s great traditions”.

Paul Keating referred to the function as “a tradition in itself”

Prime Minister John Howard described it as “a tremendous institution …. and the most eclectic gathering of people you could possibly imagine”.[3]

Venues
YearLocationGuest speakerFootball Personality of the YearNorth Melbourne's Media AwardSponsor
1967Southern Cross HotelEric McCutchanNot AwardedNot Awarded
1968Southern Cross HotelBruce AndrewsTed Whitten
1969Southern Cross HotelSir Henry WinnekeKevin Murray
1970Southern Cross HotelHonourable Donald ChippNorm Smith
1971Southern Cross HotelBob HawkeRon Barrassi
1972Southern Cross HotelSir John GortonRon Casey
1973Southern Cross HotelJack GalballyKeith Greig
1974Southern Cross HotelJim CairnsDoug Wade
1975Southern Cross HotelSir Rupert HamerLou Richards
1976Southern Cross HotelMalcolm FraserEric McCutchan
1977Southern Cross HotelPhillip AdamsJohn Kennedy
1978Southern Cross HotelNorman BanksHSV7's World of Sport
1979Southern Cross HotelPeter ThompsonBarry Cable
1980Southern Cross HotelJack ThompsonJack Hamilton
1981Southern Cross HotelKevin BartlettJack Dyer
1982Southern Cross HotelMalcolm FraserTom Hafey & Malcolm Blight
1983Southern Cross HotelBob HawkeKevin BartlettDoug Heywood
1984Southern Cross HotelOlympic medallistsBernie QuinlanScott Palmer
1985Southern Cross HotelAllen AylettJohn KennedyHarry Beitzel
1986Southern Cross HotelJack HamiltonLeigh MatthewsRon Carter
1987Southern Cross HotelJohn WinnekeWayne SchimmelbuschTom Lahiff
1988Southern Cross HotelSir Llew EdwardsAllan JeansGraham Dawson & Peter Booth
1989Southern Cross HotelTony Fitzgerald QCSimon MaddenIan Major
1990Southern Cross HotelProfessor Geoffrey BlaineyMichael TuckBill Jacobs
1991Southern Cross HotelThomas KeneallyJim StynesBob Davis
1992Southern Cross HotelDr. Don CordnerCollingwood FC CentenaryRex Hunt
1993Southern Cross HotelMalcolm TurnbullAlan SchwabHarry Beitzel & Tom Lahiff
1994Southern Cross HotelJohn "Darcy" DuganTony Shaw & Doug HawkinsCoodabeen Champions
1995Exhibition BuildingDavid HillTony LockettMike Sheahan
1996Exhibition BuildingBryce CourtenayRoss OakleyEddie McGuireToshiba
1997
1998
1999
2000Crown MelbourneJohn HowardPaul Salmon[4]
2001AXA
2002Docklands StadiumAXA
2003AXA
2004Glenn Archer & Anthony StevensAXA
2005"Strauchanie"
2006TAC
2007TAC
2008The Grand HyattLeigh Matthews
2009Exhibition CentreInteractive
2010Plenary Hall, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition CentreJulia GillardBruce McAvaney[5]
2011Etihad StadiumJulia GillardBarry Hall
2012Etihad StadiumStephen Conroy[6]Blackwoods[7]
2013Etihad StadiumKevin Sheedy[8]Blackwoods
2014Etihad Stadium[9]Julie BishopLenny Hayes[10]Blackwoods
2015 [11]Melbourne Convention and Exhibition CentreMalcolm TurnbullJulie CorlettoJonathan BrownBlackwoods
2016Plenary Hall, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre[12]Malcolm TurnbullKyle Chalmers (Sports Personality)[13]Sarah JonesMazda
2017 [14]Malcolm TurnbullErin PhillipsNick Dal SantoMazda
2018 [15]Scott MorrisonMazda

See also

References
  1. The Clubs – The Complete History of Every Club in the VFL/AFL ISBN 0-670-87858-8
  2. http://www.starlight.org.au/WhatsOn/Pages/AFLGrandFinalBreakfast.aspx
  3. https://web.archive.org/web/20020808135032/http://www.thegrandfinalbreakfast.com.au/index.cfm?link=moreinfo
  4. "Getty Images". Getty Images. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  5. Dennehy, Luke (25 September 2010). "GF Breakfast before the bounce". News Corporation. Herald Sun. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  6. Silmalis, Linda (29 September 2012). "Abbott's star turn at North Melbourne Grand Final breakfast". News Corporation. The Sunday Telegraph. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  7. "Iconic Breakfast on sale". North Melbourne Football Club. North Melbourne Football Club. 27 May 2015. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  8. Twomey, Callum. "Record crowd at North Melbourne GF breakfast". AFL.com. Australian Football League. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  9. "Grand Final Breakfast". Etihad Stadium. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  10. Guthrie, Ben (27 September 2014). "A Grand beginning". AFL.com. North Melbourne Football Club. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
  11. Whiting, Michael (3 October 2015). "Laughs on the menu". North Melbourne Football Club. AFL.com.au. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  12. "Iconic Breakfast on sale". Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  13. Whiting, Michael (1 October 2016). "North hosts Grand Final Breakfast". Retrieved 20 February 2017.
  14. "Mazda North Melbourne Grand Final Breakfast wrap, 2017". North Melbourne Football Club. 2 October 2017. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  15. Wilson, Amber (29 September 2018). "PM recognises 'religious' AFL Grand Final". Coastal Leader. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
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