Collingwood will celebrate Australia’s Legendairy farmers as part of the club’s ‘Legendairy Farmer Round’ during the game against the Adelaide Crows.
During the match, Collingwood will pay tribute to the dairy industry and particularly dairy farming families and communities across Australia, with more than 70 dairy farmers and their families attending the game.
A number of dairy farmers have also been selected to form a guard of honour as the players run out onto the ground and Geoff Akers, a dairy farmer from Tallygaroopna in Northern Victoria and Chairman of Dairy Australia, will toss the coin before the start of the game.
Dairy farmers are the backbone of their regional communities, providing jobs and infrastructure, and supporting local programs and partnerships. Dairy and football have enjoyed a long sporting history together, where footy is an integral part of many regional communities in which dairy farmers play footy, and often train and coach the local footy teams. Farming can be an isolating experience and footy also provides and strengthens important social connections within regional communities.
While launching Collingwood’s partnership with Dairy Australia, captain Scott Pendlebury referred to his family’s links with the dairy industry.
“My grandfather is a dairy farmer near Sale in regional Victoria and I have spent a lot of time helping him on the farm. I grew up in a family where you could always find milk, cheese and yogurt in the fridge. I’m a big fan,” he said.
Some of Collingwood's recruits from Australia's rural areas including Jack Crisp, Jonathon Marsh, Ben Reid and Scott Pendlebury join the team from Dairy Australia to celebrate the new sponsorship. Photo: Jay Town, Herald Sun.
“Dairy products continue to play an important role in our dietary program at Collingwood with the three R’s – it repairs our muscles after training and games as well helping to rehydrate and refuel the players.”
Dairy Australia’s Group Manager for Industry Promotion and Product Innovation, Isabel MacNeill, explained the motivation behind partnering with Collingwood in the Legendairy Farmer Round.
“Collingwood’s strong philanthropic efforts in the community align perfectly with the values of the dairy industry and the amazing work our dairy farmers do in their own regional communities,” she said.
“Footy is very community-focused. So many farmers coach and play footy themselves, their kids play footy, and some farmers have represented football clubs over the years. Footy can help build strong positive associations with the dairy industry, the products it produces and their nutritional contribution. It supports our industry values of being healthy and active and takes those messages to a wide group of people.”
A practice coin toss. Photo: Steve Hamilton.
