If you’ve ever attended a South Mandurah home game, you’ve probably heard the word “bang” shouted from the voice of Greg Barnard whenever his Falcons surge towards goal.
It’s become an iconic phrase down at Southies, and you may hear it voiced a little more in 2019 with the recently appointed club president – along with new vice president Jax Daw – hoping to put a fresh spin on game day entertainment at Falcon Oval.
The duo took the reins of their respective positions at the South Mandurah Football and Netball Club’s annual general meeting in late October and have put engaging members, players and fans atop their agenda.
“We’re keen to capitalise on making home games that little extra special,” Barnard said.
“It doesn’t have to be anything huge. It could just be running things like handball competitions, or announcements on the microphone giving shout outs to players – just a few simple things to make sure everyone enjoys their day out at South Mandurah.
“It’s all about building that engagement with the crowd to make sure people want to come back again next week.”
The pair were voted in to their new roles alongside a 16-strong committee set to oversee all things football and netball at the club.
Barnard takes over the presidency after spending the last two seasons operating as the club’s vice president under Darren Dews, who spearheaded the top role for the past few years.
Driven by a love for the club and a passion for footy, the new president is eyeing big things for the blue and gold moving into the future.
“Our women’s has gone gangbusters thanks to (head coach) Sol Daw, and we’re taking on more footballers and netballers so our club is more packed than ever,” he said.
“Everyone knows how much I love the club so it’s a really proud time for me stepping into the role.”
Meanwhile Daw has been involved in the club since 2000, and said she was thrilled to take on the vice presidency.
“It’s really exciting – we’ve got so many good people at South Mandurah and on the committee,” she said.
“The club’s going strong so it’s great to be a part of that.”
The committee is also calling on any colts players from their successful 2015-2017 seasons to return to the playing ranks, as it looks to build its league side into a premiership powerhouse.
The Falcons are currently running non-compulsory training sessions until the Christmas break, with the official pre-season set to kick off in the new year.