Just under 1000 guests enjoyed the AFL endorsed grand final week event that saw an all-star line-up debate the contentious topic ""Is football better than sex?"". Denise Scott, Sam Kekovich and Libbi Gorr argued that football is better than sex and were hotly contested by Dr.Feelgood, Dermott Brereton and Louise Alder on the negative. Comedian Jane Clifton had the arduous task of moderating the debate.
Denise Scott kicked off proceedings saying that football is better than sex because would you rather - a) Go to the football with Carlton president John Elliot or b) Have sex with John Elliot. The audience clearly agreed with option a) - to John Elliott's disgust, who was sitting in the audience. Sam Kekovich started his speech by clearly stating he is the most qualified person in this room to speak on such a topic because he has kicked more goals on and off the field than anyone. Libbi Gorr strongly finished her team's argument saying that football is better than sex because football always goes for the full 120 minutes, and if a male doesn't commit to football he will inevitably get dropped - her argument received a loud applause from the guests.
Dermott Brereton used his charisma and charm to get his point of view across, stating that sex is better than football because who would you rather shower with - Damien Monkhurst or Claudia Schieffer ? The audience agreed that this was a fair point, however the negative team struggled to win the audience vote. Judged on a clappometer, the affirmative side was clearly victorious.
To finish proceedings the ""2002 Football Woman of the Year"" was presented to Beverly Knight and Bev O'Connor. The joint winners were selected from a short list that also included Anne-Maree Sparkman, Elaine Canty and Lynn Ralph. The judging panel comprised chief sports writer at The Age newspaper Caroline Wilson, AFL Life member Joan Hamilton and AFL General Manager of Football Operations, Andrew Demetriou. Nominations for this award were based on the following criteria:
1. Commitment to the support and advancement of football
2. A passion for the game
3. The ability to make a difference on the football scene
4. A keen knowledge of the game; including its history and its future
5. Club membership
6. Willingness to advocate publicly for woman as partners with men in football
7. A sense of humour and fair play
BEVERLY KNIGHT
Beverly Knight is the first woman elected to the Essendon Football Club board and has been a director since 1994. She has been a trustee of the EFC Hall of Fame since 2001.
Her successful career in the arts has been long and well recognised. Anthony and Beverly Knight have been collectors of Australian Aboriginal art for over 20 years, establishing Alcaston Gallery in 1989, a leading contemporary Aboriginal art gallery encouraging audiences to view Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art within the context of fine Australian art and the global contemporary art market.
This love of Aboriginal culture has followed her in the football world where she is well known for finding time to nurture and encourage Aboriginal sportspeople in isolated communities in the Northern Territory and Western Australia. She saw Michael Long play in a winning Grand Final as best and fairest in Alice Springs in 1987 then went on to sponsor and mentor the young man from Darwin for the next 14 years. Beverly has also had an instrumental role in the planning and celebration of Michael Long’s testimonial year in 2002.
She has had a large role in the Michael Long scholarship, launched in 2002, an exciting initiative created by the Essendon Football Club in conjunction with ASTIC and Michael Long. The program was developed to create opportunities for Aboriginal players in remote regions of Australia to play AFL footy. Beverly assisted with the Scholarship’s first recipient Edward Darcy from Melville Island, giving him board and guidance, so he could see life as an AFL Player prior to drafting.
Beverly is also a director of AFL Sportsready Pty Ltd 1996 – 2003, a national traineeship programme for all areas of sport for men and women, covering sports marketing, administration, medicine, events and ground maintenance. 40% of trainees are women and nearly 20% are Aboriginal. Beverly is also an inaugural Member of State Reconciliation Committee and governor of the NGV Foundation of the National Gallery of Victoria
BEV O’CONNOR
Bev O'Connor was one of the first few female journalists to cover the VFL/AFL Tribunal, eventually becoming the first woman to be part of a TV Footy Panel on the ABC's Lateball in 1993. Her journalist career has been wide and varied: Political correspondent 1986-1989, Finance Report 1989-91 and 3LO Presenter for five years. After 15 years with ABC Radio and television, she now hosts ABC TV's Saturday afternoon coverage of the VFL Competition.
Bev O'Connor was the first woman elected to the Board of the Melbourne Football Club and has since become the first female vice president of the club. A staunch Melbourne supporter for 15 years, Bev has been vice president since mid 2001 and a director of the Melbourne Football Club since 1999. Since 1999 she has been a Member of the Marketing & Membership Sub-Committee and has been instrumental in the turnaround of the Melbourne Football Club to the team that has made the finals in the last two years.
