Community
1 May, 2026
RSL receives support from Magpies
CAMPERDOWN Football Netball Club have shown their support for the Camperdown Returned and Services League (RSL) sub-branch through a generous donation to the organisation.
The club donated $500 towards the RSL sub-branch last Saturday following the Dawn Service, with Camperdown Football Netball Club co-president Caitlyn Fitzgerald delivering the cheque at the gunfire breakfast.
She said the club ensured all Anzac Day-related protocols were followed in the afternoon football and netball games played on the day.
“We ensured the juniors started late enough to enable all the games to play, but also encouraged the juniors to attend the 10am service,” Ms Fitzgerald said.
“We had our senior captains Charlie Lucas and Rosie Pickles lay a wreath on behalf of the club and we had around 20-30 representatives from the club – players and club members – attend the march.
“Peter Conheady ran a pre-game service at around 4.15pm, when we invited members of the RSL to attend.
“We also invited Andy Bell, who was a 1968 premiership player who also served in the Vietnam War.
“We had Ross McIlveen play the bugle for us and we had a minute’s silence, with all the senior football and netball players line up on the field.”
Ms Fitzgerald said the service held at the game – emceed by Mr Conheady – was inspired by the RSL’s morning services over the years.
“It was quite lovely – when we had the minute’s silence, all you could hear was the breeze, some crickets and the magpies warbling,” she said.
“It was a moving moment, and everyone who was there came to the oval to participate.”
Camperdown RSL sub-branch president Paul Marsland said the sub-branch was thrilled with the donation.
“This generous donation from the Camperdown Football Netball Club is greatly appreciated by all members of the RSL sub-branch and will assist in provision of social and welfare services for veterans,” he said.
“There are strong links between the club and RSL, with a number of Camperdown Football Netball Club members having served in or still serving in the defence of Australia.
“The club has two young men, currently wearing the black and white, who have recently completed a period of service.”
Ms Fitzgerald said the club was proud to support the RSL, seeing the donation as a way to give back to the community.
“We do think of ourselves as a community group,” she said.
“The RSL were really appreciative and quite touched.
“We chose to make that donation to them, and we made it personally to our local RSL rather than sending it to the Melbourne RSL to keep the funding inn our local community.
“When we were there, the RSL were showing us their latest renovations and telling us what their plans are moving forward to increase membership and make it a more-used space.”
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