A DECADE of Toyota's support for community football clubs was celebrated at the 2024 AFL Footy Festival at Yarra Park, after another record-breaking year of the Toyota Good for Footy Raffle.
A total of 913 footy clubs raised a combined $1,242,865 through this year's raffle and to celebrate this year's milestone, Toyota acknowledged four clubs that have taken part in all 10 years of the raffle with custom-designed HiLux vehicles at the Footy Festival.
Even more clubs were recognised through signage at Yarra Park, as thousands of footy fans flocked to the MCG ahead of the Grand Final to soak up the finals-fever atmosphere.
And the celebration wasn't just confined to the MCG, with the Toyota AFL Premiership Cup Tour hitting the road around Australia, stopping in at local clubs and Toyota dealerships in Western Australian, the Northern Territory, Queensland and NSW. AFL legends were on board to meet fans and local volunteers, including premiership cup ambassador and West Coast great Josh Kennedy.
Back in Melbourne, there was no shortage of footy stars on hand to meet and greet fans. Collingwood gun Nick Daicos, Western Bulldogs star Bailey Smith, Richmond captain Toby Nankervis and Western Bulldogs AFLW captain Deanna Berry and Richmond AFLW star Katie Brennan were among the players who headed down to the festival during its four days.
Nankervis said his experience with the Premiership Cup Tour in Tasmania last year gave him an insight into the importance of connecting with community clubs around the country.
"To see all the boys and girls get to see the Premiership Cup was amazing and a great experience, hopefully with the new Tassie team coming in it'll create a really clear pathway for boys and girls in Tasmania," he said from the Toyota live site at the Footy Festival.
Brennan said Toyota's support was vital to help bring the excitement of finals footy to local footy around the country.
"What we love most about this Grand Final week is the fact that Toyota supports grassroots footy, it's where it all begins – from the grassroots, all the way to the Toyota AFL big-time Grand Final."
"The opportunities that Toyota provide are just amazing in order for [grassroots players] to one day to play on the MCG on Grand Final Day. It's such a pleasure to be at the Toyota Live Site and I've had so much fun."
Smith, one of the game's biggest stars and most recognisable players, said the importance of community football clubs couldn't be overestimated.
"Without local footy there would be no AFL. All the people that help from the trainers to the local water boys to coaches, it's where your best friends and memories are made. There's nothing like playing local footy."