Chicks Talking Footy

15 Aug 2016

AFL Pride Game – AFL’s Mark Evans and VicHealth’s Jerril Rechter

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AFL Pride Game – AFL’s Mark Evans and VicHealth’s Jerril Rechter

On Saturday 13 August 2016, the very first AFL Pride Game was staged between St Kilda Football Club and Sydney Swans at Etihad Stadium.

The Chicks Talking Footy – JOY 94.9 team hosted a live broadcast from the stadium on the night, heard on JOY and across Australia on the national Community Radio Network.

In this podcast you’ll hear CTF’s Rachael Hopkins and Danae Gibson chat with AFL Football Operations Manager, Mark Evans and VicHealth CEO, Jerril Rechter, well, at least until Mark Evans was distracted by the pre-game entertainment of the cast from Kinky Boots. CTF’s Fiona Newton and Susannah Mott join in to discuss the spectacle … including the banners!

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Jerril Rechter, Mark Evans, Rachael Hopkins and Danae Gibson

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Susannah Mott, Rachael Hopkins, Mark Evans and Danae Gibson

The AFL’s Pride Game initiative aims to help break down social barriers and tackle homophobia.

AFL Football Operations Manager, Mark Evans, spoke of the importance of inclusiveness in Australia’s most popular football code at the Pride Game launch in July.

“We’ve got the greatest game in the world, the only indigenous game to Australia, and we want to make a statement that everybody is welcome in our game,” Mr Evans said.

“Regardless of your background, your gender, what culture you come from, your ethnicity or your sexual identity, you’re welcome to experience and celebrate Australia’s game.”

“It will raise some conversation that I think we need to have in the community, but it will also say to everybody, ‘this is a celebratory moment’, to make sure that our game is a game for everyone.”

Photos by JOY photographers Betty Sujecki and Hamish Blunck.