Hinterland footy club rises from easy-beats to AFL powerhouse
Above: Bruce Bell has been named the Toyota AFL Queensland Community Football Volunteer of the Year on the eve of the Hinterland Blues grand final.
When Bruce Bell took on the role of Hinterland Blues Australian Football Club president in 2015 he took on a club that was the easybeats of the competition.
The place was bleeding fans, profits, juniors and coaches. Even the senior players were deserting the club.
It was the end of 2015, a disastrous season for the Blues who had been prematurely promoted to the semi-professional, salary-capped Division 1 North competition.
“We were really unprepared for Division 1 from a player depth perspective, really unprepared from a facility perspective and also from a financial perspective and, on the field, we got absolutely poleaxed,” said Bell, who was Junior President at that time.
“So our seniors that year didn’t win a game and the average losing margin was 150 points and then at the end of 2015, basically the place imploded. We had a massive player walkout.”
“And, due to unforeseen circumstances, we found ourselves without a coach. There was an AGM, and I was basically the last man standing, and they said, ‘well you’re it for president’.”
The club had $6000 in the bank and it owed $40,000.
Thus began a massive rebuilding phase that has culminated in this Saturday’s QFA North Division 2 Grand Final against Alexandra Hills Bombers at Wilston Grange and Bell being named the Toyota AFL Queensland Community Football Volunteer of the Year.
“I was pretty humbled to be advised of the award,” said Bell.
“It’s nice to be recognised. But, where our club is at, is as a result of a small band of incredible volunteers, players, coaches and supporters and of course, the support of my wife Catt.”
Bell said the club decided to go back to Division 4 for 2016 in order to rebuild. And rebuild they have. It took only one year for them to return to Division 2.
And in 2023 the Blues are back in Division 1.
For Bell and the club a grand final win this weekend will be the icing on the cake for the massive transformation that has seen it pay off its debts, attract a great coach and key players and restructure on strong foundations.
“We engaged a consulting company (Club Map) that works with codes nationally,” said Bell.
“And for me, the big thing I got out of it was to get your seniors and finances right.
“If your seniors are winning and successful, it snowballs and everybody wants to be a part of that.”
Even so, Bell says the club is family-oriented and now has a women’s team which made the finals this year.
“We’re about community. We’re about inclusion. Anyone that walks through the door here gets a game of footy,” he said. “We started a women’s team and they are an integral part of the club. We blend our men’s and women’s program together. They’ll do pre-season training together, they socialize together to help promote that club atmosphere.
“Phillip Birchmore coming on as coach has been huge,” said Bell. “Phil leaves no stone unturned and puts everything into the role on and off the field.
“His recruitment efforts are the stuff of legend. You can’t argue with his win/loss ratio but he also genuinely cares about everyone under his watch.”
The senior players, too, have been a huge part of the club’s revival, and not just for their talent on the field.
Bell says they are not afraid to roll up their sleeves and do the jobs traditionally done by volunteers on game day supported by an incredible band of junior parents and other volunteers.
He said the challenges had helped forge a fighting spirit at the club and made it tough.
“We thrive on adversity,” he said. “We are used to running on the smell of an oily rag. Last year we made a grand final operating out the back of a six-by-three metre donger in the car park. We had no clubhouse. Couldn’t play on our home ground the entire year. Then this year we had the floods. We just get on with it, we just do it.”
The Blues will face Alexandra Hills Bombers in the Grand Final at 2.30pm on Saturday Sept 10 at Hickey Park, Wilston Grange. Tickets for the Supporters bus available from the club FB page.