North Melbourne Grand Final Breakfast facts for kids
The North Melbourne Grand Final Breakfast is a special event held by the North Melbourne Football Club. It happens on the morning of the big AFL Grand Final game. This breakfast is a huge tradition and marks the start of Grand Final day for many footy fans. It's one of the biggest social events in Australian sports! Watching it is a ritual for lots of people who love Australian Rules Football. This event plays a big part in getting everyone excited for the Grand Final.
How It Started
The very first Grand Final Breakfast took place in 1967. It was held at the Southern Cross Hotel. The main reason for starting it was to raise money for the club. The first special guest speaker was Eric McCutchan, who was in charge of the VFL (the old name for the AFL).
The breakfast became very popular in the 1970s. This was when it started to be shown on TV across Victoria. The VFL officially supported it as the main pre-match Grand Final event. Since then, the breakfast has grown a lot. It raises a significant amount of money for North Melbourne. Many important people attend, including Prime Ministers, State Premiers, and other famous Australians.
About the Event
Many football clubs have their own Grand Final breakfasts. However, the North Melbourne Breakfast was the first. It is still the only one officially supported by the AFL. This means that many important people attend. The guest list includes famous people from Australian business, sports, entertainment, and politics.
The breakfast also includes a special auction. All the money raised from this auction goes to the Starlight Children's Foundation. This charity helps seriously ill children and their families.
What Famous People Say
Many important leaders have spoken about how special this event is.
Former Prime Minister Bob Hawke once said the breakfast is "one of this nation’s great traditions."
Paul Keating, another former Prime Minister, called the event "a tradition in itself."
Prime Minister John Howard described it as "a tremendous institution." He also said it's "the most eclectic gathering of people you could possibly imagine." This means it brings together a very wide and interesting mix of people.
Where the Breakfast Happens
The Grand Final Breakfast first started at the Southern Cross Hotel in 1967. For many years, it was held at this hotel. As the event grew, it moved to bigger venues. These included the Exhibition Building and the Melbourne Park Function Centre. Later, it moved to places like the Crown Palladium Ballroom and Docklands Stadium. More recently, it has often been held at The Plenary, which is part of the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Sometimes, like during the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was held online.
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