"A small club doing big things."
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Minyip-Murtoa's mantra offers no illusion as to the ambition the club holds, and after the season that's been, you wouldn't knock the club for thinking it's all been ticked off.
Without question, the club has achieved big things in 2019, but that's not the sole intention.
For Minyip-Murtoa, the club stretches beyond those who pull on the blue, black and white every Saturday and the results they earn.
It's everyone, from top to bottom, which makes up the football-netball club, and each person is vital to the club's success.
It was that culture that ushered a pair of historic premierships.
"We place an extra importance on that culture," club president Scott Arnold said. "We've got a real philosophy at the club that it's not just about players, it's everyone."
"Me, as president, I'm no more or less important than any of the players. And I'm no more or no less important than any of the volunteers, or any of the parents or the juniors, or anyone at the club for that matter.
"We've got to make sure that everyone is on a level base."
We win a flag, and it puts a smile on everyone's face. People from 8 to 80 enjoy it and have ownership of the victory. That's part of being in a small community.
- Scott Arnold
Arnold's words aren't empty. Minyip-Murtoa was the first sporting club in the region to join the Women's Health Grampians CoRE (Communities of Respect And Equality) Alliance.
The alliance encourages organisations to create an inclusive environment through the dismantling of stereotypes and the implementation of inclusive policies and procedures.
"We were really proud that we were the first sporting club to sign up to that alliance. That's really helped educate us, and we're continuing to drive those values," Arnold said.
"Our footballers aren't held in any higher regard than our netballers. If they play sports for the Burras they're on a level pegging," Arnold said. "That respect towards equality is something we hold really high, and it is something we try to set pretty high standards with."
Minyip-Murtoa's football and netball sides saw plenty of player movements in the off-season, but the need to sustain the Burras' culture was a constant in recruitment.
"The overriding, number one factor is the character," senior coach John Delahunty said. "It's a huge pat on the back to our recruiting team this year. We recruited great quality characters, who were also some handy players."
The players are part of the community. They're just another arm of the sporting club. That sense of community is ingrained.
- Scott Arnold
Arnold said the return of former locals into the football and netball teams helped sustain the club's culture.
"We had a lot of ex-locals or ex-players who wanted to come back. We picked up probably eight or nine on the list this season, and it made a hell of a difference," he said.
"That's what we all want to see. We want to see our local boys and girls come back and represent the club. It just makes it that bit sweeter when you win."
Any inhibitions created by the sight of new faces were quickly broken down.
"In terms of building the relationships in the playing group one thing we did was pair up before games," Delahunty said.
"I wrote down three questions, and it might have been 'what was your highlight of the week', 'what's your favourite thing outside of football', 'do you have a partner'.
"Really early on we tried to build those relationships and come grand final we did that again, just to have a few laughs and just enjoy it."
The success of those relationships is displayed in the two premierships Minyip-Murtoa has marked to its name after this season.
Though there were 21 footballers and nine netballers who took home medals, there was a sense that the premierships belonged to the club and towns as a whole.
"The players are part of the community. They're just another arm of the sporting club. That sense of community is ingrained. It's just that way it is," Arnold said.
"The club is the little towns, to be honest, it's not just part of it, it's what it's all about. We win a flag, and it puts a smile on everyone's faces. People from 8 to 80 enjoy it and have ownership of the victory. That's part of being in a small community. You have crossover in all sectors of the community, as a sporting club."
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