17-07-2025
Raffle benefits felt wider than the club
One of the nations oldest football clubs claimed victory in the 2024 season. Picture supplied
By Jen Walker
Updated July 17 2025 - 4:20pm, first published 11:34am
In partnership with Toyota.
The Sandhurst Football Netball Club is one of the oldest AFL clubs in Australia. In 1861, J B Thompson, who a couple of years earlier had been one of the founders of Australian Rules football, moved to Bendigo and became secretary and captain of its first football club, called Sandhurst.
Today, it is a thriving club, with both male and female football leagues, all grades of netball, and Auskick.
Club Treasurer Peter Watson explains that while Sandhurst is an affiliated and well-known club in the senior league, it actually comprises about three-quarters juniors, with football and netball reaching into primary school levels.
"We like to offer choice for people who think team sports are the way to go - especially football and netball. If people want to play sport with us from infancy until retirement, they can probably do that."
The club is unique in that there isn't actually a place called Sandhurst in Bendigo. Most clubs draw from their geographic area, whereas Sandhurst's 500-plus players and members hail from all over the district, often coming from nearby schools or family connections.
Games are played at what Peter calls "one of the great grounds of country Victoria" - Queen Elizabeth Oval in the centre of town - and he says the club likes to do its bit to contribute to the facilities such as the social areas and change rooms.
Volunteer-based clubs rarely have the budget to cover all that needs doing, so effective fundraisers that are easy to run are seen as a bonus, and for Sandhurst Toyota's Good for Footy Raffle is just that.
Peter said the club has been involved in the raffle for a few years, although it held back when the raffle first started because it sounded too good to be true.
"A fundraiser that is so easy to administer and where you get to keep all the proceeds? We believe it now and can't praise Toyota enough for its generosity. This is an outstanding initiative, and clubs can only benefit."
Last year, Sandhurst made close to $5000 from the raffle and hopes to do slightly better this year through posters with QR codes, and promotion through social media, email and home games, although Peter said they could potentially make much more.
"And that's nothing to do with the raffle itself. Toyota spoon-feeds you with everything possible for you to succeed. I don't think there are too many other initiatives where for a bit of effort within your community, you can really draw your own return. It's the quintessential 'everyone does a little bit and it gets a big result'.
"Toyota takes all the administration, effort, technology, transactional elements off your hands, and when you're in the weeds in club land, you really appreciate that."
The Toyota Good for Footy raffle offers a chance to win one of 47 prizes, including three new cars, from a prize pool worth nearly $300,000. Tickets are $5 and your ticket price goes to the AFL club of your choice.
Sandhurst plans to spend its raffle proceeds predominantly on making capital improvements and buying equipment and appliances that wouldn't usually be covered by its operational funds.
As their home ground is a multi-use facility that is used year-round by different sports, these benefits will be enjoyed by thousands in the community, not just Sandhurst members.
This article has been produced in partnership with Toyota
