By RUSSELL BENNETT
THE Masala Football Club isn’t named so by coincidence. Masala, by definition, is a mixture of different spices and this unique footy club from Noble Park is exactly that.
Established in 2013 out of Team India, which competed in the international series, the club is built on bringing new players to Aussie Rules footy; of giving them a sense of belonging to a sporting community.
And this week their task was given a huge boost as the Nine Network’s AFL Footy Show, through its Nissan Navara Tough Love competition, visited the Masala Tigers’ W.J. Turner Reserve home base in Noble Park North to give it a $10,000 facelift.
“We’re here in Noble Park at the Masala Football Club – Australia’s first multicultural football team,” said Footy Show host and former Melbourne skipper Garry Lyon as part of the televised segment on the program last night (13 August).
“They’re only a young side – they’ve been in existence three years and never had their own changerooms or facilities … we’re about to change all that.”
Lyon congratulated Tigers president Matt Jacobs for his role in the start-up club. Jacobs then explained some of the club’s background during the segment.
“The guys from the club, they formed it from the Indian international series,” he said.
“They found it hard when they joined football clubs – they’re in the minority and things like that – so they wanted to form their own thing and their own culture.
“As most people might know about Masala, it’s a form of different spices brought together. We’re a form of different cultures brought together, so that’s how the name Masala came about.”
The Nissan Navara Tough Love tradies poured their hearts and souls into the work on the changerooms, which were previously only separated from the public by a tarpaulin.
“This is amazing. I’m speechless, and the boys will tell you that’s hard to do,” said Jacobs.
“I want to thank the Nissan Navara Tough Love team.
“They’ve been fantastic and the work they’ve done here is amazing.
“Of course Channel Nine and the Footy Show, too. To have a competition like this, it’s great that you guys can do this for footy clubs around Australia.”
Click the link below for the full segment:
