Footballs swapped for sandbags

Pre-season training looked a little different for the Seymour Lions on Monday, with the club’s footballers spotted running around town following last week’s heavy rainfall and flooding.


Thankfully, the town did not see a repeat of the October 2022 floods, with businesses and homes in evacuation zones sandbagged and well-prepared.


Following the Goulburn River returning to below flood level, people across town were left with sandbags and no means to dispose of them.


That’s where the Seymour Lions stepped in, with pre-season training turning into a town-wide clean-up job, picking up and disposing of sandbags at the SES centre.


“We’re thinking of everyone that was impacted by flooding and are incredibly thankful the river didn’t rise to the predicted level,” Seymour Lions President Gerard O’Sullivan said.


“Once the waters receded, we identified as a club that a lot of people had sandbags they didn’t know what to do with.


“Rather than a normal pre-season training session we thought it would be a great idea to get the footballers out in the community and help people dispose of their sandbags.”


The Lions organised tipper trucks for Monday night and got to work.


“A few of the great tradies associated with the club took the time to get their heavy vehicles into action and watched the footballers get to work,” Mr O’Sullivan said.


“Not only does the town look a lot tidier following the clean up we put some extra miles in the legs of our players.


“The players split into two groups and ran roughly eight kilometres each, picking up bags from businesses and homes across town.


“Everyone is looking forward to a new season of football and netball and we’d like to thank the Seymour community for their ongoing support.”

 

Seymour FNC News

By Mitch Itter • October 4, 2026
The Seymour Football Netball Club has welcomed a $3.9 million commitment to upgrade Kings Park, describing the proposed investment as a transformative step for the club and one of Seymour’s most important community precincts. The commitment announced by Nationals Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland MP would deliver a new community centre at Kings Park, including a cafeteria, club change rooms, office space, an event space, bar and upgraded sporting facilities. Seymour Football Netball Club President Peter Elliott said the commitment represented a major opportunity to provide facilities that matched the importance of Kings Park to the Seymour community. “This would be absolutely transformative for our club and for the entire Kings Park precinct,” Mr Elliott said. “Kings Park is the home of the Seymour Lions, but it is much more than a football and netball venue. It is a place where our community comes together, and facilities of this standard would allow it to fulfil that role in a way it simply cannot at the moment. “For our club, modern change rooms, better social and event facilities and dedicated administration space would make an enormous difference to our players, volunteers, members, supporters and visiting clubs. “Importantly, this is bigger than the Seymour Football Netball Club. Investment in Kings Park creates opportunities for the many sporting and community groups that use the precinct and gives Seymour a facility capable of hosting larger community events and bringing people together. “We have a proud club with a long history and a strong future, and this commitment would provide infrastructure that can serve generations of Seymour people to come.” Mr Elliott said improving the precinct would also help the club continue to grow participation and provide a welcoming environment for footballers, netballers, juniors, families and volunteers. “Community sporting clubs are about far more than what happens on the field or court. They are places where friendships are formed, volunteers contribute, families connect and people feel part of their community,” he said. “Having modern, accessible and fit-for-purpose facilities is critical to making sure we can continue providing that environment. “We thank Annabelle Cleeland for listening to our club and the wider Seymour community and recognising the enormous potential of Kings Park. “We look forward to continuing to work with all levels of government and our community to see this vision for Kings Park become a reality.”
Show More