Dandenong Masala Football Club rose from the ‘bottom of the bottom’ to top of the world in a stirring turnaround win with help from ex-AFL star Brendan ‘Fev’ Fevola and pop legend Guy Sebastian on Saturday 10 May.
In front of more than 2000 fans at Lois Twohig Reserve, Fev and Guy led the thirds side in the Victorian Amateur Football Association’s (VAFA) lowest division to a two-point victory over South Melbourne.
It was a stunning revival for proudly-multicultural Masala, which had been thumped by 229 points the week before and had been scrambling for enough players this season.
Fev – part of The Fox’s Fifi, Fev & Nick radio show – soared for pack marks, snagging six of Masala’s seven goals.
“The crowd was absolutely electric, and to help deliver their first win in three years – that’s something I’ll never forget,” Fev said.
“This wasn’t just a win on the scoreboard; it was a win for the community, and a win for the underdogs.”
Adding to the carnival, Guy treated fans to a half-time concert, plugging his new single Maybe. But his day ended early with a suspected Achilles injury in the final quarter.
The club reported a 600 per cent lift in canteen sales, requiring a few emergency runs of snags and rolls to stock-up for the bumper crowd.
“It was dreamlike. It was just a spectacle,” president Billy Bolch said.
“Many of those 18-19-year-old players got their first win with us – for that side, it was the first win since August 2023.
“The game was massive for our club.”
(Gary Sissons: 476840)
