AFL weekend proves a celebration of football and community

He gave a quick handball to ex-West Coast and Lions 160-gamer Brent Staker who assessed his options before hitting former Lion and Brownlow Medallist Simon Black on the chest.

Naturally, this passage of play occurred in a game at Bridport's football ground.

On Sunday, some of Brisbane's past AFL players - Daniel Rich and Adrian Fletcher were also involved - played in a Bridport versus Sunchip all-stars match.

The 'contest' capped off an Anzac long weekend in which former Scottsdale man Mark Blackberry, the son of Bridport life members Maurice and Mary Blackberry, decided to make a contribution to the Seagulls.

"It's amazing. It's not just about the money we raise, but it's about the camaraderie and just doing things with Bridport and the community," he said.

"We've probably raised north of 50 (thousand dollars) I would have thought for the couple of days, and it's just been incredible."

The weekend started on a high as the Seagulls' seniors took on Evandale in the NTFA division one and came out 91-point winners.

What made the win more special, was the contribution from Rich, who retired from the AFL last year and has since been playing in Noosa.

Starting off half-back, the booming left-footer lived up to his name in the first quarter as he bombed a goal from beyond 50 metres.

Unfortunately, his stint in the blue and white hoops was put in doubt after he strained his hamstring later in the term.

"Obviously it's an important day for the club and the hammy wasn't ideal but I couldn't just sit on the bench for the next three quarters, so we strapped the hammy tight and I was still able to contribute a little bit," Rich said understatedly.

The 2021 All-Australian was moved up forward by coach Andrew Philpott, and Rich rewarded him with five goals for the day.

"Just his footy smarts, you'd love to have him every week," Philpott laughed.

"His insight was invaluable. He bought in, that's the thing. He didn't come in trying to be a superstar and Daniel just understood his role and that it wasn't all about him."

Following the win, day rolled into night and the Seagulls' clubrooms in the second story were absolutely packed.

Hosting what felt like the entire Bridport community, the club held an auction with the money going to help run the club.

Among the items listed were 10 guernseys, five for each side playing on Sunday, with at least one fetching up to $2000.

The impact a weekend like this has for Bridport, the club and the town, was not lost on club president Steve McKillop.

"The whole community was here. [Saturday] everything was packed from up the top of the hill all the way down, couldn't get a car park, the whole town was talking about it," he said.

Then came the all-star match.

As intense as it was athletic for a group of men mostly aged between 40-60, an hour of laugh-out-loud entertainment was provided as well as the inevitable calf injury.

And behind the quiet, smiling exterior, it was clear Black had lost none of his three-time premiership-winning ability.

Coincidentally, and even though it seemed Sunchip scored twice as many goals as Bridport, the match ended in a draw.

While many were out of breath and calling for a beer that didn't look too much like water, Staker had a beaming smile on his face, looking ready to do it all again.

"It all goes back to the community and makes the club a better place, that's the outcome and that's the reason we're doing it," he said.

"We all love coming down here, it's been an annual thing now almost for three years - we missed one year - but it's been great."

Blackberry agreed, and while he confirmed the squadron of Queenslanders would be doing it all again next Anzac weekend, he was keeping any new ideas close to his chest.