North Melbourne Grand Final Breakfast


The North Melbourne Grand Final Breakfast is a breakfast function organised by the North Melbourne Football Club on the morning of the AFL Grand Final. The breakfast marks the traditional beginning to Grand Final day and is one of the biggest social highlights on the Australian sporting calendar. Watching the event is a ritual for many footy fans, and the function plays a huge role in the pre-match build-up for the Grand Final.

History

The first Grand Final Breakfast was held in 1967 at the Southern Cross Hotel, as a valuable fundraising event. The inaugural guest speaker was the Victorian Football League's administrative director Eric McCutchan. The event rose to prominence in the 1970s when the breakfast began to be televised across Victoria, and it was officially endorsed by the VFL as the official pre-match Grand Final function. Since then, the event has grown into a significant fundraiser for North Melbourne, and the guest list has grown to include prime ministers, state premiers, and other celebrities.

Event

Although many clubs hold their own Grand Final Breakfasts, the North Melbourne Breakfast was the first breakfast and is currently the only breakfast to be officially endorsed by the AFL. This ensures a guest list that reads as a 'who's who' of Australian business, sport, entertainment and politics. The breakfast includes a Grand Auction, with all proceeds being donated to the Starlight Children's Foundation.

Quotes

Former Prime Minister Bob Hawke described the event as
“one of this nation’s great traditions”.
Paul Keating referred to the function as
“a tradition in itself”
Prime Minister John Howard described it as
“a tremendous institution …. and the most eclectic gathering of people you could possibly imagine”.

Venues

YearLocationGuest speakerFootball Personality of the YearNorth Melbourne's Media AwardSponsor
1967Southern Cross HotelEric McCutchanNot AwardedNot Awarded
1968Southern Cross HotelBruce AndrewsTed WhittenNot Awarded
1969Southern Cross HotelHenry WinnekeKevin MurrayNot Awarded
1970Southern Cross HotelDon ChippNorm SmithNot Awarded
1971Southern Cross HotelBob HawkeRon BarrassiNot Awarded
1972Southern Cross HotelJohn GortonRon CaseyNot Awarded
1973Southern Cross HotelJack GalballyKeith GreigNot Awarded
1974Southern Cross HotelJim CairnsDoug WadeNot Awarded
1975Southern Cross HotelRupert HamerLou RichardsNot Awarded
1976Southern Cross HotelMalcolm FraserEric McCutchanNot Awarded
1977Southern Cross HotelPhillip AdamsJohn KennedyNot Awarded
1978Southern Cross HotelNorman BanksHSV7's World of SportNot Awarded
1979Southern Cross HotelPeter ThompsonBarry CableNot Awarded
1980Southern Cross HotelJack ThompsonJack HamiltonNot Awarded
1981Southern Cross HotelKevin BartlettJack DyerNot Awarded
1982Southern Cross HotelMalcolm FraserTom Hafey & Malcolm BlightNot Awarded
1983Southern Cross HotelBob HawkeKevin BartlettDoug Heywood
1984Southern Cross HotelOlympic medallistsBernie QuinlanScott Palmer
1985Southern Cross HotelAllen AylettJohn KennedyHarry Beitzel
1986Southern Cross HotelJack HamiltonLeigh MatthewsRon Carter
1987Southern Cross HotelJohn WinnekeWayne SchimmelbuschTom Lahiff
1988Southern Cross HotelLlew EdwardsAllan JeansGraham Dawson & Peter Booth
1989Southern Cross HotelTony FitzgeraldSimon MaddenIan Major
1990Southern Cross HotelProfessor Geoffrey BlaineyMichael TuckBill Jacobs
1991Southern Cross HotelThomas KeneallyJim StynesBob Davis
1992Southern Cross HotelDr. Don CordnerCollingwood FC CentenaryRex Hunt
1993Southern Cross HotelMalcolm TurnbullAlan SchwabHarry Beitzel & Tom Lahiff
1994Southern Cross HotelJohn DuganTony Shaw & Doug HawkinsCoodabeen Champions
1995Exhibition BuildingDavid HillTony LockettMike Sheahan
1996Melbourne Park Function CentreBryce CourtenayRoss OakleyEddie McGuireToshiba
1997Melbourne Park Function Centre
1998Melbourne Park Function Centre
1999
2000Crown MelbourneJohn HowardPaul Salmon
2001Axa
2002Docklands StadiumJohn HowardAxa
2003Melbourne Convention & Exhibition CentrePeter CostelloAxa
2004Melbourne Convention & Exhibition CentreJohn HowardGlenn Archer & Anthony StevensAxa
2005Melbourne Convention & Exhibition CentreJohn HowardBryan Strauchan
2006Melbourne Convention & Exhibition CentreJohn HowardTAC
2007TAC
2008The Grand HyattLeigh Matthews
2009Melbourne Convention & Exhibition CentreInteractive
2010Melbourne Convention & Exhibition CentreJulia GillardBruce McAvaney
2011Docklands StadiumJulia GillardBarry Hall
2012Docklands StadiumStephen ConroyBlackwoods
2013Docklands StadiumTony AbbottKevin SheedyBlackwoods
2014Docklands StadiumJulie BishopLenny HayesBlackwoods
2015Melbourne Convention & Exhibition CentreMalcolm TurnbullJulie CorlettoJonathan BrownBlackwoods
2016Melbourne Convention & Exhibition CentreMalcolm TurnbullKyle Chalmers Sarah JonesMazda
2017Melbourne Convention & Exhibition CentreMalcolm TurnbullErin PhillipsNick Dal SantoMazda
2018Melbourne Convention & Exhibition CentreScott MorrisonMazda
2019Melbourne Convention & Exhibition CentreJosh FrydenbergMazda
2020Online Scott MorrisonMazda
2021Online Scott MorrisonMazda
2022Melbourne Convention & Exhibition CentreAnthony AlbaneseMazda