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Oak Park Football Club will unveil a stand and host a weekend of sport in memory of Blake Albones.
Victoria-based football club Oak Park is set to unveil a fan stand named after Albones, who passed away suddenly last year, at Albones tribute day on 6 April.
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As well as being a longstanding member of the broking and mortgage community, Albones had been a long-serving footie player with Oak Park and a keen fan and supporter.
In recognition of his memory and legacy, the team will be unveiling the Albones stand on 6 April, ahead of the ‘Game for the Champ’ (Oak Park versus Marby Park) on 6 April at JP Fawkner Reserve in Oak Park.
The Essendon District Football League (EDFL) said it had changed their fixture to allow Oak Park to play Maribyrnong Park a week prior to the true season start for the tribute match, which will be the only EDFL game being played on that weekend.
A memorial lunch will take place ahead of the game, at midday, after which the Albones stand will be unveiled. The kick off for the match will be 2:15pm.
Speaking to The Adviser about the stand naming and tribute day for Albones, Oak Parks senior coach Todd Clark said: “Blake’s football achievements will always be part of Oak Park folklore.
“From 2000–04, Oak Park played in four Premier League Grand Finals, winning two of them with Blake as vice-captain. In those five years, Blake kicked 321 goals in 91 games, including 94 in 2001. Eight times he kicked more than eight goals, including a league record of 16 in 2001.
“He was bigger than life, and people would gravitate to him. He was a selfless character that would always look after other’s needs before his own.
“As such, it was an easy decision for the club to honour Blake as one of the true Oak Park legends.
“We urge everyone to come along to the game and support a great man.”
Nick Reilly, managing director of Victoria-based brokerage Inovayt, added: “I was fortunate enough to spend time with Blake outside of the industry through the Oak Park Football club.
“Blake’s ability to unite a group was second to none, the leader of our club in numerous ways.
“What the industry saw from Blake in generosity went far beyond his workplace, I never witnessed Blake make anyone feel less than welcome, and this is demonstrated in the entire EDFL dedicating a weekend to Blake, a fitting tribute for a much loved man.”
[Related: In Memoriam: Blake Albones, 1978–2023]
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