: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 VFL'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.The Clubs – The Complete History of Every Club in the VFL/AFL {{ISBN|0-670-87858-8}}

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.{{cite web |url=http://www.starlight.org.au/WhatsOn/Pages/AFLGrandFinalBreakfast.aspx |title=AFL Grand Final Breakfast |website=www.starlight.org.au |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080920062020/http://www.starlight.org.au/WhatsOn/Pages/AFLGrandFinalBreakfast.aspx |archive-date=2008-09-20}}

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”.{{cite web |url=http://www.thegrandfinalbreakfast.com.au/index.cfm?link=moreinfo |title=The Grand Final Breakfast |website=www.thegrandfinalbreakfast.com.au |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020808135032/http://www.thegrandfinalbreakfast.com.au/index.cfm?link=moreinfo |archive-date=8 August 2002 |url-status=dead}}

Venues

class="wikitable"
style="background:#bdb76b;" ! Year !! Location !! Guest speaker !! Football Personality of the Year !! North Melbourne's Media Award !! Sponsor
1967	Southern Cross Hotel	Eric McCutchan	Not Awarded	rowspan=16\| Not Awarded
1968	Southern Cross Hotel	Bruce Andrews	Ted Whitten
1969	Southern Cross Hotel	Sir Henry Winneke	Kevin Murray
1970	Southern Cross Hotel	Honourable Donald Chipp	Norm Smith
1971	Southern Cross Hotel	Bob Hawke	Ron Barrassi
1972	Southern Cross Hotel	Sir John Gorton	Ron Casey
1973	Southern Cross Hotel	Jack Galbally	Keith Greig
1974	Southern Cross Hotel	Jim Cairns	Doug Wade
1975	Southern Cross Hotel	Sir Rupert Hamer	Lou Richards
1976	Southern Cross Hotel	Malcolm Fraser	Eric McCutchan
1977	Southern Cross Hotel	Phillip Adams	John Kennedy
1978	Southern Cross Hotel	Norman Banks	HSV7's World of Sport
1979	Southern Cross Hotel	Peter Thompson	Barry Cable
1980	Southern Cross Hotel	Jack Thompson	Jack Hamilton
1981	Southern Cross Hotel	Kevin Bartlett	Jack Dyer
1982	Southern Cross Hotel	Malcolm Fraser	Tom Hafey & Malcolm Blight
1983	Southern Cross Hotel	Bob Hawke	Kevin Bartlett	Doug Heywood
1984	Southern Cross Hotel	Olympic medallists	Bernie Quinlan	Scott Palmer
1985	Southern Cross Hotel	Allen Aylett	John Kennedy	Harry Beitzel
1986	Southern Cross Hotel	Jack Hamilton	Leigh Matthews	Ron Carter
1987	Southern Cross Hotel	John Winneke	Wayne Schimmelbusch	Tom Lahiff
1988	Southern Cross Hotel	Sir Llew Edwards	Allan Jeans	Graham Dawson & Peter Booth
1989	Southern Cross Hotel	Tony Fitzgerald QC	Simon Madden	Ian Major
1990	Southern Cross Hotel	Professor Geoffrey Blainey	Michael Tuck	Bill Jacobs
1991	Southern Cross Hotel	Thomas Keneally	Jim Stynes	Bob Davis
1992	Southern Cross Hotel	Dr. Don Cordner	Collingwood FC Centenary	Rex Hunt
1993	Southern Cross Hotel	Malcolm Turnbull	Alan Schwab	Harry Beitzel & Tom Lahiff
1994	Southern Cross Hotel	John Dugan	Tony Shaw & Doug Hawkins	Coodabeen Champions
1995	Exhibition Building	David Hill	Tony Lockett	Mike Sheahan
1996	Melbourne Park Function Centre	Bryce Courtenay	Ross Oakley	Eddie McGuire	Toshiba
1997	Melbourne Park Function Centre
1998	Melbourne Park Function Centre
1999
2000	Crown Palladium Ballroom	John Howard	Paul Salmon{{cite web\|url=http://www.gettyimages.com.au/detail/news-photo/prime-minister-of-australia-john-howard-congratulates-afl-news-photo/1040246\|website=Getty Images\|accessdate=2 October 2015\|title=Getty Images\|date=12 July 2002 }}
2001					AXA
2002	Docklands Stadium	John Howard			AXA
2003	Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre	Peter Costello			AXA
2004	Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre	John Howard	Glenn Archer & Anthony Stevens		AXA
2005	Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre	John Howard	"Strauchanie"
2006	Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre	John Howard			TAC
2007					TAC
2008	The Grand Hyatt		Leigh Matthews
2009	The Plenary, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre				Interactive
2010	The Plenary, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre	Julia Gillard	Bruce McAvaney{{cite news\|last1=Dennehy\|first1=Luke\|title=GF Breakfast before the bounce\|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/stars-gather-at-gf-breakfast/story-e6frf9jf-1225929204355\|accessdate=2 October 2015\|agency=Herald Sun\|publisher=News Corporation\|date=25 September 2010}}
2011	Docklands Stadium	Julia Gillard	Barry Hall
2012	Docklands Stadium	Stephen Conroy{{cite news\|last1=Silmalis\|first1=Linda\|title=Abbott's star turn at North Melbourne Grand Final breakfast\|url=http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/national/abbotts-star-turn-at-north-melbourne-grand-final-breakfast/story-fndo4gtr-1226484113130\|accessdate=2 October 2015\|agency=The Sunday Telegraph\|publisher=News Corporation\|date=29 September 2012}}			Blackwoods{{cite web\|title=Iconic Breakfast on sale\|website=North Melbourne Football Club\|accessdate=2 October 2015\|date=27 May 2015\|url=http://www.nmfc.com.au/news/2015-05-27/iconic-breakfast-on-sale}}
2013	Docklands Stadium	Tony Abbott	Kevin Sheedy{{cite web\|last1=Twomey\|first1=Callum\|title=Record crowd at North Melbourne GF breakfast\|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-09-28/north-breakfast-fuels-up-big-day\|website=AFL.com\|date=28 September 2013 \|publisher=Australian Football League\|accessdate=2 October 2015}}		Blackwoods
2014	Docklands Stadium{{cite web\|title=Grand Final Breakfast\|url=http://etihadstadium.com.au/whats-on/event/grand-final-breakfast-270914\|website=Etihad Stadium\|accessdate=2 October 2015}}	Julie Bishop	Lenny Hayes{{cite news\|last1=Guthrie\|first1=Ben\|title=A Grand beginning\|url=http://www.nmfc.com.au/news/2014-09-27/breakfast-with-the-stars-nmfc\|accessdate=2 October 2015\|agency=North Melbourne Football Club\|publisher=AFL.com\|date=27 September 2014}}		Blackwoods
2015 {{cite news \|last1=Whiting \|first1=Michael \|title=Laughs on the menu \|url=https://www.nmfc.com.au/news/2015-10-03/laughs-on-the-menu \|accessdate=16 July 2019 \|agency=AFL.com.au \|publisher=North Melbourne Football Club \|date=3 October 2015}}	The Plenary, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre	Malcolm Turnbull	Julie Corletto	Jonathan Brown	Blackwoods
2016	The Plenary, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre{{cite web\|title=Iconic Breakfast on sale\|date=27 May 2015 \|url=http://www.nmfc.com.au/news/2015-05-27/iconic-breakfast-on-sale\|accessdate=20 February 2017}}	Malcolm Turnbull	Kyle Chalmers (Sports Personality){{cite news\|last1=Whiting\|first1=Michael\|title=North hosts Grand Final Breakfast\|url=http://www.nmfc.com.au/news/2016-10-01/grand-final-breakfast\|accessdate=20 February 2017\|date=1 October 2016}}	Sarah Jones	Mazda
2017 {{cite news \|title=Mazda North Melbourne Grand Final Breakfast wrap, 2017 \|url=https://www.nmfc.com.au/news/2017-10-02/grand-final-breakfast-wrap \|accessdate=16 July 2019 \|agency=North Melbourne Football Club \|date=2 October 2017}}	The Plenary, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre	Malcolm Turnbull	Erin Phillips	Nick Dal Santo	Mazda
2018 {{cite news \|last1=Wilson \|first1=Amber \|title=PM recognises 'religious' AFL Grand Final \|url=https://www.coastalleader.com.au/story/5675683/pm-recognises-religious-afl-grand-final/ \|accessdate=16 July 2019 \|agency=Coastal Leader \|date=29 September 2018}}	The Plenary, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre	Scott Morrison			Mazda
2019 {{cite news \|last1=Loussikian \|first1=Kylar \|title=CBD Melbourne: PM skips breakfast, but Treasurer ready to serve it up \|url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/cbd-melbourne-pm-skips-breakfast-but-treasurer-ready-to-serve-it-up-20190926-p52vb6.html \|accessdate=20 September 2022 \|agency=The Age \|date=26 September 2019}}	The Plenary, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre	Josh Frydenberg			Mazda
2020 {{cite news \|last1=Vaughan \|first1=Roger \|title='You're on mute': Jokes galore as AFL grand final breakfast goes virtual \|url=https://7news.com.au/sport/afl/afl-grand-final-breakfast-goes-virtual-c-1447609 \|accessdate=20 September 2022 \|agency=7News \|date=24 October 2020}}	Online (due to the COVID-19 pandemic)	Scott Morrison			Mazda
2021 {{cite news \|title=North's Grand events \|url=https://www.nmfc.com.au/news/1020402/norths-grand-events \|accessdate=20 September 2022 \|agency=North Melbourne Football Club \|date=25 September 2021}}	Online (due to the COVID-19 pandemic)	Scott Morrison			Mazda
2022 {{cite news \|title=Secure your seat at the DrinkWise Grand Final Breakfast \|url=https://www.nmfc.com.au/news/1183608/secure-your-tickets-to-the-2022-grand-final-breakfast \|accessdate=20 September 2022 \|agency=North Melbourne Football Club \|date=12 September 2022}}	The Plenary, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre	Anthony Albanese			Mazda