Two Mid North Coast football volunteers, one who rebuilt his club from nothing after last year’s floods and another who runs the barbecue out of an esky and a trestle table, are in the running for national recognition, and it is entirely up to the public to get them there.
Gwyn Stokes, president of Manning Valley Mustangs Masters and Auskick, and Gelena White of the Bellingen Bulldogs FC are two of ten Regional NSW nominees in Bunnings’ Legend of the Tongs Community Choice Award, part of a national campaign celebrating 90 grassroots barbecue legends from clubs right across the country.
Organisers say Mr Stokes has put everything into getting his club back up and running after the floods.
Mr Stokes has been Mustangs president since 2017, leading the club through the pandemic and, more recently, the rebuild after last year’s floods, in which the club lost everything. A brand new barbecue is now central to that rebuild, put to work raising funds at game days and training nights. He is also a dad-coach and handles advertising for the club, on top of his long-standing love of football.
Those who put forward the nomination for for Ms White say she has helped keep the Bellingen Bulldogs’ doors open through volunteer shortages and tough years, knowing that without volunteers, the kids simply don’t get their chance to play.
“Gelena runs the club’s canteen service without having a facility, just a BBQ, esky, trestle table, and 3m x 3m marquee,” the Bellingen Bulldogs wrote in her nomination.
“Club moved to a new ground this year (still no canteen!), she’s focused on ensuring the ‘canteen’ at the new ground is better than before.”
“Outside footy, she is a nurse at the local hospital, often finishing night shift then coming to cook the BBQ on no sleep … but never burns the snags!”
“Her four daughters all play for the club, hardly gets to watch their games as she’s always cooking sausages and serving customers – what a legend!”
For the first time, the public gets a direct say in who makes the AFL Grand Final. Two of the eight finalists will be decided by a Community Choice public vote, with the remaining six chosen by a Bunnings and AFL judging panel. All eight finalists win a trip for two to the Toyota AFL Grand Final, and the overall winner will be crowned the 2026 Legend of the Golden Tongs, taking home $25,000 in Bunnings products and materials for their club.
Voting is open from Monday, 24 August to Sunday, 6 September, with a live Top 10 leaderboard updating daily, giving both clubs’ communities every reason to rally behind their Legend and climb the ranks.
Whether you’re a club member, a proud parent, a teammate or just someone who has tasted their famous snags, organisers say everyone has a reason to get behind the volunteers who quietly hold their clubs together.
Voting is open at legendofthetongs.au1.komo.site
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