Ben - Page 2

Throughout July, proceeds from our meat raffle will be going towards Maroondah Winter Shelter, a community-led program supporting men experiencing homelessness during the winter months.

Winter Shelter provides safe, warm overnight accommodation, meals, showers, breakfast, and a welcoming space where guests are treated with dignity and respect.

Funds raised will help provide practical support such as groceries, meals, bedding and additional beds for people doing it tough in our local community.

Winter Shelter flyer and testimonial

Winter Shelter Website

So grab a ticket, support a great cause, and help us make a difference this winter.

Meat Raffle running throughout July at The Grand.

❤️ Supporting locals
🥩 Great prizes
❄️ Helping provide warmth, dignity and connection

Some awards celebrate a single night.

This one tells a much bigger story.

After 14 years of ownership by three local Warrandyte guys, years of reinvestment, hard work, setbacks, wins, long days, late nights, and a relentless commitment to raising the bar… The Grand Hotel Warrandyte has officially been named Victoria’s ‘Overall Hotel of the Year – Metropolitan’ at the AHA (Vic) State Awards for Excellence 2026.

We were also proudly awarded ‘Heart of the Community’ ❤️ — an honour that speaks directly to who we are and what The Grand stands for.

For General Manager Peter Appleby, our leadership team, and every staff member who has played a part in this journey, this recognition means so much because it reflects something bigger than awards.

Because The Grand has never just been about being a pub.

It’s about being a place where people gather.
A place for families.
A place for celebrations.
A place for sport, local connection, community, and making memories.

At 131 years old, The Grand has seen many chapters in its long history.

This is another one.

A proud moment in a legacy built on hospitality, resilience, reinvention, and heart.

But the truth is… this award belongs to everyone.

It belongs to our past and present employees.

It belongs to our loyal locals.

It belongs to the customers who moved away but still come back, the weekend driver passing through, the family celebrating a milestone, the sporting clubs, the regulars, and the new faces walking through our doors for the very first time.

It belongs to every person who has supported The Grand across the journey.

Because a pub like this isn’t built by one person.

It’s built by people.

And now… we take these awards to the national stage, where we will proudly represent not just The Grand Hotel Warrandyte, but the entire Warrandyte community on hospitality’s biggest stage.

💛 131 years strong. 14 years in the making. This award is for everyone.

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If our staff competition was an AFL season

This competition played out like a full AFL season — ladder swings, late momentum, pressure moments, and a finish decided by the smallest of margins. Every team brought a different style of footy, but the sides that showed belief, discipline, and teamwork were the ones still standing at the end.

FOH and BOH pulled on the same jumper, played for each other, and brought The Grand to life along the way. Here’s how the season unfolded team by team.

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🥇 YOUNG & JACKSON 🟡 – THE PREMIERS

Final Score: 1,164 pts
AFL identity: The late‑season surge team
Game style: Fast, fearless, high‑pressure football

Young & Jackson delivered the ultimate last‑to‑first premiership run.

Early rounds had them sitting near the bottom of the ladder, but instead of panicking, they trusted the game plan. Once confidence clicked, they lifted pressure, took risks, and backed themselves in every contest. By finals time, they weren’t just winning — they were peaking.

Top players:

• Mel – Engine‑room mid, keeps them moving quietly and efficiently
• Hannah – Relentless pressure, never lets off
• Nick – Ironman consistency, week in, week out
• Trent – X‑factor: energy, upselling, crowd connection
• Ellie – Big‑moment player under pressure
• Miller – Reliable role player
• Sean Kennedy – Utility who always delivered when called on

Belief, momentum, and fearless footy — premiers earned.

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🥈 THE CORNER HOTEL 🔵 – THE MINOR PREMIERS

Final Score: 1,158 pts
AFL identity: Old‑school powerhouse
Game style: Structured, disciplined, ruthless with the basics

The Corner were the benchmark side for most of the season.

They led the competition for weeks through consistency and standards. With one of the smallest lists, they played heavy minutes, trusted their systems, and never dropped intensity. A classic professional outfit that didn’t chase noise — just execution.

Molly wore the captaincy hard all season — her shoulders must be sore — but the support around her never wavered.

Top players:

• Molly – Captain’s season: leadership, grit, carrying the side
• Matt – Versatile and dependable
• Emer – Structural backbone, systems locked in
• Tyler – Role clarity and reliability every service

Lost the grand final by six points — that’s elite footy margins.

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🥉 THE ESPY 🔴 – THE CONTENDERS

Final Score: 1,084.5 pts
AFL identity: The pressure team that keeps coming
Game style: Methodical, improving, relentless

The Espy were the classic slow‑burn side.

They didn’t explode early, but every round they got better. Skills sharpened, roles became clearer, and confidence built steadily. By the pointy end of the season, they were a team no one wanted to face.

Top players:

• Millie – Consistent performer all season
• Sarjeena – Strong support through the spine
• Alison – Calm leader under pressure
• Richard – Organiser and tactician
• Sienna – Organisation weapon
• Aki – High work‑rate role player

Built a finals‑ready list and closed hard.

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🟢 THE TOTE – THE WILDCARD

Final Score: 950.5 pts
AFL identity: Chaos side, lethal on the big stage
Game style: High impact, confidence‑driven

The Tote were at their most dangerous when the lights were on.

They thrived in challenge situations, delivered back‑to‑back wins, and showed they could dominate under pressure. Their early momentum was driven by strong leadership, particularly in structured challenges, and they were never short on confidence or energy.

As the season wore on, consistency across the full program is where points slipped — not for lack of effort, but follow‑through.

Top players:

• Dylan – Captain who stood up in key challenges and set the tone early
• Jackson – Tempo‑setter, always around the contest
• Kane – Hard‑nosed worker doing the unglamorous jobs
• Lil C – Energy spark that lifts the group
• Will – Clutch contributor when it mattered

When they were firing, they were hard to stop.

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🏆 THE CLUB – ONE JUMPER

With margins this tight, the season came down to the one‑percenters — training someone new, documenting a task, supporting a teammate, or backing an idea. FOH and BOH playing as one club made the difference.

We also landed on our winning GRAND mantra, built from ideas across three of the teams:

“The GRAND – Good times start with great people. Proudly local. Warmly welcoming. Where legends begin.”

That’s not just a slogan — the season proved it.

Full‑time siren. Season done. Premiers crowned.
Everyone played their role.