‘Bags’ remembered in new award

Warren Bagnall coaching the Tigers' women's team.

THE memory of AFL North Coast life member Warren Bagnall will be kept alive with the introduction of annual Club Championship award.

The Grafton Tigers legend will be remembered each year when the most successful club across the senior competition will be presented with The Warren Bagnall Memorial Shield.

Bagnall sadly passed away in May 2023 when he lost his battle with leukaemia.

A member of Grafton for 37 years, Bagnall was more than just a fine player for the Tigers. At one stage or another, he filled almost every position available at a footy club not just because he loved the club but he was willing to go the extra mile to help the people within it.

Bagnall was awarded Life Membership of the AFL North Coast in 2019 due to his long history of representing the Grafton Tigers as a League delegate from 1992 to 2014 where he attended monthly League meetings in Coffs Harbour.

Throughout his time in this role he was acknowledged for putting the League’s interests ahead of those of his club if they would be for the betterment of AFL on the North Coast.

‘Bags’ is survived by his wife Cathy and children Jake, Kade, Mackenzie and Chelsea.

The family said that Bags would be thrilled with the honour.

Each Home & Away match in the Senior competition offers a club the chance to earn points toward its Warren Bagnall Memorial Shield tally.

In a men’s and women’s match, a club can earn five points for a win, three points for a draw and one point for a loss. If a men’s or women’s team wins on forfeit the team will earn six points while a team that loses due to a forfeit will get minus one point.

In a reserves and Under 18s match, a club can earn three points for a win, two points for a draw and one point for a loss. If a reserves and Under 18s team wins on forfeit the team will earn four points while a team that loses due to a forfeit will get minus one point.

The club that accrues the most points throughout the home and away season will be presented with the Shield as that year’s champion club.