Just a few days after their historic triumph in the Australian Championship Final over Marconi, South Melbourne Hellas received another honour: being welcomed and celebrated at the Victorian Parliament.

The Club was honoured in a ceremony attended by various Ministers and MPs, highlighting the significance of their achievement not only to the South Melbourne and Greek communities but to the whole state as well.

Hellas co-President of Hellas Bill Papastergiadis, visibly moved, did not hide his pride for this special moment.

“This is the first time that the Victorian Parliament has invited a football club. Hellas continues to make history,” he said, holding in his hands on the trophy the team won just a few days ago.

The delegation was welcomed by the Deputy Premier of Victoria, Ben Carroll, six ministers and five MPs, members of the parliamentary friendship group for football.

All of them congratulated South Melbourne on its great success, speaking warmly not only about the victory over Marconi, but also about the club’s historic course, which has been a fixture in the state’s sporting landscape for decades.

The various parliamentarians all expressed immense joy for South Melbourne’s success in a video published on the Australian Championship Facebook page, with the Deputy Premier of Victoria noting:

“South Melbourne FC have done an outstanding effort and made all Victorians proud.”

Anthony Cianflone, member for Pascoe Vale, Coburg and Parts of Brunswick West, added:

“This is a club that is really woven into the fabric and being of what it means to be a Victorian, and I am so proud that they have won the Australian Championship.”

John Pesutto, Member for Hawthorn, highlighted the ceremony is part of a greater initiative to highlight the efforts of football in the state.

“It is part of a broader effort that we are all undertaking, not just from Anthony and I but a lot of our parliamentary colleagues, to really give football an additional platform,” Pesutto said.

” It is obviously a very popular game, I played it myself, but to give it a platform using all the resources and stature of the Victorian parliament.

Bronwyn Halfpenny, Member for Thomastown, stated:

“It is really good to have all these parliamentary groups and this one is the parliamentary friendship group for football. It sort of really connects both members of parliament and the code, and all the players and officials that are part of it, so that we can promote the game and also celebrate the big achievements.”

South Melbourne coach Sinisa Cohadzic reflected on the pride the club feels at being invited to the Victorian Parliament to extend the celebrations and present their trophy, saying:

“This is the moment that we probably announced ourselves on the national stage.”

Outside of the formalities, the visit also featured a more relaxed moment inside a special room of the Parliament wherein players, MPs and co-President Papastergiadis exchanged passes and made a brief, symbolic “demonstration of skill”, transforming the parliament for a few minutes into an improvised stadium with laughter and applause.

Hellas’ next big challenge is not far away as they prepare to kick off the OFC Pro League in January, where they will represent all of Australia.

With its return to the big international stage, the doors of the Great Hall of Parliament – as announced by government officials – will open again, this time to welcome Hellas and the teams from Oceania in a special ceremony.

Hellas co-President Bill Papastergiadis and Deputy Premier of Victoria Ben Carroll holding the Australian Championship trophy