“Fraggle’s” Footy Life

Danny “Fraggle” Forrest has spent the best part of 20 years throwing himself into life at the Donald Football Club. Since joining the committee in 2006, he has been the sort of bloke who keeps showing up, a willing volunteer and an ideas man who always finds a way to make things happen.

It was fitting, then, that Fraggle was recognised as the club’s newest life member at Saturday night’s Royal Blues Senior Vote Count, an announcement met with loud approval from the packed room for a recognition that had clearly been a long time coming.

Danny Forrest arrived in the district in 2000 as principal of Watchem Primary School, before moving to Donald Primary School in 2004. He joined the Donald Football Club soon after and served on the committee from 2006 through to 2025, including three years as president, as well as stints as treasurer and assistant treasurer.

His own playing career was short-lived – club records show he managed eight games before injury brought it to an end – but that didn’t stop his involvement.
One of the projects he is particularly remembered for came during his time coaching the under-13s from 2014 to 2016.

Keen to make sure every child had the chance to play, Forrest came up with the Megelec Cup. Four teams of children aged between eight and 13 played on Thursday nights throughout the season, with more than 50 kids at times running around a shortened oval under lights.

The competition ran for about three years, eventually winding up as numbers declined and most of the players were able to secure regular Saturday games.
Danny was also part of the original committee behind the purchase of the Donald Caravan Park in 2017, while another of his lasting contributions has been the football club’s Hall of Fame in the downstairs foyer.

He put in countless hours researching the club’s history, tracking down memorabilia and putting together the display that now tells the story of the Royal Blues for members and visitors.

His contribution hasn’t stopped at the football club either. Danny has given 20 years to the Community Precinct Committee of Management, during a period that has seen the stadium redeveloped, the upstairs Blue Room upgraded and an additional viewing area built overlooking the netball courts.

Donald Football Club president Marc Adams summed up the contribution simply.
“There are many more contributions, achievements and acts of service that could be mentioned tonight, but one thing is absolutely certain: Danny Forrest has earned his Life Membership of the Donald Football Club,” he said.

Accepting his life membership, Danny was quick to turn the attention to the people who had helped him along the way.

His first thank you was to his wife, Rachel, who he called “a rock at home” and credited with allowing him to “get out and get involved” in the community.

He also acknowledged the many clubmates and committee members who had welcomed him to the Royal Blues, as well as his involvement with the Donald Hockey Club, where he spent time on and off the field.

Fraggle paid particular tribute to the mates, trainers and volunteers who supported him through a difficult year last season, saying they all wore “multiple hats” to help the club get through.

His connection to the club was clear when he spoke about watching some of the young players he had known as 12-year-olds grow up. He mentioned Pistol, Tex, Newlie and Greeny, among others, and said it was pretty special to now see them as “great humans, great fathers” doing their bit in the community.

For Danny, that is what being involved in a club is really about.

“I just love being involved,” he said.

He spoke about the importance of getting involved, staying connected and simply turning up.

“It’s about that connection, and that’s what makes communities strong,” he said.

And his advice, which he said he also gives the kids at school, was pretty simple: “You’ve just got to turn up to start.”

For a bloke who has spent so many years doing exactly that, the life membership was a fitting recognition of a huge contribution to the Royal Blues and the wider Donald community.

And, typically, Danny finished his thank-you speech by laughing off the attention and admitting he had probably gone on long enough.

“So, uh, yeah, look, I don’t know, I’ve cracked on enough. Thank you. Thank you.”