b'57The Ross Oakley Collectionthree times the financial turnover of the VFL, but in thoseproud of what has been achievedit is a game of our early days I harboured some concern over whether I couldown, a game of the Australian people. We invented it. It manage and grow this high-profile business of football - ais a good reflection of what we are as a people, and that is cultural phenomenon so important to so many people inwhy we are passionate about it and love it so much. It is our community, and one under more scrutiny, in manypart of our way of life.ways, than the government. Having pledged that ten years would be the limit to his The record of Oakleys successes during his ten-yearcommitment as CEO, Oakley stepped back from the role tenure at the helm of the VFL, and later of the AFL, speaksin 1996, bequeathing to the nation a League now in control for itself: the introduction to the competition of five newof its own destiny. The incredible power and value of the clubs, ground rationalisation, the building of the GreatLeagues brand had at last been fully harnessed - revenues Southern Stand and moving VFL members into the newfor the entire competition had risen from 51 million in 1986 stand, the modernisation of television rights, working withto more than 200 million in 1996. Just as significantly, the Kennett government to introduce Sunday football, thea more productive collaboration with the MCC had Fitzroy-Brisbane merger, the establishment of the Swansresulted in the MCGs transformation into a truly world-as a viable member-based operation, the renaming of theclass stadium, which had now become the undeniable League, the creation of the anti-drug and anti-vilificationheadquarters of the AFL, both physically and emotionally. codes, the Centenary commemorative events, and soIt was a period that in hindsight represented the birth of much more. As Oakley put it, It was a time in our gamethe AFL as we know it today.when it was make or break, when all the planets had to[Adapted/excerpted from The Phoenix Rises by Ross align for football to survive, let alone thrive.Today, thoseOakley OAM with Jonathan Green & Geoff Slattery]who were part of this era of stabilise, then grow can be 346The Commonwealth Bank Athletic Club Mens Champion cup presented to A. S. Oakley (Ross Oakleys uncle) on September 23rd 1925, with matching wooden plinth, together with a presentation cup engraved St. Kevins OCCC, 1972-1973, 100 Wickets, R. Oakley. (2 items) $100200347347Ross Oakleys Wesley football guernsey, worn during the 1959-61 seasons in which the Wesley team won all three Associated Public Schools Premierships in addition to an A-grade Amateur Premierships with the Collegians in 1961 after the school competition concluded. Accompanied by a combined APS guernsey worn against the High Schools team, together with his 1961 Triple Honour Colours blazer pocket with letter from chairman, plus a copy of the August 1961 Wesley College Chronicle featuring a write-up on Oakleys achievements shortly before his start with the St Kilda Football Club in 1962. (5 items) $200300348July 1962 and May 1963 congratulatory telegrams to Oakley from his statistics professor at Monash University Keith Frearson, together with July 1965 edition of The Saint, in which Oakley and other St Kilda stars are featured together with short biographies - Early in the year, he did well at full forward, where his prodigious leap for the ball made up for his lack of inches for the key post. (3 items) $100200'