The strength of any football club is in its people . . . and so it is with the Carlton Football Club and its own, in this instance The Carltonians.

For 50 years, the many who make up The Carltonians have committed their time, energies and finances in the interests of the football club they love – and to round out their own 50th anniversary celebrations they did so in the greatest possible way.

Pictured here are representatives of The Carltonians Committee with the club’s Director of Development & Coaching Rob Wiley proudly displaying the coterie’s cheque for $200,000 representing The Carltonians’ total net profit contribution to the 2014 season.

The photograph, captured by The Carltonians committee member Christopher Ott features from left to right is Vince Loccisano (President), Christine Sanderson (Committee Member), Brian Galea (Committee Member), Rob Wiley, Roy Sanderson (Secretary), April Sanderson (Treasurer) and John Redmond (Vice-President).

The presentation took place at Moonee Valley, on a night in which race 6 on the eight-race program was named the “Carltonians 50th Anniversary Handicap”. The handicap was won in great style by 25/1 outsider Grand Sai Wan (No.3), which gave jockey Shirley Hunter her first city winner and Benalla based trainer Peter Burgun his first metropolitan winner in just over 20 years.

For the record, Grand Sai Wan carried 58kg and won $21,000 for his syndicate of owners.