This year the Mortlock Shield life members, participating league’s representatives and sponsors dinner is privileged to have the Norwood Football Club CEO, James Fantasia as its guest. James’s football career
encompasses the 1980’s to the present day: in the 1980’s as a player initially at Norwood and then Woodville and from the late 1980’s to the present day as a football administrator.
James completed two stints as the SANFL General Manager for Game Development in 1991 to 1995
and in 2006 and 2007. He was the Adelaide Football Club Recruiting Manager from 1995 to 2007 and in that time the Crows won two premierships in 1997 and 1998. He also served as Football General
Manager at the Western Bulldogs and Hawthorn Football Clubs. In 2014 he returned to where it all commenced, Norwood and since 2016 has been the club’s CEO.
There were significant changes in the South Australian football landscape as a result of the recommendations of the Boundaries Commission and in September 2014 Eyre Peninsula was zoned to
Norwood. Over the last eleven years, Norwood has embraced both the opportunities and the challenges that Eyre Peninsula presents, given distance and isolation and as the head of the club’s administration
since 2016, James can certainly be viewed as a driving force in his club’s engagement with the Eyre Peninsula. As an example, James has attended Eyre Peninsula Football Board meetings, albeit virtually, to
keep abreast of the issues and developments affecting clubs and leagues on the Eyre Peninsula.
James was a driving force behind the Teakle Cup which brought a Norwood premiership points home match to the Eyre Peninsula. What you see is what you get with ‘Fanta’- commitment, engagement and a willingness to work with and for Eyre Peninsula football. James retires on June 30th, and we wish him well for whatever the future has in store for him.
