Crow Eddie Betts has been presented with the Variety Tom Hafey Heart of Football Award at the annual Variety AFL Grand Final Lunch at Crown Palladium in Melbourne.

The award is presented annually to an AFL player who has shown outstanding commitment to their community, in honour of four-time Richmond premiership coach and long-term Variety supporter, the late Tom Hafey. Maureen Hafey, who was on the founding event committee for the luncheon more than three decades ago, presented the award to Betts.

Betts works tirelessly with the Adelaide Football Club Indigenous Mentoring Program and regularly visits the Adelaide Women’s and Children’s Hospital outside the regular visits organised by the Club.

He has shown incredible commitment to the Adelaide community since making the move from Victoria with partner Anna, and continues to impact those around him in a positive way.

Betts, who made the move to Adelaide at the end of 2013, joins a prestigious group of previous winners including ex-Collingwood captain Nick Maxwell, St Kilda champion Luke Ball and last year’s winner, Richmond mid-fielder and Jack Dyer medallist, Daniel Jackson. Crows great Andrew McLeod won the award in 2007.

More than 1,200 guests attended the Variety AFL Great Grand Final Lunch at the home of the Brownlow, Palladium at Crown, to celebrate a great year of footy whilst raising funds for kids in need.

Officially endorsed by the AFL, the Variety AFL Great Grand Final Lunch has been kicking goals for disadvantaged children for over 30 years. With the support of the football community, this Melbourne institution has raised an incredible $1million, changing the lives of thousands of children along the way.