Vic Masters Rugby is proud to support
POLICE LEGACY
Every year, Vic Masters Rugby teams up with the Police Vikings Rugby Club for the Police Legacy Game — one of the standout fixtures on the calendar and a day that means something beyond the scoreboard.
Police Legacy Victoria supports the families of officers who have died in service, and former members navigating life after the job ends. These are people who've given a lot. The least we can do is show up.
The annual game raises funds and awareness for Police Legacy alongside the Type 1 Foundation — an organisation that connects and supports families living with Type 1 Diabetes. The link is personal: one of our own players, who also serves as a police officer, has a child living with Type 1. So this one hits close to home.
The fixture is played in the true spirit of Masters rugby — open to all, built on mateship, and followed by a cold drink regardless of the result.
Maciu Vosa Fund
A freak accident in the first game of the 2015 rugby season changed the lives of Maciu Vosa (Matty), his wife Kylie, and their two young children, Ezekia and Ariella, forever.
Matty broke his neck after a regulation maul collapsed in general play under the weight of a phalanx of team-mates and opponents and he is now a C4 complete quadriplegic. He has no feeling from his upper chest down, but has some limited movement in his arms.
Matty requires 24/7 care, including two carers to get him out of bed and for morning bathing and dressing (a 2 1⁄2 hour daily process). The two carers are also required for his bedtime routines and other activities during the day. This is part of a lifetime management system, which includes special equipment and strategies, and which will continue to evolve according to his needs. Essentially most everyday functions that able-bodied people take for granted are not possible for Matty without assistance.
In June 2016, Matty underwent nerve and tendon transfer surgery to try and gain some function in his fingers. Since the operation, improvement has been seen in his right hand, particularly with his gripping. However, as nerves grow very slowly, it will be up to two years before the full benefits of the surgery are realised. He is currently working on strengthening his upper body and core strength muscles. A Trust Fund and Working group has been active since the early days following the accident, raising funds and helping support Matty and his family.
All funds raised go towards the cost of building a wheelchair accessible home for the family... the next big goal. This will allow Matty to manoeuvre around the house and give him the opportunity to do the other things we all take for granted.
The support of the "rugby family" and the wider community is very much appreciated by Matty, Kylie, their family and the Trust.
Beyond Blue
beyondblue’s mission is to equip everyone in Australia with the knowledge and skills to achieve their best possible mental health, whatever their age and wherever they live.
We give people the confidence to support those around them, and make anxiety, depression and suicide part of everyday conversations.
And as well as tackling stigma, prejudice and discrimination, we’re breaking down the barriers that prevent people from speaking up and reaching out.
Previous Campaigns
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George Gibb was the son of one of our Vic Masters Players - Russel Gibb.
George lived with a rare condition called Centronuclear Myopathy. The condition made him profoundly weak; he lived on a ventilator, could not swallow, and used a powered wheelchair for mobility. George relied on his parents and carers for every aspect of his daily life.
The Vic Masters helped raise money for the Gibb family to get a specially modified wheelchair that could accommodate George's wheelchair. This would allow George and his family to help get him to school and also to help him go see his friends and family.
Sadly, George passed away in 2023. We miss when George was brought along to our games and the amazing smile that he always had.
We miss you, little mate.
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The Type 1 Foundation was our partner charity for the 2025 Police Legacy Game — and the connection was personal. One of our own, a Vic Masters player and serving police officer, has a child living with Type 1 Diabetes. That made this one easy to back.
The Type 1 Foundation connects families, raises awareness, and creates safe spaces for kids living with T1D to just be kids. If you want to support the work they do, head to their website.
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The Parkinson's Foundation has been close to the Vic Masters community, and we were proud to back their work through the Police Legacy Game.
Parkinson's is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world. The Foundation funds research, supports people living with Parkinson's, and helps families understand what they're dealing with. Rugby has always been about backing your teammates — this is just that off the field.
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Vic Masters Rugby came to know DonateLife through one of our own community. Layla, the granddaughter of Southern Districts Rugby Club life member Terry Saxon, was diagnosed with a rare liver disease at just seven weeks old and spent months at the Royal Children's Hospital waiting for a transplant. In November 2016, she got her call. Thirteen hours of surgery later, Layla had a second chance at life — because a stranger said yes.
That story stuck with us. We partnered with DonateLife to help raise awareness, wore their branding on our jerseys at the Australian Masters Games, and hosted them at our Rugby is Life round alongside the Red Cross Blood Service.
One conversation with your family could save a life. If you haven't already, sign up to the register.
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Some of the best days in Masters rugby are the ones that make no sense on paper but make complete sense when you're there. Prom Dress Rugby was one of those days.
Hosted at Eltham Rugby Club, our blokes took to the field in their finest frocks to raise money and awareness for two causes worth backing. Dress for Dignity — part of Share the Dignity — collects clothing to support women experiencing homelessness or fleeing domestic violence. The National Breast Cancer Foundation funds research into the treatment and prevention of breast cancer, which affects one in seven Australian women.
Players, partners, families and supporters all came along. The rugby was spirited. The dresses were something else.
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Rugby is built on respect and inclusion. In 2020, Vic Masters Rugby put that into practice by hosting a Gala Day at Box Hill Rugby Club to help the Australian Deaf Rugby teams fundraise for their tour to Fiji.
Australian Deaf Rugby has been going for over 15 years, fielding men's and women's teams in tournaments around the world. We were proud to host them alongside the Melbourne Chargers and Women's Rugby Victoria for a day of 7s, 10s and 15s — open to all skill levels, from beginners to veterans.
One of the highlights was the Spirit of Rugby matches, where hearing players wore earplugs to get a small taste of the challenges Deaf Rugby players navigate every game. Jersey auctions on the day helped send the squad to Fiji to represent Australia.
Good rugby. Good people. Exactly what this competition is about.