By BLAKE METCALF-HOLT

 

FOR the 14th consecutive year, thousands of people from all corners of the community tuned out for another successful Latrobe Biggest Ever Blokes BBQ at Kernot Hall, Morwell.

Raising more than $90,000 on the day, the prostate cancer fundraiser surpassed the $1.5 million milestone since its inception in 2013 for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA).

The late Bruce Ellen, former general manager of the Latrobe Valley Express, was awarded the prestigious Max Gardner Award for consistent and profound contribution to the PCFA cause.

It was the first time someone had received the award posthumously.

Mr Ellen put in a mountain of work in previous BBQ’s, serving as chair of the Latrobe Big Blokes BBQ committee for many years.

The award was accepted by Mr Ellen’s two children, Nick and Ash, who took to the stage for a few words, commemorating their late father.

Respect: The late Bruce Ellen was posthumously honoured with the Max Gardner Award for his contributions and support of The Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia. Mr Ellen’s two children, Nick and Ash, received the award on behalf of the family, and are pictured alongside PCFA Community Engagement Officer Linley Watson and Latrobe Biggest Ever Blokes BBQ committee chair Ian Nethercote. Photographs: Blake Metcalf-Holt

Australian comedian Tom Siegert served as emcee for the event for the third straight year, carrying the crowd through raffle draws, the phantom race call (the Bruce Ellen Memorial Cup) and table countdowns.

‘The Suburban Footballer’ has been living large, visiting a number of country clubs (not contributing much on the field, but even better around the grounds in other ways) and appeared on the popular football program The Front Bar just a week prior to emceeing in Morwell.

Former AFL umpire ‘Razor’ Ray Chamberlain opened as first guest speaker, discussing his relationship to the game, the players and the fans as an umpire, his love for Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin, and the drawn 2010 Grand Final.

Australian comedy legend Brad Oakes took to the stage midway through proceedings, providing some old school laughs, with the event definitely sitting close to his heart given he is someone who has survived prostate cancer himself.

American comedy sensation Arj Barker then capped off the evening with a great routine, having turned into an honorary Aussie during his stand-up career.

Razor sharp: Former AFL umpire ‘Razor’ Ray Chamberlain was one of the three special guest speakers at the 2025 Latrobe Biggest Ever Blokes BBQ.

Local Lions Club members were on deck, offering additional support and clean up across the day.

One in seven Australian men will develop prostate cancer in their life, while in the Gippsland and Latrobe region, there is a 30 per cent higher mortality rate compared to other areas of Victoria.

Alongside the PCFA, a small committee of volunteers, some of whom are personally affected by the disease, plan and run Big Blokes barbecues across the state.

The Latrobe Valley committee has funded a number of services including research projects through Monash University Medicine, Nursing and Health Services, local awareness campaigns, research projects and financial assistance to aid the purchase of specialist equipment in local hospitals.