National award comes calling
Courier sports editor and football writer Jeff Pistola has claimed a national AFL award, recognising his significant and long-standing contributions to community football.
Mr Pistola was awarded the 2026 AFL National Community Football Media Award for his ongoing and high-quality coverage of the Hills Football League (HFL) through the Call of the Wild broadcast.
The Call of the Wild has grown significantly over a ten-year period, evolving from a community-radio broadcast to a multi-modal livestream through YouTube and Facebook, which is delivered by a team that is passionate about football in the region.
In its earliest years, grand finals were broadcast from the back of a Courier van.
In 2023, the HFL established a dedicated football media department and Mr Pistola said the financial support of local businessmen Aaron Rush and Trent Shorland was paramount in keeping the Call of the Wild going after a brief period of uncertainty following Covid.
The team now covers the game from a custom-built, state-of-the art broadcast van, nicknamed the ‘Vandermaker’ – an asset supported by HFL president Travis Lynn.
Speaking on his recent accolade, Mr Pistola said he was just a representative of the Call of the Wild team – which has striven for high standards and “fantastic production”.
“Benny Goldfinch has been with me for me a long time as my sidekick, calling the footy back in the old days; Daniel Stone used to help us too; Tomiya Hills – The Shogun – he is fantastic with his production creativity; Mark Stokes, he’s been fantastic with all the caricatures and the logos he designs; and of course Jayden J. Hill with his stats has been brilliant; our cameraman James Davis; Marcus Strack; Huddo Martlew; and Evan Parker,” he said.
“I’m very pleased because not only is it for what we do and our production – which we’ve tried to set a standard – but it’s also for the Hills footy community, because they’re the stars of the show.”
Mr Pistola said the support of HFL clubs and their supporters was also imperative to a successful match broadcast. But he said the best part of the product was the football itself.
“I think we sell ourselves a bit short – the standard of Hills football is very good, you only have to look at the amount of guys and girls who’ve gone on to play at AFL level, SANFL level or in the State Country Championships,” he said.
“It’s as much of a reward to them as it is to us, I’d like to think.”
As part of the award, Mr Pistola has been given a ticket to the AFL Grand Final in September and will participate in the Grand Final parade.
