Mercantile Foundation is a significant funder of Club activities providing 4% of its capital annually to the Club. This season the proposed grants will total $160,000. In prior seasons this has been spent on new equipment and athlete grants for members competing overseas.

This season, the Foundation has made its first coaching grant to enable the employment of a part time coach for the performance team. We welcome Will Ackerman to the performance squad coaching team. Will has established himself as an excellent coach at school level and is now moving into club and national coaching. Having been the 1st VIII coach at Firbank over the last 3 years he has enjoyed strong results and most recently, he coached the Mercantile Under 19 Women’s Pair to a bronze medal at 2026 World Under 19 Championships.

Welcome Will and thank you Mercs Foundation.

Will and his Australian (Mercantile) Under 19 Pair training at Mercantile