Following their 20-point win against Melbourne on Sunday, Carlton players had even more reason to smile on Monday afternoon – handing over a $5,000 cheque to Down Syndrome Victoria (DSV).

As the rain tumbled down at Ikon Park the Blues huddled in their warm-up area and presented their final AFL Players Care donation to the well-deserving organisation.

AFL Players Care, a new initiative created by the AFL Players’ Association, allows every team to decide how its match-day charity contribution is distributed. Earlier this year, Carlton players also donated $5,000 to the ‘Make a Difference Foundation’.

Carlton’s vice-captain and Down Syndrome Victoria ambassador, Kade Simpson, was on hand to present the cheque to Sue O’Riley, an Executive Officer at DSV.

“As a group we spoke about it and there’s a bit of an affiliation with DSV, we’ve got a couple of young boys that work at the Club…it’s a great cause that we wanted to help out with,” Simpson said.

“Obviously the players are in the spotlight a lot, so any little bit we can do to help out or create awareness about these great charities is great for not only them, but for us as well.”

Down Syndrome Victoria has been supporting families, parents, professionals and friends of people with Down Syndrome since 1978. The organisation, based on membership, provides encouragement, information and resources.

Sue O’Riley says DSV’s relationship with Carlton and Simpson is “so important” to their organisation.

“The awareness within the community is a huge part of what we do, raising the bar and raising expectations, so having Kade on board is fantastic. He has attended quite a few events – he’s an amazing ambassador and very generous with his time,” O’Riley said.

“I think we will put the money towards our working programs, to help young people try and find employment.”

Since 2008, every AFL-listed player has donated $25 of each match payment to the AFL Players’ Association’s official charity partner, Ladder, to help tackle youth homelessness. 

In 2015, the players, as a collective, suggested that this charity contribution increase from $25 to $50 per player per game. 

While $25 per game per player is still being donated to Ladder, an additional $25 per game per player is now contributed to the AFL Players Care fund, amounting to an annual total of $217,800, which is split between charities and clubs.

If you would like to donate to Down Syndrome Victoria, please click here.