All pictures: Daisy Nitsch

WHAT do long-serving Port Melbourne VFL volunteer Jenny Tserkezidis and the 'Scorpion Tackle' have in common?

The answer is both are award winners photographed by Daisy Nitsch!

After three decades of service to her beloved Borough, Jenny received the Alex Gillon Award as the VFL's Volunteer of the Year in 2024, while Daisy took out the Amateur and Female categories at this year's Women in Sport Photo Action Awards with their brilliant picture that became known as 'Scorpion Tackle'.

Daisy photographed Jenny at Port Melbourne's home ground earlier this year, with their pictures forming their entry into this year's Footy Focus competition.

Daisy only started volunteering at Port Melbourne as a photographer at the start of this season but immediately thought of Jenny when asked to plan a photoshoot celebrating a much-loved volunteer.

"It's a lot different to what I usually do, it's kind of weird, my comfort zone for shooting is chaos!" Daisy says of the planning and structure required for a photoshoot with a single person as the subject as opposed to shooting a match. 

"I love footy because it's just absolutely everywhere, and you're trying to capture these crazy moments. 

"But Jenny has got so much history with the club … I just wanted to put her in environments she's been in before.

"I used a flash shooting Jenny as well, which I don't usually use.

"I'm not very experienced with that, so having to try and be really still for a moment was kind of hard. I was overthinking it a lot! 

"So, it was very different for me."

Having shot local games for five years in pursuit of the dream job as a professional photographer, Daisy emailed every AFL and VFL club in Melbourne offering to shoot matches to hone their craft and build up a portfolio.

"Port was the only one that came back," Daisy says with a laugh.

"It's been amazing, it's such a friendly environment, everyone will just do anything to help you. Like Jaz (Morey), who's the club media person, is always there offering absolutely anything I need.

"I get access to so many things, like events that the club does.

"I've got to know the players and done more behind-the-scenes stuff. 

"I did their headshots for their media launch, so getting involved at Port has really helped me grow my skills."

Prior to last year when her decades of quiet service were recognised at the VFL's JJ Liston Trophy awards night, Jenny was unaccustomed to being the centre of attention, certainly never the sole subject of a photoshoot.

Jenny was delighted to help Daisy out, with her only disappointment being that the club's PMFC Heritage Museum that she had worked hard to establish, with husband Steve and long-time Port supporter Ron Bedford, wasn't ready in time to be used in the photoshoot.

"I only met Daisy this year when I was helping out at the media launch," Jenny says.

"They said there was this competition going and would I like to help out? 

"But we didn't actually have the pièce de résistance, which was my museum. 

"I call it 'my museum' because it's something that I've worked hard for for nearly a decade. 

"It wasn't open when we did the photoshoot, it was far from being a photographic example, so we had to do some mock-up type photos in the rooms with some old replica jumpers.

"We got replica jumpers made from our over 150 years of jumpers from the designs in photographs. 

"So, we put those up in the old changerooms to make it look a little bit authentic. 

"It would have been nice to be in the actual museum, but we made do, and they turned out all right."

Daisy's instinct to feature Jenny in their tribute to a club volunteer was spot on.

Jenny has filled many roles at the club over the years, first volunteering as a teenager in 1977, with her mother, Jean, and father, Sammy, stalwarts at Port, and she has been delighted to extend her family's deep connection with the club with son Andrew and daughter Melissa.

"I'm a Port girl, born and bred Port Melbourne," Jenny says.

"I lived across the road from the club, it was my backyard, I've got photographs of me and my Dad when I was about three or four in a pretty little dress over there.

"I've spent so many of my years there … it's very much a family thing."

Daisy's connection with the storied club is in its infancy in comparison, but being part of Port's nurturing environment is already proving to be both rewarding as an artist and an aspiring professional.

The 'Scorpion Tackle', captured at a Port Melbourne practice match against Williamstown, is a fine example of the quality of photography Daisy is capable of.

Even if the brilliance of the shot wasn't immediately apparent.

>> See more of Daisy Nitsch's photography HERE 

"I ran off to the other side of the ground and went back into my camera and, I was like, 'Oh, my God, I got it!" Daisy says.

"That feeling is so insane. 

"And she (the scorpion) literally just got up and kept running … it was very cool. 

"I want to absolutely capture all of those sorts of moments, but I can't be too harsh if like a runner runs through the frame or I miss the shot.

"I just love capturing moments for other people, the passion has grown since I first started, and I became obsessed. I love it."

Footy Focus 25, thanks to Toyota's Good For Footy, is now open for entries! Here's your chance to shadow and shoot with Michael Willson at a game in 2026.  We want to see your photos that capture the essence of our great game at a grassroots level. To enter, upload your best community footy photos taken during 2025 to: afl.com.au/footyfocus25