Episode 30 - Casterton-Sandford Football Netball Club 150 Year Reunion

We are the boys from Castins and we are happy and carefree. We are trainers and community, we'll work in harmony. All this year we will be friendly as it's how we all will sing with Lee. Hello, Kane from the Castins and Connections team here. Thanks for tuning in to another one of our episodes. August 16th saw the Castins and Stanford Football Netball Club hold the 150 year reunion celebrations which we were lucky enough to be a part of. Our live recording means that we can relive the magical day but it also means any supporters and players, both past and present, unable to make the reunion luncheon, are able to join in the celebrations. Sit back and enjoy the yarns as we go through the eras, which reiterate how Castins and Stanford Football Netball Club is truly one of a kind. We acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which this podcast is produced and broadcast and we pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging. We honour the deep, cultural, spiritual and historical connections that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have to this land. Please be aware that this episode may contain content that refers to or discusses topics related to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories or individuals, including references to deceased persons. This may be distressing or harmful to some listeners. We encourage caution and offer our respect to those affected by this content. Formed in May 22nd in 1875 at Grants Albion Hotel in Henty Street, ours is one of the oldest country football sides as shown touched on. Just weeks later the first match was played on the flat or better known to all of us Apollo Cross grounds, the Cat Story Begun. Since then we've seen eras of fierce rivalries, famous names and unforgettable wins. From George Leathergill, our first paid coach to the golden 1960s era where we won five premierships in ten years, the cats have definitely left their mark. We've weathered walls, built club rooms with our own hands and stood together through good times and hard seasons. This club isn't just about football, it's about community, resilience and people. Today we celebrate every player, every coach, every volunteer and every supporter who has worn the colours, weighed the flag and carried the cat spirit for over a century or for a century and a half. From the flat in 1875 to here today, 150 years later, the cat story is still being written and every one of us is a part of it. So these two here, I've just got a little bit of audio to introduce Max. Look if you would mind just playing that for us. Take it inside the 50 metre mark now Jim and this young kid Jared Rook, I think it is it? 36. 36, in fact, Jared Rook. Yeah. Played 7,5 all year, 7,5 all year. And he 7. I'm running down, loosened to a forward pocket but he won't go to him. And he 17 years of age this young lad, very, very good football. I got a huge amount of talent, Jim. Playing 7,5 all year that age is the biggest assignment. Yeah, very thankful to have you here. With Dylan, I actually did try and find some audio about Jill. He's played at a very high level of footies as well in the VFL. The only recordings I could find were having 100 goals kicked on him. A couple of times. Or being thrown over the fence at Millson. So I thought I'd better leave all of those out. Anyway, that's enough of me talking for the minute. Max, I might start with you. Can you just tell the crowd a little bit more about yourself and how you come to be a part of the club? Okay, all how I come to be a part of the club was I grew up here. And I just love footy from a young age. Obviously, I follow my dad at Sanford and then over here at Castleton. And I have some form memories as a young bloke watching a lot of the guys that are in the room play footy. And when I was little, I guess they were my heroes along with the guys at Jolong footy club. And I was lucky enough to play with those guys in 99 and 2000 in the senior team. And we had a pretty successful couple of years unfortunately. Didn't quite get the ultimate, but I learned a lot of the guys that I played with. And obviously I was quite young and quite skinny and I just remember more than anything those guys protecting me out on the field and giving me the confidence to do my thing. And then obviously spent 10 years at the cats. It was always a bit of a dream of mine to come back and be involved again in the football club. And I haven't been able to in a semi permanent role up until this year because I'm still living in Jolong. But what I've been able to do this year as far as my involvement has probably been as good as I'm going to get. So I've loved every minute of it and I've seen the guys this year the way that they're playing and trying to build that same success that we had here in the 90s and early 90s and late 90s. Yeah, that I remember as a kid. Thanks mate. Doal, can you tell a little bit about yourself and how you become a member of the club? Yeah, lucky enough to one of my housemates Jake Wilson knew somebody Alvie from Down here in Castadin and had a random call. I'm probably a little bit over living in the city. I grew up in Tazia in a little farm so I'd had my time up there and I don't know why. I've come for a drive down with Jake and I'm eight one day to meet Albin a few other that are in the room. I've probably had a few turn of years that day and night and pretty much that day. Yeah, I said, well, I'm coming down for a year. I remember telling me mates up there. I was playing a spot two at the time. I'd just been going for a year. Really wanted to coach. I'd done a lot of junior coaching, assistant coach since I was 15. Coach 12 year old kids. And I coached all the way through. I hadn't taken a senior team on yet so it's a really good opportunity. But yeah, I just remember saying to the boys, I definitely only been going for a year and I guess 14 years later I think it is now. Still here and absolutely love it. Thanks mate. Is it true that before you made that decision and come to Kasdan you may have lost two grand finals in a row by a point? Well, we lost, yeah, the year I left we lost Grand Final by a point. Luck enough to win a couple before that but yeah, the following year I have to be the first time ever. Yeah, so it's what's with last two by a point. Max, that might be something to consider if we make it to the last day this year. You might have to leave Dile up. It might be a bad omen. So Max, back to you mate. What role do you think the Kasdan Football Club has played in shaping you? One has applied it to also as a person. Yeah, thanks mate. I feel like I probably touched on it a little bit just before. Obviously the sense of community is massive and club like this wouldn't survive without everyone's help as volunteers and it's like one big family. And it's probably something that you miss when you go to the city. Don't quite have that same connection. I feel like as I said as a player, my strengths when I was here was my running ability and I felt like my skill level. I wasn't, I guess I wouldn't say I was a hard or a tough player but I had blocs around me like I remember vividly guys like Booth Carlin and Justin Munro just constantly looking after me out on the field every time I'd come up against a big player and I'd be getting whacked all day. I'll be, I was trying to run away from him all day. I just, I didn't want to get hit. And every 10 or 15 minutes one of them will run past and say yeah, I got him for you, I got him, I got him. I just, yeah, I learned a lot. I learned so much like watching blocs like Lika like the way he finished his work in front of goal and used his body. I learned stuff off everybody just without even realizing it at the time and when I got to gelong the biggest change was the whole system that was in place as far as game style which yeah, that was a big shock to me and it took me a long time to to get my head around that but yeah, I feel like by the end of my career I was I was trying to play a little bit like the guys back you were playing and return the favor to young blocs around me. Awesome, thanks mate. Deal, back to you. So obviously, yeah, touched on played at a couple of different VFL clubs before coming to Castan. What do you think it is about Castan and Olam Park that is so special you mentioned you're only going to be here for one year, you've been here about 15. We're trying to push you out but you won't go. What's making this place so good? Yeah, it's a pretty easy one. I guess playing around the city and country and even in Tasi, a lot of the towns where I grew up with soccer or 40. I guess been a one club town for most of the time of being. Obviously, I'd sand for and Castan for the first year but even then I think the transformation was already taking place. It brings a lot of pressure. It's the best thing about the club but it also brings a lot of pressure especially when you move, you know, my family are all in Tasi and all of a sudden the people I meet here in the first month and then the first two months and as you know, more players and you meet more volunteers, I really don't become your family and you really need on them. Sorry, you do really need them and I think you just let that care that you have. I guess everyone knows you care for your family, you care for your brother, you're sister, your mum and your dad or whoever it might be. And I reckon for me over that time it's still building now with my family still in Tasi. I just feel like everyone's family. So I guess every time you take the field or every time you train you're doing a gym session, prepping for a game, talking up here, you know, doing the presidents, volunteers, whatever it is, you sort of feel like you're doing a few family. So I guess that's why I'm still here and honestly still trying to win a premiership. I just feel like we owe all these people, like you, your family, so for me it's just like you're really, really, really going to give everything you can and see if you can repay those people and make them really happy. Thanks mate, really good way to summarise it. I've got another one for you. So COVID obviously happened. We all know that that's a thing that's still around and definitely gave us a bit of grief over the time. But during that time you'd actually left to chase a coaching dream again after coaching here. You were going to coach somewhere else. And obviously the club was struggling and there's no denying that. But I guess the question to you is coming back, giving up that coaching dream again to become president and lead us out of a pretty dark space. Can you just explain what helped make you that decision and why? Yeah, I guess once you've coached, most coaches will know the four-hawaied burns, especially when you're still able to play, you're still playing and you're really, you think differently. I reckon once you coach, you're always thinking, you're thinking, I said, tonight, all night watching the game over and over. But I was pretty much no brain. The club was still in, now there's really good hands, but obviously that was a pretty big issue going on at the time. I think just the more people that come back and support him on the same page is really important for the club at the time. I believe stay out of the South West, but I think everyone knows that was my opinion. We've got a really strong club, both football and netball. And it was just every club goes through their hard times, but it had been really, really hard for everyone involved. I guess the one thing we've always got is volunteer, supporter, sponsors, members. The club's always been a good shape. It's just a matter of what direction we need to go and how we're going to fight our way out of, you know, on field, like a success, I guess, in both football and netball. But like I said, as soon as we lost a lot of players, there's no doubt, I think we lost four to another 15 players, hit you from the year before. I think like I said before, it feels like family and as much as I love coaching and obviously it's hard to put that fire out. I think coming back and being part of that family again is pretty easy when things are hard. I think that's what we'd all do for our families. Yeah, it was pretty much a no brain of it. What's hard? I don't know, I guess it's over now, but you never know. One day, my fine coaching gig somewhere or so once a week. Well, you'll be about 70 then, won't you? Max, you mentioned before about wanting to come back and help the club out and fortunate enough to be able to now. What does it mean, I guess, to come back and reconnect with the community and hopefully Crota won't sort of be the history moving forward? Yeah, it means a lot, obviously to the town and looking back again, I remember that as young bloke, the finals series and how much the town got into it. And obviously we haven't had much final success. I wondered if you could tell the room what some of the differences are coaching at the elite level compared to the country and some of the challenges or advantages for us here in Casterdon. That's a big question. I spent nearly 10 years involved at AFL level with coaching and I feel like, and before I was back here, I had one year at my districts, which was a really good learning experience. But probably the biggest thing is getting bloke to training and you don't have much trouble with that at AFL level. It's a tough gig at AFL level, like it's pretty much six days a week and it can become a real grind. It's easy for the love and the passion of the sport to go out of it, becomes a real job for a lot of players and coaches. So that's probably the main difference whereas, yeah, country level. I find the hardest part is, and I might need some tips on these, but is to drive high standards just because, especially in today's world, the discipline isn't quite there from younger players potentially trying to get them to training is probably the hardest part, trying to keep them happy and keeping them involved. I feel like if you go too hard, you can lose, players pretty quickly. So just trying to make it a really positive, fun environment for them, trying to create something together, trying to give it real meaning for them and make them really want to come to training. That's probably the hardest part of my job here. Thanks mate, I definitely challenge. I've got one more for both of you to finish. Obviously, conscious of our schedule and conscious that you guys have actually got to go out there and get ready to win a football game. So, deal with this one for you. What do you think has been the catalyst this year for on field success so far? And do you think it'll be enough to break the Premiership Huda? I feel like it's been a bit of a build for a while. I feel like we've got a lot more locals now. There's really lucky that we've got a lot of field apprentices, a few other jobs in town which we're probably having in the past. And I know there's people outside of the football club or within the football club, but they're employers that have been really important and crucial to that as far as the football goes. I feel like we've got as close as we've ever been. Probably right, I've only been here for 13, 14 years, but I feel like the whole club is probably as close as ever been. Especially within the footy side of things, we're really tight group. We've probably opened up a little bit more to each other. Definitely worked a lot harder. Not saying everything's perfect, we're trying them, but we're finally getting our 30-35 on the track, which makes a big difference to. We've tried a few different processes. One was sort of 2018 where we made the finals. I reckon we had 12 or 14 travelling from Jolonga Melbourne. Nothing wrong with that plan, didn't work, but I feel like this year we were a really tight group, much tight, and probably that group may be not as skillful, but I do feel like we're all on the same direction and we've all sort of brought in to where we want to go. So we've got a huge. Today is to me the most important game I career and I'm sure there's probably 10 or 15 hours in the team that are feeling the same, hopefully a couple more. If we can win today, it goes a long, long way towards us. Give me ourselves a chance to play finals, and finish top two. All sorts of rides on today, I feel like we're really well prepared. We're so lucky to have had a walled oath last year and through the preseason, but to have Max come in and bring his values outside of footy, obviously his footy stuff talks to himself, but his values outside of footy and the advice he can give the young fellas is unbelievable. So I think we're really well prepared, but we're probably seeing a couple of hours time where we're at, so we're playing a pretty good team today in Pinola. It's a huge test, just happens to be with the big one, 50th, and just as my last question, just last thing I want to say to everyone in the room, you do mean so much to us and you have for a long time. We talk a lot about our history now, especially the last few years, probably maybe since Kane came in as coach, we've talked a lot about a history of how a few guest speakers come in that have been involved in the club, and you guys do mean so much to us. We do try and replicate a lot of what people talk about the cast and culture on field as far as football goes, and we all know that's a pretty hard, aggressive style inside the contest. We do believe that is a strength of ours, and we want that to be something that we do, a value that we hold really strongly, obviously footies changed a lot. Like Max talked about at AFL, our reckon was similarly hard for a lot of people in a small country town to change and realise you have to have a game style and you have to move the footies differently otherwise you're going to get cut up. But we're really, really proud of what you guys did for us, the players know you guys. We'd love to see you back more, even if it's once a year, once every couple of years, we'd love to see you guys walking the change rooms there, have a chat where there's talk to the coach, talk to the players. It does mean so much to us and hopefully, at the same time we're setting up for a really strong future in the next 20-30 years. That's what we're here doing and trying to make sure it's a really fun place and that everybody wants to come back as much as you can for as long as you can. Thank you. Thanks, Bill. I appreciate the time and the work you've put in over the years. I'm much appreciated from the club's point of view as well. Max, last one for you mate. Obviously we just spoke about the potential finals and premiership and that sort of thing. How do you manage the playing group to harness that positive energy without them also getting ahead of themselves? Basically, I think in the back of everyone's mind, obviously it's the ultimate goal. We don't need to talk about it too much. We want to be the best team that we can be basically and I feel like this group is still a long way off their potential. It doesn't mean it's going to stop us this year but we've spoken all year about becoming a great defensive team and we're not there yet by a long stretch and we've spoken a lot about improving every week for the whole year. We've got a lot of improvement together. Basically I focus on those things. I bring it back to the smaller things. Like I said, I can see so much improvement still in this team. In the back of our minds, obviously we know what we want to do but we've got so many things to get better out that we need our full attention on those things and that's what we focus on trying to be good teammates. Thanks mate, much appreciate it and thanks again for your time today and let's hope you can come in with the chocolates. Now we'll just move on to our next group of interviews. If I could just ask Bobby Murrell, David Robbie and John Gill to come up to the stage please. I'll let these guys introduce themselves. They'll do a far better job than what I will. The last thing I wanted to do was mark it up because obviously they're an important part of the club's history and played through a real golden era for the club. One thing when I was doing my research of both Caster and then also down at Sanford, I found it quite interesting to note that I think the 60s have been pretty well documented around the club here and obviously been the golden times. But what I didn't realise was Sanford also won three flags in the 60s so within the 10 year period between the two clubs we've got 10 flags. So I guess that probably shows a little bit of the people that are around the era at the time but also how strong both clubs were. John you said you were going to be last but you're actually sitting right next to me so you're going to be first. So can you just tell the room a little bit about yourself? I'd rather you ask me questions than me go prat on on the bat myself. Well I started here in the under 18s and progressed through to the senior side. Didn't play many games in the second. I was lucky enough to play in a couple of premierships in 1961. 1961 was under Don Witten and he was a good coach and probably unlucky that he didn't go on on coach for the rest of the premiership that we won. 1962, Reg Burgess came here and he probably someone will ask me later on who was the best player that played for Castan and I would say without it doubt it was him. I just told Swampers he was going to ask me that question so I thought I'd get in first because I know Swamp or need add a little bit more to it. But anyway then I went to, it was lucky enough, Reg was a fantastic player and I played on the forward line and he was a fantastic dropkick and no matter where I run the ball would be in front of me. It made my job and it made me as a player and I've always said that that was the stepping stone for me to go to Melbourne. Carlton came up and saw the game in 1961 and I must have thought I had something and my uncle came up and Harry Valance, the names probably don't mean much to you but he was a champion forward for Carlton and Gordon Mackey came up and my father was doing the negotiations and there was money mentioned and I got 250 pounds to sign with Carlton but I don't know how much the old man took out of it. Anyway that was all right I played a few games on the forward line in Melbourne and played against Eston in a Grand Final in 1962. The first game I played in Melbourne was one I played in, the first game I saw in Melbourne was the game I played in and that was a game G-Long and I played on John Devine, the first game and Polyfarm I played his first game for G-Long on that particular day but he had an injury and took him a while to come back and play. I'm getting a little bit lost now. It was a great experience to play in Melbourne. I enjoyed every game I played whether it was here or in Melbourne and the only game I didn't enjoy playing was the last one I played. That was a bit of a disappointment but anyway that's a little bit of a brief history and I'll hand back to you now. I think I've said enough. Thanks John. That was great. Much easier than me asking you questions. I can't tell you. I'll pass over to you if you could also just give the crowd a little bit of background about yourself. Thanks very much. Just after I saw listening to what John was saying, I think when back in those days there was five of Kesson players played League Football at the same day. It was the two Gill boys, Barrow and Johnny and from Richmond, Ball Richardson and Roger and I played me first going at Melbourne. It probably showed the strength of what the cast of the area produced in those days. Before I went to Melbourne I was approached by John's mob Carlton and they didn't come up. I think I might have been here. The big thing was that Melbourne had a what sort of swayed me in the finish to go to Melbourne was that Melbourne had a trip overseas at the end of the year to Honorulu and to America and the grass. The grass got the better me and I'll be going. I thought I could think it was Honorulu. Over the years I've enjoyed the football here in Kesson and I've enjoyed coaching. Through those years you meet a lot of wonderful people. You see a lot of great players. In my time there wouldn't be one better than what's sitting beside me or two because both of these players were great players. They gave a lot of support and that to the country football and to the players and that they coached. But at my times I've enjoyed coaching quite a few sides around this particular area and with moderate success. But it's been a great pleasure to just sit back and at times, like times like these, go around and talk to the players that you did coach many times. Thank you very much. Thanks David. There's a couple of things I just wanted to briefly touch on one when Dylan was up here just a moment ago. He mentioned about if any of the players, people in the room were able to get back and support the current playing group. It would be much appreciated. David has done that on a number of occasions. He's come and spoke to the playing group over the last, however many years, ten years probably longer. But from what I can remember I do know that it is much appreciated. The other thing that I thought was interesting, you mentioned the five Kesson players playing on one day. They probably could have been a couple more. Never Wimbledon sitting in the front row. I don't know if you've got an invitation to train an S and be the time to go and get Nick double leave. Is that right there? Anyway, Bobby, I'll hand over to you for a quick intro. Thank you. My first game at Sanford was in 1960. By default, actually, I went there to, they got me to run the boundary for ten by the day and I thought, well this is better than track and rabbit. So I took that on for a couple of weeks, but they said you wouldn't be getting paid until the end of the year. So it dropped me a little bit. During the first few games, someone got injured. They didn't have a reserve. So they put me on at the 14-year-old. So mind you, I had to be home to help dad milk the cows for a hubbass for or else. Strangely enough, I don't know how it happened, but I got a corky because I don't know how because I wouldn't have much meat on me. When I got home and couldn't do much in the dairy, dad decided that the best I'd wait till next year. In the following year in 1961, my brother went to teach in Nareen and came to play with Sanford, which gave me an opportunity to also join Sanford. So I did that and I was fortunate enough, it was a 15-year-old, to play in that year and we won the Premiership, which is the team this year. I think there's only two of us left now, but in that team, there was 11 of the 20, was dates to the Perry family. I think the rest of them might have been made up by the laylies. So after that, in the following year, I got a job in the bank and was transferred and took off around Victoria, finished up in Mort Lake. I was captain of the Under 18s there until I run into a crook manager and threw that in, came home, which go and cheer and didn't do that, went to Coxons and finished playing my gear with Sanford. And an interesting day, I was getting a lift to the game at Harrow by a couple of the 19th and 20th on that day in a Claptop Volkswagen, so you'd probably somebody just might have known who that was. Going down the Wonderville Hill, they said to the two of them said, "I don't think we'll make it, get a game today." So they kept a long neck and they're driving down the Wonderville Hill drinking a long neck on the way to Harrow. 15-year-old kid in the back, no idea what was in front of him. I think from recommendation from perhaps Mick O'Connell, perhaps Caston should look at me and perhaps as a player for the following year. That year was 69 and 63. I came up, did the full season, was picked that to play the first game. They went to Sanford to get a permit for me and it wasn't available. They forced me to play a game of Big Aller, which I sucked all day and didn't say much, but I on of that. And there after I came to Caston and was stayed in the side and was fortunate enough to be a junior member of the 1963 Premiership. I think you all know what a star-sided side that that was. There after in 1966, that was really good year. In 1966 myself and Moove and Urban Adjison and Jamie got that. Fisher was conscripted to the Army. So we were farewells by the Fulton Club at a function and at the end of June. The following day to give you an idea how well the organise was for conscription into the Army. We caught the bus in Caston at half past nine. We went to Hamilton, booked us into a hotel an hour later. And watched day that night and then was trained off to Melbourne next day. During the Army I was fortunate enough they were very high on playing in a school in a service and sport. And we were far above the Raffernley Navy because they were all rigs and we were pretty much all conscripts. And on the wing for instance was Stan Owls. On the other side was Charlie Gogan, Billy's brother. The Ruckham was Carl Ditch, I was in the center so it wasn't hard to get a kickin' round with them. During that time I was able to come and go with Caston but I had three interrupted years. And that was the way it was but we came back and was fortunate enough to be a member of the 1969 Premiership. Big full over here. Well if you want to see a big tough Ruckman in any day day he was a man. And then you had one back down the other and a good kick it from the body center, full back to the center line. But after that I transferred to Haywood Plate one year down there and gave up. But my memories are always with Caston, always with so many family members and there's some pretty good bunch of likes. Thanks Bobby, great recollection and also thank you for your service in the Army as well. John Lamont start with you again. What are some of the strongest memories early days on the field in the 60s here at Caston before you got to the big smoke? I thought someone might ask me that. I had a lot of battles with some very good players and I'll try and relate one instance that happened at Hamilton. My father used to follow the football pretty closely and Ned Chan and Joan used to go to the football. Neil was playing at full back on Neville, Neville Osborne. And Dad parked the car round under the scoreboard at Hamilton. Joan pulled in alongside him so the two cars were pretty close together. Osborne's giving Neil a very hard time. Joan jumped out of the car, run down to the boundary and started abusing him and using all the bad language that you wouldn't hear a woman say. Not long after that incident, my father jumped out of the car and run down to Joan and said, "Jane, that's the worst language I've ever heard come out of a woman's mouth." Not long after that incident happened, I even knew who was a policeman in Hamilton, punched me fair on the bottom of the chin here and knocked me out and I'm on the ground trying to get up and nothing had worked. The old man jumped out of the car and run down to the boundary and started abusing him over the fence. Joan wound the wound to wound down in her car and said, "Mr. Gill, that's the worst language I've heard coming out of a man's mouth." That's one incident. I spent a very Smith that played for South Gambia. He was a very good player, very quick and used to put the ball out on one end and turn around. Over on the first side of the ground there, he's coming round the boundary and I thought, "Oh, I know exactly what he'll do. I'll put the ball out here and then he'll go the opposite way. So I went the opposite way for a start and caught him with me hip and shoulder and speared him out onto the bike track. I thought it was Ashville. He landed on his shoulder and dislocated his shoulder. They had to get the ambulance and take him up to a cast at a hospital. Marry and my wife was working there at the time and he'd come in and he's on the stretch and his moan and grown and say, "I couldn't hold his shoulder up." Marry and said, "What happened to you?" He said, "That bloody John Guilded this." And she looked at him and said, "He's my husband." And he never said another word for the whole time. I could tell you another story about him but I better not because it involves money. But I will tell you because Shane's uncle was president at the time and we had a player here, Shane Loveless, who was coaching us and he never had much success probably like me. Anyway, I wanted to go to South Gambia, Shane and there was a story around the town that he owed a few dollars in the town. Anyway, Smith heard about this and they were going to have a meeting here in the club rooms and saw it out what was going to happen with the money and the clearance. And then he Smith walked in the room, got the big checkbook plunked and on the counter right in front of him and discussing what the amount of money was and mixed it. He's got $800 of debt around the town. Anyway, Smith pulled the checkbook out, raped the check out and slid it across the body desk to make a mick put it in his pocket. He had $8 for some dog tuck or a diamond Smith. Anyway, that's getting off the track. I'll bet him hand back to these boys. I'll better get back to you. That was great. John, maybe that the sip of the cow and draw there is really loose in your lips. That's good. Yeah, I like it. Bobby, one for you, what would you say would be the funniest thing you ever saw happen on the field or on the training track? Probably not necessarily funny but it involved Johnny Gill and one that I ever at South Gambia went in the old football ground in front of the training track. Show ground. Thanks Johnny. And come half time where it's cold and raining and the ball didn't go down the other end and one back didn't see the ball at all and he suffered hypothermia. And you wouldn't believe it but they did. They pulled out the bottle of sherry. Is that true? Whereas back in the 1890s they reckon it was never ever done but that did happen over there. And when Johnny was running out after half time over the training track, he's gone through a little hand gate with those toggle gates where they think. He's like a thigh has hit that toggle and taken a chunk of his thigh out about as big as a bigger than my thumb. And he showed it to me and I blundered and it just took it out and hadn't even started bleeding. He said, "What do you think of that? Oh Jesus, I said you better get back." That was the finish of John for the day. But I don't think that was funny but at the time that was truth. Can I just add a little bit more there? Yeah, it was on the trotting track and there was two gates he had to go through and like Bob said, the catch was sticking out. I don't know what was happening. I was dreaming or doing something and wondering, "Oh my, I wasn't on where I was going." I ran into this bloody catch and it caught me on the thigh there and took a bloody lump out of me thigh. I didn't even feel it. I got out on the ground and I was playing on Gary Sims at the time and when I walked up to him he looked at me and he said, "This blood run down your leg. Jesus, I looked down and I could see all the bloody muscles and I had to go to the hospital in Hamilton and they have 12 stitches put in it. I don't think I played the week after but funny thing I never got a bill from South York accident for the doctors fees." I think I can add to that. Not to that but there was certain thing that happened when you talk about funny things on a putty field. I think I might have been Portland these some way one day and I got half time into the third quarter, three quarter time. I said, "Here it was wet and cold and raining." I said, "Where have you been?" I was talking about the fall back. I said, "I haven't been walking up there and you weren't there. Where were you?" He said, "I was sitting in the car." So that sort of shut now, yeah. He might have had a bottle of sherry on the go too. Look, I've got a whole range of more questions but I think I better cut it short. The lunch is ready and I'm sure people would like to eat. Thanks so much for your time, the three of you. I've sure you could tell stories all day and we'd love to hear them. Make sure you catch up with them over the course of today and tonight and enjoy lunch and we'll be back about a bit after one o'clock. Our next interview is going to be with John Cox and Colin Creek. I'll just get them to come forward, please. Creek is on the way so we might start with Cocko. Both Cocko and Creek have obviously been big parts of the club and held a number of different roles over a number of different years. But we also know that they're both pretty humorous human beings. So we're going to kick off. Cocko will start with you. Is there a story in your mind that sticks out that might be in the history books but also is a little bit humorous? Thanks, Kane. Congratulations to Shane and the committee. Yeah, do have a little story back when I was president. We were desperately trying to get a bloke by the name of Popsie Collard, cleared to the cast and footy club for Mort Lake. And early one morning I got a phone call to say that Mort Lake had agreed to clear him and they'd fax the documents to my fax machine and I was to get them signed as soon as possible and get them back to them. So in that stage we had quite a number of indigenous boys playing with Castigan because Timmy Chattfield was coaching and they all wanted to come and play with Timmy and be around the club. So we had a number of boys from Darwin and any road I go around at about quarter past seven in the morning and knock on the front door of the in the main street of the house where they were. And it was just like a bunch of rabbits had taken off in the house when I bang bang on the door there's this scurrying and carrying on and there's this little set of eyes looking out behind one of the curtains at the front. Any rate a little bloke comes to the door and he said what you want coxie and I said I want Popsie so he yells out for Popsie and Popsie comes and oh you got my clearance yeah no worries so we get all the paperwork down we get it signed and I said they're terribly excited because Popsie was going to be able to play and he could play when he was on his day he could certainly play. At any rate by this stage they've all gathered at the front door and they're all happy that Popsie is going to play and everything and one of the guys said to me I said right I'll see you I'm leaving one of the guys said to me hey coxie he said you knock like a policeman you know. Thanks coxie as I say don't want to tell in the story these two so fantastic start John thank you are calling if you got one for us yeah I suppose which one do you want. I suppose I see a couple of faces around here and we go back we used to go back and we used to do we were known as the red gum wood cutters and we'd cut it go out in the great comrade day to be committee there because we had 20. On the committee and everyone knew what was going on and the players had come out and the best thing about it you cut probably a hundred ton of wood for the day and Mick Foster mix Sullivan I see Jimmy McGinley there he used to have a red bed for truck and it loader up and well Jimmy's got two paces stop and go and go is flat out and there's a fellow Ruckman they brought across here Tim Denel they stuck him in the passenger seat with Jimmy to deliver wood they came back and had a dent in the roof where Timmy had hit the top of the roof but there was other stories like Doc Greg we had ear coach and it's there for a while and I'll dock he was about used to be on a seafood diet if he saw food he had to eat it and he used to get out to the wood cups and I remember one day there would cut the rings off he rolled it over and finished up on Greg Tau but it's ankle I think it was or leg that didn't that slow Greg Tau but down for a while but the funny story was that day when we finished I think rocky net Shannon might have been president of the club and everyone those days used to like to take a bit of wood home to mum because they didn't get home in the daylight out a night time house they got home at two three in the morning because that was part of the light of fire and have a long neck and the com rad ship but anyway the rocky net at his trailer on the back of his you he had a load it up and Greg Tau but in those days had a white Comby van with a slide and door and everyone felt sorry for Greg hobbling around and net at his overloaded Greg thought so he put the Comby van alongside so we slid half the wood off Ned Shannon's trailer in the Greg Tau but Comby van rocky net was a bit of a VPC agent then the slide name at 100 miles an hour thinking oh this car is going pretty well the Toyota trailer is turning pretty well it gets home to back in the drive and he thought oh shit I better get out and have a look there was no trailer there so he found his way all the way back out to look for his red gum wood and his the trailer sitting there with half a dozen pieces on it and Greg Tau but home that he was pretty happy and Joan was very sad thanks Colt alright we'll move on so fantastic way to start but I've got a question that I'll get both of you to answer so what stands out is one of the proudest moments that you've been involved with at the club I think that that era of you know the 90s like coming up to the 90s and seeing the the role on effect that it had into the twos and you know bringing everybody in a more professional attitude to the club and and then witnessing you know standing back and witnessing the looks on the faces of all those that had worked so so hard because like in 80 I came over here in 84 from Colrain so yeah there's so much effort goes into just a normal season without let alone without a premiership season because we had the we had the rooms built you know the committee got going developed facilities were there and the beauty about this place is there's been a continuation of facilities to be put up all the time and yeah that that I think that would would be the moment that I probably cherish the most because you know you just you don't get to see many of them I'm in the same to Steve Pullen and Bernsey one day we need to make the most of this you know because we might only get three years or so at this level before you drop away and that we did and yeah but working hard for the club is one of thanks John yeah no doubt about it and definitely the generation of those very grateful for the work that was put in Collin what about you what would you consider to be one of the proudest moments at your time? Yeah there's lots of proud moments the people in this room know everything that was achieved we were batlers and when we did get into a final or whatever we made ourselves pretty well felt and the community in the town the norm facing it pretty league president he used to love Cassidy and when they made the finals the Western border got on the map so I did but there was a situation I suppose that Johnny Gills said how he feared Barry Smith onto the bike track over there the other side of the ground well the proudest moment I think I had was the day we battled ourselves and we worked very hard with the late Malcolm Cow Michael and Karen Stevens our current shy rap here now that we battled and took away that bike track on the Friday night before the last game of the year the junior kids were playing their footy on the oval we had the light towers and we achieved all those things and it was a death knock decision we had the concrete saw locked away in the committee room there down the in the CR Guilpevilleian that bike track was gone whichever way that decision went that night I think I was here at 11 o'clock at night with over the other side of the oval and struck a patch of bullets it finished up in mid Jats crackers and a few other things but I wasn't going to stop there we still cut that bike track out the next day the shyer we had graders and tip trucks and God knows what cutting across this oval cart and that bike track out and as you see it is today here it's an excellent venue but then we achieved to bring the western border football league at the time where there was 12 teams in it away from Vensapark Vensapark and we had a grand final here at Cassett and that was the day that I don't know that a $26,000 gait or something like that the town was sold out of meat water it just was absolutely a perfect thing for western border and it stuck in my memory even that night it was a stinking hot day and what do they call those things the after game party or something a lot of us at work pretty hard during the day hadn't had a few beers but we were making up for it I went off to the means out there and I come back and there was a bit of after game party here and Rodney can mean got a fella down here on the carpet trying to kiss him I reckon because it was a bit of a blue and Ronnie's crag one fella down so had him down on the carpet so from day like to dark we had a damn good day and I still sticks in my mind how that bike track went the grand final and where it took this club to another level Thanks Colt I do find it hard to believe that you wouldn't have had many beers during the day but anyway we'll leave that one there Coco would you say that over the years you've seen the club have an influence on players and families lives that might have surprised you I don't think it surprised me because I came into the town I was actually working in the town here from 78 to 84 before we came I knew a lot of people and I knew what the town was like these little towns are if you want to get involved you get something from it I actually played under 1840 here at Casablan in 1967 and David Robby was the senior coach I had a sort of an understanding of the town I knew people in the town it was harder for my wife she didn't know anyone but I knew a lot of people It didn't really surprise me no they are togetherness and willingness of these small country towns to get together, stay together You see the people who play here you see the respect they've got for the club today and see they must have really loved the place to be wanting to come back You look at the facilities we've got and you look at the leadership that's been gone on over the years and I think one of the big things that did actually change this whole complex down here I think the people involved with it was the moving of the P and A society to this location and no one played a bigger part in it than this guy Bruce Clode These fellows that were builders and we've now got another generation of all these young tradis that are out there that have actually grabbed hold of this They've shown faster, they've gone with it not only blokes, ladies in business and all these sort of stuff are well and truly behind this club and has to credo too Amen to that John, round of applause I agree yes Creaky from your perspective how is the role in regional communities like Casterden change over the years Yeah well Kay and I came here in probably 79 or 80 we were still talking about that we were the other night She was married that long I got a job out the road I was fortunate that I had a guy here that took me under his wing he was like a dad to me and I still think very highly of him And the late John Garvey who was here he nicknamed him Pioneer Mick and I talk no other than Mick Sullivan He was a Pioneer of this club and I suppose me myself came into that and he was my leader he was what put me up to it And I suppose I didn't know any different I did know any different I had a lot of respect for those type Mick and Bernie Sullivan And that stood me in good stead to want to coach this side play football here and bring my children up here So I think I see that I don't think I see it I see the names on team sheets for a small town The children still travel back here the mumps and dads and grandpas and all those people are still here That was instilled in it was by in my eyes Pioneer Mick Sullivan And I look around the room and Shane and Jody Foster and Kane and your wife and Joanne And I see that happening that's gone on in this town But you go to North Gambia and clubs like that in the in Mac Gambia in an area They have not got that leadership roles of family coming on through so I just see Caster than as having that role And it's a credit to everyone and I can if I ask Kane who inspired him or went to Shane Foster who inspired you Well my inspiration to do what I did for this town and the presidents and the coach and I did and raise a family of six children I've got 13 grandchildren now it all instigated in this town and it was led by Mick and Bernie Sullivan So I don't know any difference than that and I suppose people have copied off me in the sense Two and Coco and his late wife Lynn all that she and I see Darren here earlier on It's grown in the town from the people within the town Kane if you can read into that Now perfect answer Colin I've got another one to back up with you I'm led to believe in early 2000s You've proposed a pretty similar setup to what the league is today So would it be fair to say that you're a visionary of the football in the district Hell Kane I wish my memory went back that far No not really it was it was look Norman Dye Facy we're a gain leaders towards me I have the greatest respect for them and in the actual fact I'm probably still hold a record there I'd like to go to the tribunal with Norm Facy because we were struggling in our under 17 footballs at one stage And we didn't want a four foot we didn't want to let our own local kids down They wanted a game of footy no matter what they could do And we went across I run my car across actually to Hamilton And I'd pick up half a dozen kids that couldn't get a game in Hamilton and Imperials Bring them over here play them in our under 17 days to have a game of footy And then we turn around and organise to take them home And one of those kids and Gary Gurney you probably remember Hick Crawford played for Hamilton But he good football one of his boys couldn't get a game of football in Hamilton And they just whitewash those kids they didn't want them But yeah we we bent over backwards and because of that reason I had to go to the Norm Facy got summons to the tribunal And I went I went along as the advocate for Norm Facy and then Dye Facy They had a girl from West Gambia that told them porky pies and they were it came into the last couple of games And they wanted to they told lies because they were going to miss out on the finals And anyway the league took them to the tribunal and so I represented Dye Facy at the tribunal as an advocate too So in a way it's just the way that yeah it happens that way Very good, conscious of time again I could continue to ask plenty of questions But I'm just going to finish with a quick one for both of you Over your time who would you describe would have had the worst haircut or mustache of the club Oh that's a bit hard the worst haircut No I don't know that I could put a tag to that one No I can't I can do it real easy And you know we had like I said earlier on we had 23 on the committee didn't we and every one of those guys knew it was going on But we had this one smack and guy there that every committee mutin and he knows who I'm going to say it is And he's hairstyle still hasn't changed today to what it was when he was a I think he might have been a treasure or whatever And he drinks VB cans normally out of a handle and he used to sit at the committee room and sit the beer on his thing And that's Jeffrey Mitchell Craigie, Coco, thanks so much for your time Much appreciate you getting up here and speaking on behalf of the club and your recollections And yeah I hope you enjoy the rest of the day Thank you I wanted to make sure that I paid enough respect to Sanford in their history obviously they have a rich history on their own And merging with us 14 years ago obviously has now created a new history and a new path for us moving forward So that we could continue to be sustainable well into the future Yeah I'll just touch on that quickly so it started more than a century ago a small village, a big dream and a team that wore its colors with pride From dusty paddocks to packed trains bound for away games From the rules of Premiership Glory in the 40s, 50s and 60s to heartbreak of Grand Finals has slipped away Through league changes, merger talks and every challenge in between Sanford stood tall And then in 2014 a new chapter began when two proud rivals Sanford and Castan come together two histories, two set of colors but one shared future In that moment Sanford's proud legacy wasn't lost it was placed into the hands of a new generation Carried forward in the red white and blue of Castan Sanford As we celebrate the 150 years of Castan and Sanford football and netball we honour the legends from both clubs The people, the passion, the pride and what better people to do it than the three that I've got with us today So Philip or Swampa Doyle, the ultimate utility player he begged me not to have to introduce himself So here we go, someone who was a mainstay in the seniors for years before finishing his career in a reserved Premiership of 89 Two time league best and fairest winner after moving to Sanford is also given back to the club in many ways As an under 18 coach and also younger grades, Go on Pire, Gatekeeper, a tireless supporter, always there cheering from the sidelines Crucia Cleary, a long time netball star, racking up multiple best and fairest awards across both club and league And still playing top-notch netball well into her mid 30s She's also made history back in '83 as the first woman allowed to play in the under 16 football in the Castan district, junior football league, lining up for the Tigers A true trailblazer on and off the court Ed McGraw, a senior best and fairest in '76, a reliable backman who could seamlessly step into the midfield when needed After moving to Sanford, he shared his expertise as coach for a couple of season and is now proudly a life member of the club Obviously, it's had plenty of other roles in between President just to name one So Crucia, I might start with the rows amongst the thorns Obviously an absolute legend of both Castan and Sanford and not to mention how highly respected you are around the league in the district What do you think it was that a legend have such a long and successful career? I guess maybe genetics I guess no matter what you're doing life, you never really have an end plan I've just been fortunate enough that my body hasn't given up, I guess, and I've still had the desire, the support from home And the interest of being able to be there when my kids were playing etc as well to take the court with them, I guess Yeah Great, thank you Swamp, you've coached a lot of junior footies over the years Guess the first part of the question is where did you get the passion to coached you? Can you talk us through some of the better players or better sides that you had been able to coached? I've probably got the passion to coach the kids Remember one hour of playing? I was playing 48th cast and they asked me, "Hump high, feel that I'm fine, yeah that way To that, I'm like, "I'll give you a little kid's, and that's the first game If all the mums and dad are abused and ill-earned me Well, I needed the pre-kick for that but I forgot to blow the whistle, so I thought, "Oh well, anyhow, I've done it next week No more that, I can't cop anymore that So I just decided to take on coaching then, and I've really enjoyed it ever since With all the kids, we had some good times, bad times That's good wood chops, and we had this column We had a little Tommy Tullum, we used to drag him through all the vessels If you want to run on the ball, you've got to go through the vessels today, we're out woodcutting That's the old car, Susel, thank you, my kids, 30 today Then here, they got 31 home, but we had some really good times, tackles Jared down there, everything And I really, really enjoyed it Thanks mate, one of the only junior coaches to get an under 18 so I do a grand final Can you talk to us about that journey and potentially what we missed out on to get that pre-missive? Oh, that's enough on the day, I thought we were probably the better team, but I thought that every time we played We were the best team, and if it nah, that day they were just too good for his impurels I think they were I think the bug that done much of damage was the coach here at the start of the season here at Castan was generally brawined But now I really enjoyed that same thing, but we just weren't quite up for that day Thanks mate Ed, before the merger of our great clubs, you're a former president of the Sanford I'm interested to know about your opinion on Castan as a town having to support the two clubs And continue to try and obviously chase success, but being a small place Yeah, what impact you saw from a town level at then a club level? Yeah, look, there's a lot of ground in Cabin, I won't dwell on too much, but It's just a natural part of our community that we've lost people through work And whatever, and to put the swords on the ground from both teams was getting harder And I just think that not so and I had a discussion at the right time and it got legs And it's just grown into being a wonderful thing, it's a blessing for the community Because really, that's what football clubs are about Is its next door to education, getting young kids to play sport is a great learning thing And this is the responsibility of what this club's about And it's been wonderful to me, and I can remember coming out of school at 7-0 And Johnny Gilgrabbery, both at the back of the neck You know, a great look I looked up to him the way he played the game, he looked after us Because it was a very physical part of the Western border in the 70s And I saw a grave from, you know, an amateurish thing to a professional Through, you know, which voice he took on and it was a wonderful four And so the community was a great benefit from the merger And I just think that it's just, it's, as it has just grown, grown the club enormously And that's, and, you know, I'm grateful for all the support that we did a bit of work to do it But it was just an o-brainer in the end, the longer it went, there was just an o-brainer And it's just a wonderful thing that's happened, I believe Totally agree, mate, yeah, well done, and thanks for the effort that you put in and lead up to that So these next few questions, I'll get all the three of you up here to answer But like many of the people that are in the room today, have been a massive supporter over the club and volunteered I'd hate to think how many hours over that time So what is it that makes you volunteer all that time and put in all the effort? Who wants to start? I think it probably touches back a little bit too on what Swamp has said about kids coaching When you've got kids yourself, you like to see them go through too But the benefits of being part of that community and seeing, and sometimes it's not the best players That do something that you're really proud of, sometimes it's those ones that struggle week in week out But we'll put in a training and do all those things and then you see them out on the court And they directly do what you've been trying to drum into them So it's just seeing that sense of community and comradery amongst adults and kids And we're blessed that you can actually, I think if you're in a city you tend to hang out with kids who are aged or people who are aged Where I think the comradery from, you know, Juniors right through to seniors and netball and football is a big thing with this club Oh no, I've just seen it very much the same as Trish I just love football, reading different people there Every day you know, when you go on that gate, you're the grumpy old bucket that doesn't want to pay And then from there's no offense, but you know, she's not But I really do enjoy it But I think when we go away do the same thing in the North game or anyway We're all pensionists, but now I really enjoy it and I just still love it And I'll be here to go What do you think, John? Yeah, like most of us have been said, but I think it's just a big ration of, you know, you take your kids to sport And that's what's got me to both clubs like Half my kids play to cast and they're the half play to Sanford And we do what you do to support them and that's, you know, that's was more of a aggression through footy And it's been a tremendous trip and I have no regrets in that forward But that's where the else doing what we do to support these club is through, you know, it comes from doing what we do for our kids And then it just progresses on to the community So yeah, that's wonderful All right, so just with this part of the interview, I'm going to finish with a few rapid fire questions So just looking for short sharp answers from you three please So first coach that you played under? Johnny Gale and a really good side, like I very privileged that you know Bobby Marl, Sporty Taylor, like he was just a wonderful eye opener I was straight out of school and I couldn't wish for a better coach and a person to take care of us, thank you I can't remember when I was in grade three, but I guess the first few years of, but I don't remember who my first coach was But I certainly remember a couple of years in was Bob Tomer and I think she's probably had the most influence on that ball Through Sanford and Castan My first senior coach, did he never have got the time, never ever got the chance to coach us? It was Bobby Marl, we were appointed coach of Sanford, we were all pretty excited about that, with any outreach So I bought the business in Castan so he thought he'd better go back and they were sucking about it, so that's what he'd done And probably my first coach was Ian Upridge, it was a very good coach The best teammate you've ever lined up with? Oh, this is trying to pick your favourite child, it's Florence with Danger, but I thought about it, I'll come up and get asked his question And the greatest respect to Johnny Ghealy, he was a great career for us, but yeah, I'll have to say John Rook Was the best partner, he's just the ability to be where the ball was and a great teammate And same with Kim McCall of the John Rook, I'll take the card Okay, for a diamond Smith, I really thought he was good to play with And what diamond tough as I can, probably played a paper-gummed-aid casting, he would have played them all for nothing But he was one of the best I would play with, and I really had respect for him And John Ghealy, he never asked you to do what he couldn't do himself, probably wasn't going up to ask him because he knows I couldn't do it I'm sorry, sorry I can't actually put a. I couldn't say as such, I've played with a wide variety of players, no, probably the best goal I've ever played with I don't know, Colonel, but yeah, when I crossed the board, no, I couldn't pick one Toughest catch play you've ever seen? Yeah, I think Diamond Smith put his head where he shouldn't put it That's my opinion, I get a greatest respect for him Darren Cullen? Yeah, I have to say, Diamond Smith, he is one of the toughest I've seen Being packed, you just come out, you see a few others come out, they'll be holding something, but I don't know what he's doing in there, but he did cover for you, and he just kept going I'd like to add John Ghealy to that, and I was just telling the likes, I won't take five seconds Telling the likes of a bit of a story, I could never work out who'd be out there and John would be standing up out of a scrum on the ground that had a bit of a collision And John would get stand up and all this opposition would be like angry bullets, up beside him And I could never work out, and I said to him on the day, I said, "God, they hate you" And he said, "Oh, well, he said, when you stand up, he said, most people who've got their hands on the ground," he said He said, "Trying to stand up," he said, "Just stand on it with these nylon spreeks," he said, "Stop some from making it, getting your mark" I got a couple to finish, I did have a heap, but conscious of time, so one word to describe the Hamilton rivalry One word to describe the rock Hamilton rivalry I love Hamilton Ah, toxic I like to speak with this experience, I went to school there for five years, and I'm glad we don't play against him Alright, and last one, most likely to be locked up on an end of season trip Well, that's easy, I don't even know if she's here, highly rook Nice, locked up, look at all of Buck Jones, could have locked up one day, we're up in Ruddy Queensland, didn't he? Remember? Yeah, it's a couple of good trips, but I think I'll leave it at that Fair enough, I think Trisha wasn't leading on fully, I believe she'd nearly got locked up on a trip to D'Inbola, is that correct? Oh, that's right Yeah, I would like to thank you for your time, and I hope you enjoy the rest of the day, thanks guys To our next interview, I'll just ask Tony Lysko, Grumpy Smith and Greg Tolbert up to the Legends Bar, please Alrighty, I must admit, this is probably the most nervous I was about all of today And the reason being is, I actually asked about 30 or 40 teammates, supporters, some opposition who very politely changed their answers But I got them to describe these three guys that are up on stage And what I quickly realised is that these three have had such a big influence on people in Castan and the footy club And hopefully we can do it justice, so I've just summarised those responses from those people So, Grumpy Smith, I won't use his first name, tough, uncompromising and fearless Grumpy was the bloke you always wanted on your side, a powerful intimidating presence on the field, he was a ruthless competitor, who struck fear into opponents while inspiring teammates to walk two feet taller As a player, he was hard as a rock and utterly committed to winning As a coach, he was demanding but deeply respected and still in belief in his players and getting the very best out of them every single week His speeches were legendary, his discipline unwavering and his passion for the game unmatched Old school, hard-nosed yet with a heart of goal once you got to know him A true leader of men whose legacy still echoes through the club Tony Lika Lithgow, quite simply a freak Lika was a player who people come to watch A Maccurial, freakish-less talented forward was skills as good as you would see in Country Footy Adjoel, avasive and spectacular both in the air and on the ground He had an uncanny ability to read the play and an unmatched goal sense Cool under pressure, he seemed to have all of the time in the world playing as if the ball belonged to him But behind the brilliance was a ruthless competitor who demanded high standards from himself and his teammates driving desire to win at all cost And I think that's something that's been underestimated over his career A nightmare for opponents, a match winner for Casterden and a true icon of Country Footy Greg Talbot, absolutely class on and off the field, Greg was a highly skilled, reliable and uncompromising footballer A strong, graceful utility who excelled in the toughest positions and was really beaten A natural leader, a mentor, he committed respect with his depth of football knowledge, direct communication and fierce commitment to his team Quiet and unassuming manner, but intense and passionate about the game He was a role model for younger players and a stalwart of the club Whether playing, coaching or supporting, Greg's dedication, toughness and love for football has left a lasting mark on Casterden So, I'll start with you, Lika When you look back on your career and your playing days, what moment stand out as a career defying for you? I think a lot of my life pippets around the grand final success and for good or bad It's so hard to win and to even have one one is really a highlight of my life, I suppose, one of the highlights of my life And conversely, I suppose, the ones that you don't win They really stick in your mind a lot I mean, probably the three that I lost here were all quite winable You know, we just got jumped by Imperials Probably the low point of my life, football life was the Portland grand final and how one of the teams conducted themselves And actually the game did bring a change to the country football after that, I think the record system got introduced But yeah, look, that was a real low point And probably the most disappointing one was Timmy Chatfield's team I think we really should have won that game, we just didn't play well So yeah, I do like winning, always wanted to win So I suppose, yeah, I suppose for right or wrong, you know, the success was sent around winning or losing Yep None of us played a lose, I'm hearing you there Grumps, what was your mindset going into big games? We've heard lots about you being a big game player So how did you prepare mentally and physically for games? Well, if you were coaching, it was a, it wasn't that hard, you always put a fair bit into each game During the week, you'd go through the opposition and pick out what fault you thought they had and their strengths And try and come up with some sort of game plan But yeah, my mindset was that, you know, what we just talked about, John Gill there before It was nothing that he wouldn't ask his players to do unless he could do it himself I think I went along the same lines In most times, you know, we didn't win too many games early but we, you know, we were quite, I'll just lost 40 When I first come here, I'll start off there because this town has got something very special I played a bit of 40 round of traps and you won't find the sort of camaraderie, the work ethic of this club is next level We went to Bestside when I first came here and we lost a lot of games early We'll be trained and trained hard and we kept training hard and then finally a little bit of a spark happened The young players, they just kept turning up, they loved it And while we weren't winning games, I'd always keep an eye on the opposition the week after and you'd find it Nine times out of ten, they were losing the next week I'll put that down to how hard and how physical and how we put them to the sword We might have got the chocolates but we knew that it took a bit of sting out of them the following week I've probably gone a bit off track on the question But these clubs build around work ethic and I think the likes of Mick Foster, you couldn't hold highly enough Mick is just what he wanted and now one was going to step in his way I know there's been great presidents before him and after him But really for me starting off as a coach and to have Mick as a first-time president as well And then you could just see him setting the goals These club rooms were a start I know you've got better lights now but he found some lights from somewhere So early hours or but he got him up Things like that around the club It's just continually improved but Mick was a real man's man Mick and his brother Kevin He was another beauty, we had about 30 on the committee I couldn't believe it when I first came to the club and I see all these people And I thought they kind of all be on the committee They're all on the committee and they all had their jobs and they all done their jobs And that's where we talked about Woodshop and Creek, he was talking about that before It was nothing better, you didn't mind giving up the Sunday morning training to go Woodshop and I know which one was harder But the camaraderie as Creek he said, and the bees and whatever afterwards It just builds culture And it was a bit unfortunate to see the league go down the track it has with VFL sort of not given any support to the country fully And we were on the edge of the border so we don't really matter that much That was a sort of feeling you got around the traps and all that was going on But you know you're only going to look around and see what's in this room today And see what's happening on the ground Casting on top of the ladder so let's hope that we're going to stop talking about the 1990 boys And we've got a fresh crop coming in So I just think that we're in a good space here And it's that worth as long as we don't lose that And keep shoulder to the grindstone type attitude This club's just going to go on for bigger and better things Thanks Grumps, I'm really well said and summarised Yeah, don't mind getting off track that's absolutely okay Because it's about sharing the history and obviously you guys have lived it I'm just helping try and prompt But the one thing that I really took away from that was I remember Terry Dylan come to the Fuddy Club probably about 10 years ago now And he said you won't find a successful club in Victoria That hasn't got a really stable president and a really stable coach I think looking back to when Grumps was coaching 84 or 85 Whenever it was and he speaks about Mick and everyone else that's got up today Spoken about Mick like has truly led the foundations Which has led to obviously the flag in 1990 With other things contributing of course But yeah, I thought that was a really important part of your message there Toles, what would you say the transition was like for you from player to coach And how did it change your perspective on the game? To play as a coach, put a lot of pressure on us on myself I was committed to playing the best football every week People were reliant I felt, I felt a duty to do that To be able to perform every week And then being presented the coaching job with by Krike After he sacked Doc, I got home from Melbourne and we'd been down playing cricket for a week down in Melbourne And the coaching job was Dennis Waie family in the toilet before I went into the bar getting home from Melbourne He said oh you were the new coach So I didn't go anywhere near the bar, I ran straight home I got out of there and rang Krike in and said Doc had played up and broken a few windows So that really doubled the pressure on me I don't know if I really had the right temperament to be the coach in the Western border I just wanted my performance, I wanted to perform And I probably expected other players to come along and do the same It was very hard because at that time we were just on a little bit of a downward slope with a number of players And who could perform up to that stage We had several very good players and we had a range of players We fell away where we were playing against teams at a level of mental ability But there was a lot of pressure and I knew I had to try and do my best for the football club It's a football club that has a lot of history and there's a lot of good people went before us And we were out there trying to do the best for the football club I was expected to be a assistant coach and help Doc out with a little bit of talking and delivering the message Because that wasn't one of Doc's strengths, he's a funny character, great football but a very funny character So I was expecting that but when it was thrown back on me, it made me stand up and think a little bit more But I got through the year and we didn't win many games But we still had that same cast and attitude of going hard, making it hard for your position, try your best I don't know, I don't know What an enjoyable job, I can say that but I was prepared to do it anyway Yeah, definitely he's got his challenges, my coach doesn't agree but anyway we won't go there A question that I'll get all three is to answer please What advice would you give to the younger players, either if they're just a player and they want to get the best out of themselves Or if they would also pursue a coaching career later in their careers? Well, I won't be able to speak much about coaching, I never did it Though I probably would have got to roll as the unwise coach, I'd like to give them a fair bit of advice in the game to no avail Look, I think it really does come down to your training ethic Probably I tried to train as hard as I could I always had a mantra training that I did not want to drop a ball or miss a kick That ball's going My other mantra was that no one would give it in the ball to a bloke if you thought you could do the job better job yourself So yeah, so training but really setting high expectations of training You know, no good flopping around If you did flop around when grumpy is around, you knew about it too Just selfie He got fair bit of advice over the years One of the first things you got to do if you want to push on with football is respect yourself And be committed to playing for your teammates, respect your teammates You got to be giving your best to the team and your teammates to support you Listen to as many people as you can and learn from them I learned a lot from old players, I'd always sit with a lot of the old players who'd be there and done it And I'd take in everything that they could from them Train hard, the training track is the best place during a week of football out on the train the track And try and do everything to best you can Couching Everyone just gets it's right in that year in a long run The people who do get the opportunity to catch That's just presented to them at that time under certain circumstances and whatever And so not me, we're not all prepared to be coaches But when you're given the opportunity and the responsibility You're going to try and give it your best And try and bond all the players into one And play for the people around here on the sidelines All the people that do the volunteer work you're playing for them as much as you're playing for yourself And I know this club is some of the best following in the whole area Hardest working ladies committee The ladies used to be over in the kitchen over there And now we have this wonderful asset here And you're playing for them, they're working for you to be able to get out on the ground And so has to do a lot of respect for yourself, for your teammates and for all other people in the community So it's not easy but if you're prepared to do it you get a lot out of it Well said Greg I think these two boys here have about summed it up But to go back to what Likka was saying that Alby bought a little bit of pressure on himself Well you know we had to run laps around this oval You know like you might do four and you might do some sprints in between the lap And whatever was going on at the time And the lights weren't real flash at the start And most of the brightness was just over this side And sure enough you know where they go And he must have thought of like we're stupid you know You'd be standing in the middle and you'd be keeping an eye on him And he was telling them when they had to sprint and when they had to jog And I'm thinking it's a like Alby And he's usually pretty easy to pick Because he's always at the back and he was a built like that and fairly tall So he sort of stood out He's not there, I'm sure he's not there Another lap, next minute Alby's there Alby was hiding and he jumped over and hit behind those signs over there And then he wonders why he's late home for tea Because we had to do extras But um. Anyway that's about it for Neil Funny you say that Grumps Actually Galby a chance to give us a bit of dirt on you And he went to water He wouldn't give me any info to go up And now I bet you're now sitting there thinking I wish I had to give him something to have a go back at this bloke But anyway Just conscious the time, the senior footy will kick off in about 10 minutes So probably one more to finish from you guys And again thanks for your time But if each of you could relive one game from your time at Casterd, what would it be and why? Yeah look I think it'd be the. I think I'd get the year right, it was a 1999 I think Green Final, one of them in 2000 With Timmy Chatchfield's side I just liked them Relive that again, certainly personally but as a team I think we'd just do better I'm trying to relieve them Still has a radical story of the final That's a good trigger one that one We played in the finals, we made the finals in my time in 83 under Dockrig And we'd had the floods and boys were all distracted probably before the game But you know, we'd add in boats and sandbag and everything And we got the air Dock Gregor-Dridney's bike over from Marino to Coalrain And then he rucked all day and we were having trouble We should have been winning that game against West Gambia And I had Barry McKenzie back at Fullford Barry was mid 30s but he was the best Ruckman down around that I ever played with And it comes through a quarter time we're behind Dockrig-Been in Ruckrig-Been And nothing against that, Dock was a great football But we had to change it, it's setting up and I went to Dock and asked him, "Dock, will you come back? Change it up a bit, change it again, we've got to get the ball out of the gaps And I spoke to him and said, "Would you come back into the fore-long with me, bring Barry up And Barry could clear the centre-bounce with a big punch and just change it up Because I'll kill on the south of the gaps And I'm standing there talking to him and asking him and he just looked at me And just turned and walked away And if I could change anything I would have probably that day Hope that Dock would have listened to me and we could get to change it And we could have stepped a little bit further into the final series Because Gidden of the Finals was a rarity during I started here in 1977 I had one game in '76 under Ronnie Roach, Russell Johnson's first game And I went through to '85 and Gidden of the Finals in '83 was the be-all-endle They were long years, hard years, tough years, enjoyable years But yeah, that day, you know, if Dock was prepared to listen, I wish he'd changed it Obviously, we're in the Grand Final in '90 You can't beat it And I think all the ducks just lined up for us that year And I knew from the year before when I was playing at Millicent But in Coach and Millicent, the cast and were the best side in it The year before and I thought it just couldn't believe that they didn't go on to win the flag that year Probably the highlight for me I reckon was that we played a game over at Millicent And we were as a final against North Gambia I forget what we were down by at three-quarter time, but North Gambia were a bit of a powerhouse They had big boys and we had a lot of young bloats But they just hung in there, hung in there And in that last quarter they came out and Young Sam Beaton got the goal, but he got it from Murth I think Genko tapped straight down his throat And they got the ball rolling right from the start and all of a sudden The wheels fell off North and they allowed us to come back from I don't know how many goals they had, but we got up that day I think we got in to play in the Grand Final And we rolled the next week But it was a tough year The game we talked about before, where we got beat by Portland It was a setup, it was fair enough, but we had plenty of fun playing against Portland When Leo King was there, I'm pretty sure I'm pretty sure me and him ran into one another And there was no love loss between myself and Portland But that little thing that happened in footy and on the day In hindsight it's a great thing, but you've just got to be well drilled as a side You've got to know what to do when the shit's going down And how to bounce back or how to keep the flow going Even against Hamilton and the Grand Final We'll go well, but in the third quarter they seem to get back on top Outscorders, and then we had to rally again in the last quarter And we won quite easily, but that was a treasured time to win the Grand Final I played a lot of footy and the only one I won is a player So they are, they're hard to get And for small clubs it's even harder And as I think Coco Mauder said before, you had to make the best of that opportunity When you've got the team together You know you're not going to keep them all from year to year But you've really got to strive to get us much out of it when things are going your way And I think hopefully today they can start with a good win today and roll into the finals And see Castle with another flag Thanks very much [APPLAUSE] All right, thanks guys, much appreciated And a bit like the other guests I could sit up here and talk all day Thanks again to everyone that's come out, especially those that have travelled To celebrate one of the incredible 150 years of the Castle Football Club has been It's been an absolute pleasure to sit here and hear the stories and memories and reflection A so many passionate people who have shaped the club's history So as we look forward into the future Let's continue to honour the legacy, the spirit and the community of the Castle Football Club's made What it is today And invite everyone to enjoy the afternoon of football and netball And the rest of the reunion celebrations And here's to another 150 years of footy friendship and pride, go cats [APPLAUSE] How good was that to be able to sit down and interview some of the people who have helped Shaped the club into what it is today and have them tell us stories about the club over the years It doesn't stop there though, once the live interviews finished We grabbed the microphone and hit the crowd Catching up with more coaches, players and supporters as they recall their time at the club And what the club means to them All right, Ron, can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Well, football wise I had early days a young fella played a couple of season at the restaurant and the reserves And then went and played a weemstown for a couple of years and then in the early 20s I got a phone call from Mickey Marley He was on the committee at that time and the cast and were looking for a coach And also a coach that perhaps had a job within the town because I was a teacher And there was a couple of positions going, Mick asked me to invite him down to talk to him about taking on the coaching role Which I did, which was my first day of 23 and I was very young My wife and I were just married and she taught at Dergham, I was teaching at the primary school And yeah, it just took it on, very inexperienced, very enthusiastic, a bit like the team that we had I think So here for the 150 year celebration, what does it mean to get back to Kasten and see players running around today And know that you had a part in history and contributing to that Oh, look, it's just great. I was just talking to Damie Aussie-Gill, Venn And a couple of my players and you don't realise at the time what sort of effect you're having on a player Whether it be positive or negative And now, it's at the cornerstone for the rest of my life really With the decision, I took off Vellie I didn't put a lot of thought into it, I just saw a blow and I'll give it a go Not knowing what I was going into, but leaving Kasten, starting in Kasten and starting our family in Kasten and starting out Married life in Kasten and as I said the cornerstone in my football career, which is still ongoing after 50 odd years It was fantastic and I've got fantastic memories of Kasten and it's an integral part of our lives, yes Ron, thanks very much for your time today and also for the years you served as Senior Coach Thank you. Thanks very much. Thanks, mate. I appreciate it. Alright, now I'm joined with Roger Richardson. Roger, can you tell the listeners a little bit about yourself? Yeah, I started here as a 14-year-old in the under 18s under Jack Pollard I was in 1960, I played first-game in the under 18, second-work I played in the reserve and then from then on I played 60 odd games as a seniors, lucky to play in three premierships I was in your first three years and really enjoyed my time and then I moved to Richmond Yeah, extremely lucky but obviously talented as well, you don't just slip into those swords So what do you remember about those times? Yeah, I was very, team was very, was one another we combined very well and we had an experience of older players and young players coming through, very girl, John Vickery name a couple, myself and yeah they were really good times, I really enjoyed it Yeah fantastic, and you mentioned you moved away, so what does cast it meant to you and the ability to be able to come back and support the 150-year reunion event? What does that meant for you? Well, I've always come back, I've seen a few games over the years, not as many as I'd like to see, but I keep coming back. I've still got relations here and I was very, because my first coach was Jack Pollard and I was in with him for a long time with the under 18s doing a lot of work with him and yeah, so you just keep coming back to where your old ties have been Roger, thanks very much for your time and well down on the three premierships in the 60s, thank you Thank you very much Alright now I'm joined with Aussie Gill. Aussie, can you just tell the listeners what your connection to the cast on the Fuddy Club is? Yeah, luckily, well I played for you for seven years here and unfortunately I don't know, I don't know what I know but I was still at Minneon plastering and I'm like, 'but the name of Adlegian here, but the name of Gerald MacColane, he actually signed me up the following day for the committee here 32 years later, I resigned from the committee because I had that enough but along the way I've seen some incredible things, I can tell you, and some funny things We used to have a black pool called Frank Miller who was the head trainer at the time when I was playing under 18 football Frank was a little short fella, never ever said much at all but when he said something, you listened and if you're ever crook, you went to Frank Miller, he could fix everything Frank had this little bottle, not like today, Frank had things like on his trousers he wore a pair of scissors, some tape on top of that, some deep heat, and he had a little green bottle called Smell On Sails Jesus was a powerful, I seen it use one day out on the ground at Tronon, a guy got knocked out unfortunately Frank come out with his little bottle, put it under his nose and he climbed up the goalpost and come back to Hell again and didn't even know he'd done it, that's how good it was About six months later Frank come out and he was bragging about having this new bottle of Smell On Sails and anyway Frank bought it out and took it around the group one night at Tronon, he should have a sniff of this and you know it was that powerful, some of the old footballs up at the cemetery kicked the leads off their boxes On top of that there's many many things I could tell you We had a bike, we had the great John Garland, it's present, and there was a guy come to Town and we didn't get a lot of footballers in him days from out of town, but he was a geologist and he was playing with rocks out in the same, out in the hammocks and could you believe it, John introduced him one night after Tronon and he got him up and stood him on the boxes down there and he said his name's Perry and everyone said second name John, John said "Ah, uh, uh, uh, pebbles, that's what he was because he played his rocks, pebbles So for the 12 months John, we knew Perry is pebbles and he played full back and he was a very, very good football Oh that's awesome, and yeah I'm sure we could go all day, I'll just, uh, a couple of questions, follow up questions I'll, um, the first you've, uh, volunteered for so long So obviously the club means, um, a lot to you and um, you're able to support it for such a long time Yes, well the 1990-Cran Final, I witnessed the 1969 Grand Final as 11-year-old standing on the back of Dad's jute, um, but on top of that the 1990-Cran Final met so much to me and uh, now, current day, uh, I'm, I'm, I'm hoping like hell that we can get over the line today against Panola and that'll ensure that we do play finals and it'll ensure that we might even get a second chance So, uh, all is good I hope Yeah, me too, it's, um, yeah, massive game and they're just starting to get, get rolling out the S Hopefully they can come away with the chocolates Last one, um, you've obviously seen a lot of footy over your torn, who would you say are some of the better players that you've seen play for Casson? I put them in different categories, I, I, I look at the people that applied, I felt, or, I felt football and I look at the ones that haven't Probably that the best footballer I've seen that's played, for your football, or would be John Gil And the best player, the country foot, best country football I've ever seen that didn't play, I feel football without a doubt, Tony Lysker And there was a guy here and I can tell you a few stories quickly if you've got time about the Aboriginal lands When they come to Casson, but a guy called Popsie Colour was absolutely brilliant but he only played two seasons with us I could, if you allow, yeah give us a story, come on if you allow, if you tell you a few stories about the Aboriginal boys I interviewed the coach at the time with which team Catfield And I said to Chattas, when I noticed he was only 5 foot 10 I said Chattas, do you need any more help like as in someone that's a bigger person around the goal mouth to help you? He said Aussie, all you do is kick it to Chattas and Chattas will do the rest And Chattas kicked 87 goals for the year So how could you ever do that? Yes, yes He said to us before he left, he said to John Cox and he said don't be surprised if there might be a few more Aboriginal lands Turn up down the track three weeks later, there was 14 of me And we obviously had the task of trying to teach him the ways of Caston and Victoria And the first thing was a woodshop And the great wrong commune took through the boys out to the woodshop He rolled over a log to get ready to cut it but he didn't roll it far enough So he said to the boys he said give me a push and there was a lizard underneath the woodshop Underneath the log and he turned around and the three boys were standing on the back of the yud They didn't want to barve The great Popsie coloured He kicked six goals at Portland one day and my run he beaten by two points Popsie was unbelievable He took a couple of the local boys with him to the footy And they told me the next day wasn't bad effort for a guy that can't drink two bottles of milk on the way down Very good effort He said to me the next day came he said "Oh man why were we there? We bought a little yellow corolla" I said "Yeah what?" He said "We bought a little yellow corolla and it's a beauty" I said "How much do you pay for it Popsie?" I said "Have you paid for it?" He said "We're sort of paid for it" I said "What do you mean you're sort of paid for it Popsie?" He said "Well if the committee would give me five hundred dollars it'll be all right" And then he said "Hey Os, before you go" He said "Make sure you're telling the committee that it's got a wireless" I'll leave you with this one We had a place in Cassetton called Fuddy House which was in the Main Street And there was about eight Aboriginal leds living in there Living in there And anyway one of them said to me one day he said "Oh man could you get me a Fuddy?" I said "I'll give you a Fuddy last week" He said "Oh we lost that one" I said "What happened to it mate?" He said "You wouldn't believe us" I mean the boys were kicking the ball across the Main Street And there was a big cow truck coming through And the young fella kicked it a bit short I think it's in Adelaide That's so good thanks All thanks for your time and thanks for all the work you've done over the years And you're a great life member of the club Thank you Thank you very much for what you've done Cain And today has been absolutely brilliant Yeah good day, it's Brett Marl here I've been following the club for over 50 years It used to be great when I was a kid My dad was a trainer there From as early back as I remember And watching the likes of Johnny Gill and China Kylie Damien Smith as well as like the You're Julian Vises, Barry McKenzie, Mick Hors, for a Doctor Greg Me Uncle Bill Maddix, real good family atmosphere around the club The shows we used to go to The out of the Shere and Sheds on different people's farms And going to watch the club at the drive-in At the Casson Drive-in, that was really good Mick Hors for his coach And then he'd been a Collingwood And yeah just those sort of events when I was a kid It was really good to sort of get around even the Sunday sessions Dad dragged me along to the Sunday session At the old in the change rooms, that was the club rooms at the time Yeah really good times for me as a kid growing up I just wanted to be like all those blokes And one day hopefully play I had never really got the opportunity I wasn't good enough, it doesn't help But I still got to be involved with a great club For a long long time still involved with the club And love me time there You know, doing me ride ups on the weekend Unfortunately I can't be there this weekend I've got to work But hopefully everybody has a great time at the 150th All right now I'm catching up with Gary Gurney The 1969 Premiership Coach And Coach for a couple of years following that Gary what do you remember about the 1969 year in particular And what do you think enabled you to win the Premiership that year It was because we had 20 good players We had a good selection committee We had good trainers And everything about it was good Fantastic so in 70 and 71 What do you think was there a major drop off We used with air or air about And just couldn't quite get to the final glory In 71 We lost 16 No sorry 14 of our Premiership side Gone away somewhere We had to get all the kids that had played big grade Because not many of those kids had actually played big grade Because we had such a permanent side Bobby Richardson was one of our chief selectors His wife was one of our or my chief cup of tea maker Very good people And 64 years later or 65 years later It is so bloody good to see him again Absolutely and I'm sure they feel exactly the same Now I'm led to believe you've travelled probably nearly 500 cases to get you today What does it mean to come back and catch up with people like Bobby and Josie And some of you former teammates Well Bobby Marrow I haven't seen for 40 years We've been Pedro, Pedro Pedro We went in the grand final And a few of the committee men went up and we borrowed two players from Dartmore And I had never heard of this before in my life And Pedro come to me and he said Gary What are we going to do? I said well Pedro I've got no idea who to drop And he said if you'll guarantee me 90s man in the grand final he said you can drop me And that was what our whole side was like That's such a selfless thing to do isn't it? So amazing Gary great for that you were able to make the effort and get up today I hope you've enjoyed the proceedings It's so fantastic to see these people from Castleton Thank you Thank you What is my name? My connection to the football club is playing Juniors all the way from the age of nine through the 18 And I've got so many fond memories but one of my favourite ones is When I had Philip Doyle or Swampars he's been in a round town His mind was 14 to coach and he used to have this rule I can't remember exactly what it was But if you kicked a couple of certain amount of goals During your game he'd make it, kick on your opposite foot Calcari would actually be a great one to ask Because this happened to him every second week I think he's so good on both feet because Swampars always make him do this But anyway one of my top age games he spoke to me in half time I must have been on a hit out kicking one or two And he put me on my left foot, went back out, got stuck on my right Couldn't kick it on my left, kicked the foot in my right And then sure enough got dragged, sat in the bench for 10 minutes Which is criminal because the court has only went for 15 But there's such a funny way for someone to be able to kick on both feet Because it's such an important skill as you develop into the senior level And it's just a way that he did that so that I can develop that skill Which is obviously really important And then I guess what the club means to me I still mean so much even though I've been removed from it I still get a great kick every week when I get on play HQ after the team I coached on a Saturday And you know see that the teams had a win or the clubs had a win And that they're progressing up the ladder like it's really exciting Because it just means so much to so many people Like my dad for instance is doing the memberships at the moment And we haven't had a family member directly involved in the club for a long time The club just means so much to so many and it's evident in the people that volunteer And have done for such a long time So yeah it's a special place and very proud to say that it's my home club Alright at the 150 year reunions He now with Greg Brock, Greg has had massive involvement in the Kesson Fuddy Club over the years Not so what do you think it is that has allowed you to be such a great supporter of the club? Just the friendships you make and they're just the people who are here They're just so friendly and so good And if you're getting involved you might as well be involved heart and soul That's the type of people who keep both of them in myself out of it They just love being involved and it's a good club to be involved with And you're away now from Kesson but the ability to come back What did it mean to you when you got into the room you could see you know all the history 150 years you got people from the 60s right through to today How did it make you feel and what does it mean to you? Very proud to be part of it, to be honest, very very proud to be one of those people And I just spoke to Eddie McGraw there before to be heavily involved in that year when I was president We changed and decided and got the whole community to be as one And it's just made a huge difference I believe to the town, the support And it's just a welcoming good place to be And just to see all the old faces and it just lights up your life To be honest it's brilliant Absolutely and if we talk about the time going into what was the merger and the talks around that What impact do you think it would have if it didn't go ahead from a town point of view It's just it was too hard, it's like any sort of business if there's no not enough supply There's too much demand and there's not enough players, there's too much paid, there's too much cost Businesses are paying two sponsorships, they can consolidate, only pay one Even if it's not the two you can bond but it's a little bit less it just helps You've got all your people, all your resources into one club and it you're walking up and down the street You've all got the same focus, you're all for one club, one club, towns And it was going to happen but just when we did it just worked so well and just so glad Both casted and Sanford people now, I've really gotten from behind it and I just think it's great, fantastic Yeah obviously just a piece of history now but there's a lot of water that had to go on the bridge to get to that stage But definitely agree that it's been the best move for the town possible If you had to describe the cast in the footy club in a few words, how would you do that? Loyal, passionate, tough and that's the spirit And just welcoming, enjoyable It's nice to win but it's even better to be part of a club that you feel You're part of and welcoming and just it's just a bloody good place to be I totally agree and last one to finish Greg, you and your family have also been massive supporters and volunteered so many hours of time If there's a younger person that's tuning in and listening to this, what would you say to them about if they were given the opportunity Or even if they're not given the opportunity but to be able to come and volunteer at the club, what would you say to them? Get involved, come and jump on board Just follow the good leaders like your Shane Foster's, your Cain Forbes and all these people, the Leanne McCannons, get involved Watch what they do and the more involvement you have, the more enjoyment you have Just get involved because once you're involved you're part of it The winds are so much more sweeter than just being on the outside, just being a follower, be a helper Greg, thanks so much for your time We are the boys from Castids and we are happy and carefree We are trainers and communities, we'll work in harmony All this year we will be friendly as it's how we all will sing with clean For our fear lets always happy, in the fields of the glory That brings us close to the Castins and Stanford Football Netball Club and Castins Connections Collaboration for the 150-year reunion celebration We hope that you have enjoyed the journey as much as we have enjoyed creating it