THE POWER HOUSE FOOTBALL CLUB

PAST PLAYERS REUNION LUNCH OF 2009

“HONOURING THE 1959 CHAMPION TEAM”

 

The Power House Football Club Reunion Lunch on July 25 2009 was a day of great importance for the Power House Football Club.

 

Some 80 past players from 1947 to the present walked into the rooms decorated with Green, Black & White balloons, streamers, tablecloths, and serviettes.

 

On the tables were Programs, extracts from1959 Amateur Footballer, some Lord Somers Camp Journals and information on Camp and LSC activities. Also there were display screens with various club memorabilia, some early Team photos on walls and a newly framed and named photo of the Inaugural 1947 team (a smaller version of the big display photo behind the Bar), donated by Nic Pavlou.

 

From 1947 we were fortunate to have John Layton and Dick Steel with us. Others from 1948, 49 & 50 were John Dillon, Jeff Wills, Trevor Berry, Dave Hillberg and Gordon Robert.

 

Of the 34 Club Life Members, 22 were present on the day including:-

 

Trevor Berry,  Henry Brzezinski,  Shane Cross,  Ian Dakin,  Rick Dakin, John Dillon,  Frank Doyle,  Leigh Grant,  Les Gordon,  Ian Hammet,  Peter Hutchinson,  John Layton,  Steven Mason,  John McClure,  Lyndsay McIntyre,  Nic Pavlou,  Craig Richardson,  Gordon Robert,  Jeff Scotland,  Harry South,  Fred Stafford and Rick Sykes

 

There were 15 players from the 1959 Champion Team and 8 players from the 1959 Junior Team. Also we had many players including a large group from our 1971 and 1973 Premiership sides including 1971 Premiership Captain-Coach Les Gordon and 1973 Premiership Captain Rick Sykes.

 

It was also great to see many players from the 2000 Premiership Team together with Premiership Coach Kevin Barnes reliving past glories and stories.

 

Our 2006 Premiership Team was represented by Club Secretary Mick Verberne and players Chris Doolan and Dave Burnside.

 

As Guests we were pleased to welcome from the University High School Grand Final opponents of 1959, their Coach and doyen teacher George Murray, and player Viv Peterson - who later continued his career with the North Melbourne Kangaroos and then became their Club Doctor.

 

There was a great buzz of excitement in the room, with past players recalling old memories when Master of Ceremonies Nic Pavlou called for people to be seated for lunch.

 

Nic welcomed our guests and past players and spoke passionately of the Club History, past characters and luminaries and spoke about what the club meant to him and to the many players that had gone before and after him. He reminisced about some past players and great times and gave everyone some feeling for their time of involvement at the Club. He also spoke importantly of the great, strong and long friendships made through the Power House Football Club.

 

At 1 pm Club Legend, Les Gordon addressed the Team in the change rooms and then Senior Coach Darren Cooper brought the players upstairs and introduced them to the room.

 

Pav then introduced and hosted a Discussion Panel comprising of:-

 

John Layton

1959 Premiership Coach

Member of 1947 Inaugural Team

Life Member

 

Les Gordon

1959 Premiership Player,

1971 Premiership Captain-Coach  

Club Games Record Holder

Life Member

 

Rob Newton

1971 & 1973, Premiership Player,

1983 Captain-Coach

Current Principal of University High School.

 

Pav posed many well researched questions resulting in interesting memories of past years and many humorous comments. It was uncovered that John Layton was actually a very old past student of Uni High!!.

 

Also Pav asked Leigh “Curly” Grant, George Murray and Viv Peterson to say a few words.

 

Ian Hammet made an exciting announcement that he is putting together a team to write The History of the Power House Football Club and he handed out some questionnaires to  past players to contribute their thoughts to the book writing.

 

2pm came too quickly and there was a rush to Shane “Crossy” Cross (behind the bar) for last drinks.

 

Thanks to Dave “Fitzy” Fitzpatrick for organizing his catering friends to serve us a delightful meal.

 

After Lunch there was plenty of support for “The House" from the balcony including the familiar “dulcet tones” of Harry South encouraging the boys!

 

Some past players stayed for a drink after the game and were pleased to meet current players who were very disappointed with the loss to UHSOB.

 

 

Past Lord Somers Camp Chief , Phil Rhoden had a saying:-

"Things don't just happen - somebody makes them happen"

 

 

Special Thanks are due to people such as Shane Cross, Craig Richardson, Nic Pavlou, Ian Hammet, Peter Hutchinson, Ian Dakin and Dave Worland ('59 Junior) who did the hard work of contacting past players.

 

Fitzy, Richo and Pav did the set up on the Friday with Gordo Robert, Ian Dakin and Crossy doing their bit on the Saturday. Crossy did a great job of running the bar while Nigel Deans organized the video (soon to be released). Tyson Goldsworthy and Rick Dakin of Printing Intelligence for printing the programs and copying the memorabilia.

 

It was certainly a day of “Good Food, Good Fun and Good Fellowship".

 

The reunion lunch was a great day in Power House history.

 

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