Michael Verberne played 112 games for Power House in a playing career that spanned 8 seasons between 2002 and 2009. He was a member of the 2006 Senior Premiership team. After 3 years on the general committee, Mick served as the Club Secretary from 2006 – 2011, at the time, the longest term of service in this role. He also continued to umpire the Reserves and has played a key role at the club over the past 16 seasons. Mick was also elected as a Life Member in 2017. Micky is happily married to Andrea and has three young daughters who keep him busy most weekends.
He sat down at the bar with Pav to chat about the good old days…
Pav: Micky, I remember your first ever game…it was Craig Richardson’s 150th and we played at Elsternwick Park in a howling wind. What were your initial thoughts?
Micky:Yes, it was round 7 and I was a sprightly 30 year old recruit coming out of retirement. As it turned out, we were playing against my personal and undoubtedly our shared arch enemy Hawthorn and we beat them, so I enjoyed that – how good was it that they still haven’t won a flag.
I remember a lot about the day but particularly Rocket Marshall taking mark after mark on the last line of defence, feeding Richo his only goal of the day and the song – what the hell was that?!?
I remember Blowers the most – I was upgraded to the wing and he was on the other wing – all he did all day was tell me to piss off back to my own wing – of course his wing included the whole centre corridor as well as his wing, but well, I suppose I was just happy to get a kick in my little space.
Pav: So how did you come down to the House?
Micky:Club legend (well so he says) “Scamp” McFarlane worked with me and told me that the House was short on numbers – so he called on “Crossy” to do all the hard work and sign me up.
I remember Rocket Marshall telling me at training that I was going to be half back flank and I thought about telling him to get stuffed but went with it anyway. Scampy told everyone at work so I had a little posse come along waiting for me to fail – I got a “chugalug” for that game so they left disappointed.
I brought along a mate to play that day – the great Dave Rodger – his illustrious career at the house lasted 1 game, 1 fumbled touch and no possessions – certainly a club record.
Pav: In 2002, Peter O’Connor was Senior Coach. Tell me what you remember.
Micky:Not much other than he was a good bloke – he gave me a senior game so I was happy about that. I proceeded to let him down by kicking 0 goals 7 points in my first senior game which could also be viewed as 1 goal 1 in my mind.
Pav: In your playing years, you saw off a few coaches…Peter O’Connor, Brett Devlin, Rob Sarosi and Darren Cooper What do you remember about these guys?
Micky:All good blokes – Devo was a bit crazy but let me do what I want.
I enjoyed playing for Sarose. He’d like to think he was an innovator but his rotations policy was bullsh!t. But he got us playing as one and has been a great support to me outside of the club.
Coops was and still is my premiership teammate – Did a great job in his 2 years and I’m sure that we’re still devastated about the one that got away – 2008 when we should have at a minimum made the grand final but managed to stuff that up through no fault of Coops.
Pav: Who were some of the key faces you met when you first came down?
Micky:Apart from the ressies coach Rocket, I remember running into Jeremy Robertson on my first night at training – Robbo and I, together with James Tucker, knew each other in a past life during uni days and weren’t expecting to run into each other. He tried to give me a new nickname but it didn’t really work – not many took much notice of Big Robbo. (I will pay for that)
Pav: You were a hard at it onballer who loved a chat and hated to handball. You also loved kicking a goal.
Micky:This ‘no handball fallacy’ is all crap. Preston Miskelly recorded the stats in the 2006 grand final and that tells you a story. I had a theory – take them on, draw the players and feed to the free blokes – I though it worked OK. Yes I loved a goal – don’t we all – funny that I couldn’t play as a forward and found most goals as an onballer.
Pav: It’s been 10 years since that fateful day at Oakleigh when we won the flag against bitter rivals Hawthorn. How do you remember the game?
Micky: I remember Reecey Humphrey carrying on like a pork chop because he couldn’t find his gear as he finished coaching the 2s to a win and getting changed to be a premiership champ.
And Sarose’s stress about Hawthorn finding out about Tayls’ mattress strapped around his body to protect his ribs.
Hawthorn had won 13 on the trot and smashed us with ½ a team by 100 plus points at Glenferrie Oval during the season. They carried on like they were superstars that day and sang the song in the middle like the idiots that they were (well not all of them).
I remember going in feeling confident and personally I had felt the best I had for ages after injury. I also knew that I had the wood on my old mate Aitken and that helped.
That night I loved the work of Wanger and Bowls who did a great job decorating my car as they pulled an allnighter at the clubrooms.
Pav: During the 2006 season, senior coach Rob Sarosi had brought in the rotation policy which meant that you and your fellow rovers worked in tandem changing off the bench. My recollection is that you weren’t a fan…and told Sarosi exactly that! Any comments?
Micky:Yes it was bullsh!t – if you’re not tired, why come off!! Still not a fan at VAFA or AFL level.
Pav: That side had a few handy players in it. Who stood out to you?
Micky:There was plenty of talent in that field – Eddo gets enough credit in these things so I won’t mention him. Matty Taylor was possibly the most talented, awesome hands and played a great Grand Final. Paul Sosic was unbelievably committed and Matty Hill and Davy Grahek were part of a fantastic engine room. I could go on – Preston Miskelly could have been a superstar – where did he go?
Pav: What was the highlight of your time at the House?
Micky: Winning the premiership, but also getting to play a few games with my brother Mark. I still remember us leading the league goalkicking as 1st and 2nd after 2 rounds in 2005. Mark kicked 7 and myself 4 against Hawthorn on the poo swept Rathmines Reserve in round 2 and I still remember Mark being devastated when the Poo Men gave me the BOG stubbies. It’s a shame we missed Mark in his prime as he was a dead set gun.
Pav: You have made some great friendships with your teammates…who do you still see?
Micky:I catch up with Franky Doyle, Jeremy Robbo, Andrew Robbo, Craig Richo and James Tucker for a beer or as part of a social golf comp quite regularly. We’re also part of a biannual weekend golf trip also with Fish Clayton and John Senior called the TBPHPPAOGBEITSDAGW – I’d tell you what it means but I’d have to kill you. Clearly unsurpassed as the best annual golf trip for past players in the history of PHFC. I’ll take applications but we’re talking about an elite field here and Dean Crawford, Knobby Haseler are all paying the penalty for missing out on their opportunity. I also catch up with Crossy and Scampy from time to time including an annual golf trip to the wilderness near Omeo where Crossy loses his mind on the slops and Scampy finishes 2nd every year.
Pav: What about your umpiring? You continue running around with the whistle every season looking after the Reserves. What does that mean to you?
Micky:Well its good to give back to the club. If only Bucks would settle a bit and Patty Arnold would stop whinging for free kicks every time the ball goes near him. And the Irish blokes – I love em but we need to get teach them to kick. To be honest, its frustrating – when we are struggling, I just want to grab the footy and have a crack – I still get itchy feet.
Pav: What about your time on the Committee? 6 years as Club Secretary. You served with 3 Presidents during those years. Craig Richardson, Jason Nicholls and me. How did they differ? Anything of interest stand out?
Micky: I made you all look good – and it was 9 years but who’s counting. No, it take some commitment and I think we all underestimate the amount of personal time and effort that our presidents and our committee put in. I might be biased because they were around in my time but the work that Paddy Barrett and Patty Arnold has put into the club and our resurgence both on and off the field should not be underestimated. Oh and you too Pav.
Pav: Do you remember much about your 100th game?
Micky:Not really. I think we played Kew and we won, but I think they were pretty crap so it was nothing overly special.
Pav: Tell me about the Irish in your time at the House.
Micky: Paddy, Kyney and Macca were the pioneers in 2006 – I still can’t believe that Kyney didn’t pass that fitness test for the 2006 grand final. I was in fear of them as you never really knew what they were doing. Lynchy owes me some teeth and some time in hospital for zigging when he should have zagged and cleaning me up in the head while I had the footy against Swinburne one day.
Pav: Towards the end of your career, you carried a few injuries but you were pretty durable. Did you put much effort into “Perfect Preparation Prevents Poor Performance”?
Micky:I was a bit of a footy head and tried to get the best out of my body but I retired a few times and the 2 or 3 years where I started late, were the years when I kept getting injured. There’s a lesson in there somewhere.
Pav: Did you understand much about the Lord Somers link when you arrived?
Micky:No but I think that its great that we get involved – our players should not underestimate their ability to help change people’s lives and what that does for us as individuals. And it creates a lot of connections that can help with careers and lives outside of football.
Pav: You were inducted into Life Membership of the PHFC. How does that make you feel?
Micky: Being a Life Member at Power House FC is a true honour. To have been recognised as an important contributor to the history of our great club helps me recognise that I helped create the foundation for so many lasting memories and friendships in future generations.
Pav: And just to finish off, can you put to rest the long running debate between you and Bruce Wilson as to who was the best number 32?
Micky: Pav that’s an easy one and I can settle it right now. Bruce was a good player but I think I’ve got Big Brucey well covered in all areas!
