Medal men: Sixteen team members that won the Kyabram district league 1974 thirds (under-16) premiership returned to the Lancaster club for a 50th reunion on Saturday. (Back, from left) Kevin Bell (runner), Mick Coventry, Peter Edwards, Peter Davy, Tony Ryan, Jackie Williams, Barry Goode and Cliff Warren. (Front, from left) Ronnie Warren, Steven Sharp, Lindsay Orr, Keith Whitford (coach), Geoff Goode (captain), Phil Wade, David Body and Keith Busch.
Fifteen of the 22 players who claimed the 1974 Kyabam and District Football League “Thirds” premiership returned to Lancaster Football Netball Club on the weekend for a 50-year reunion.
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Keith Busch, Lindsay Orr and Steve Sharp combined their enthusiasm and knowledge to bring the men back to the club for the day — 10 years after they had last gathered to remember the match from Saturday, September 21 at Undera.
Among the participants in the reunion was coach Keith Whitford, who travelled from Timboon (in between Colac and Warrnambool) for the event.
“We have 15 players, the runner and the coach here today,” Lindsay Orr said.
The team, back then, was made up of under-16s and was coached by decorated footballer, coach and league official, Whitford.
He was playing his last season with Lancaster at the time and had earlier taken Murchison to the inaugural thirds premiership — in 1970.
They were the only two premierships he coached.
Lancaster played Undera in the grand final, winning by 10 points on the back of two goals from Peter Edwards and captain Jeff Goode.
Other goal kickers were David Body and vice-captain Jackie Williams.
Williams travelled from Coffs Harbour to attend the event, rewarded (as were all participants) with the presentation of an engraved premiership medallion and a themed stubby holder.
The team included brothers Barry and Jeff Goode, whose younger brother Trevor was the team mascot on the day.
Well-known Kyabram bush poet Mick Coventry was also in the team.
1974 KDL Thirds premiers: (Back, from left) Keith Whitford (coach), P. Edwards, J. Meneghetti, M. Coventry, K. Dickens, T. Ryan, P. Davies, K. Bear, J. Williams, B. Goode and J. De Soyres (Out of picture, goal umpire). (Middle, from left) I. Collie, S. Sharp, L. Orr, G. Goode, R. Glare, P. De Soyres and P. Anderson. (Front, from left) G. De Soyres (Obscured, boundary umprie), K. Busch, G. Warren, P. Wade, T. Goode (mascot), R. Warren, C. Ford, D. Boyd and C. Warren.
“There were 26 people in the team photo, two of them have passed away — Geoff Warren and team manager Jack DeSoyers — so the representation is really great,” Keith Busch said
Tony Ryan was best-on-ground in the grand final and team members reminisced about their glory days.
Nine of the team were former Lancaster primary school students, so the surrounds remained extremely familiar.
Earlier in the year the Lancaster 2004 under-17 premiership team, coached by long-time Kyabram businessman and former Lancaster full-back Rohan Bennett, conducted a reunion of their own.
Captain and coach: Jeff Goode and Keith Whitfort were two of the vital cogs in the 1974 premiership win of Lancaster.
