Almanac Footy: A History of Australian Rules Football in Woomera 1948 to 1992 – Part 12: 1976 – 1977

David ‘Dick’ Turpin  is a Brisbane friend of Almanacker Allan Barden. During the late 60s early 70s David spent a few years working in Woomera when it was quite a thriving community.

David has researched and written a history of footy in Woomera from the years 1948 to 1992.

The Footy Almanac will publish David’s extensive history over a number of weeks. 

Dick has also completed a history of Woomera water polo. 

 

1976

Jim Killen, the Minister for Defence, in a Statement to the House said ‘Activities at the Woomera Rocket Range in South Australia are to be reduced during the next four years to a care and maintenance level.’

 

A further statement by the Director of WRE Dr. M W Woods said ‘that a total reduction of employees in Woomera is expected to be 520.’

 

This could have far-reaching consequences on the social activities of the town.

 

Coaches for the 1976 season were Centrals – Paddy O’Neill, Koolymilka – Alan Trott, Mt Gunson – Kevin Pelham, Village – Donny Brown, and Works – Gary Joseph. Gary Joseph had previously played for South Adelaide in the SANFL.

 

It was also decided that due to the decrease in population, it would be a sixteen-a-side competition.

 

The winner of the Area & Mail medals was Angelo Mele of Centrals, Alan Trott of Koolymilka was second and Butch Leverington of Works was third.

 

For good measure, Angelo won the goal-kicking award with 62 goals and was best on the ground in both the 2^nd semi-final and the grand final. He kicked 8 goals in the grand final.

 

The best Under-21 player was the Works ruckman Stan Grillett.

 

Player Life Membership was awarded to Michael Hancock of the Koolymilka club. It is thought that Michael was the first Woomera born person to achieve this feat.

 

Points at the end of the minor round were Centrals 24, Works 14, Mt Gunson 8, Koolymilka 8, and Village 6. Centrals were undefeated and they would go on to be undefeated premiers joining Works and Village in this category.

 

During the finals, Works was forced to forfeit the preliminary final as they only had ten fit players and an unbelievable 16 players injured.

 

Team	Wins	Byes	Losses	Draws	For	Against	%	Pts
Centrals	12	3	0		1970	590	76.95	24
Works	7	3	5		1305	1320	49.71	14
Mt Gunson	4	3	8		1139	1600	41.58	8
Koolymilka	4	3	8		883	1475	37.45	8
Village	3	3	9		1110	1422	43.84	6

 

Final	Team	G	B	Pts	Team	G	B	Pts
1st Semi	Mt Gunson	21	21	147	Koolymilka	13	7	85
2nd Semi	Centrals	34	27	231	Works	2	8	20
Preliminary	Mt Gunson			Def	Works on forfeit
Grand	Centrals	19	22	136	Mt Gunson	4	11	35

 

Grand Final: Centrals defeated Mt Gunson 19.22 (136) to 4.11 (35).

 

Premiership Coach: Daniel “Paddy O’Neill. Premiership Captain: Phil Walters.

 

Best in Grand Final: Angelo Mele – Centrals, R Ireland – Mt Gunson.

 

League Best & Fairest – Area & Mail Medals: 1^st Angelo Mele – Centrals 28, 2^nd Alan Trott – Koolymilka 18, 3^rd Butch Leverington – Works 14.

 

Leading Goalkickers: 1^st Angelo Mele – Centrals 62, 2^nd T Wilson – Centrals 48, 3^rd Bryan Hughes – Village 46.

 

Player Life Membership: Michael Hancock – Koolymilka.

 

League President: Pat Cullinan. League Secretary: F T Grose.

 

 

Centrals Football Club – Undefeated Premiers 1976 – Paddy O’Neill Coach, Phil Walters Captain

 

1976 WJFL

The Juniors got off to a bad start when their AGM was cancelled due to insufficient numbers.

 

A few weeks later at a recalled AGM a committee was formed with Jack Curley as president.

 

This committee then got off to a flying start having the draw, player allocations and coach appointments finalised by the beginning of April.

 

Coached appointed were Demons – John Shepherdson, Eagles – Gary Smoker, Magpies – Bill Harvey, and Roosters – Russell Campbell.

 

With some extra coaching from Angelo Mele, 4 junior players Simon Gee, Geoff Polkinghorne, Graeme Porter, and Paul Worthy trialled with the North Adelaide Under-17 side. They acquitted themselves well kicking 12 or 15 goals between them in a winning side.

 

Peter Leverington, following in his father and brother’s footsteps as a footballer was the top goalkicker in the WJFL with 69 goals.

 

In the finals, the lack of player numbers was beginning to show. In the 1^st semi-final, both the Magpies and Roosters had insufficient numbers and the match was abandoned. Then in the 2^nd semi-final, the Eagles forfeited to the Demons.

 

It was then decided that the following week a scratch match would be held between a composite Magpie/Rooster team and the Eagles. The result would not affect the grand final which would be between the Demon and Eagles.

 

The Demons subsequently won the grand final only their 3^rd win since the inception of the WJFL.

 

Final	Team	G	B	Pts	Team	G	B	Pts
1st Semi	Magpies forfeit				Roosters forfeit
2nd Semi	Demons			Def	Eagles on forfeit
Preliminary	No match
Grand	Demons	9	15	69	Eagles	6	9	45

 

Grand Final: Demons defeated Eagles 9.15 (69) to 6.9 (45).

 

Premiership Coach: John Shepherdson. Premiership Captain: Rodney McGregor.

 

Best in Grand Final: Peter Koenig – Demons, R Aspinall – Eagles.

 

League Best & Fairest: 1^st Peter Koenig – Demons 18, 2^nd K McCasky – Eagles 10, 3^rd J Cross – Eagles 9.

 

Leading Goalkicker: Peter Leverington – Demons 69.

 

Junior League President: Jack Curley.

 

 

1977

Following on from the Ministerial Statement of 1976 concerning the future of Woomera a decline in the population was having a serious effect on football viability. Both the Works Sports Club and the Village Sports Club were unable to form football teams and there was a real danger the competition was going to be reduced to 3 teams.

 

Works tried to attract Village players without success and Village tried to attract Works players also without success. Both teams had been fierce rivals over the preceding 25 years and neither was prepared to lose their club identity or play in the opposite club colours.

 

An informal meeting between Jim Birch (President) and Bryan Hughes of the Village Club and John Shepherdson (President) and Gary Joseph of the Works Club brought forward the idea of a composite side.

 

After a lot of toing and froing a meeting was held in the Works Sport Club in early March and it was decided that a new club would be formed using the gold colour from the Works black and gold guernsey and the blue colour from the Village blue and white guernsey. After discussion the final name of the new club would be Woomera North and the emblem would be the Eagle.

 

The formation of this new club meant that all Village and Works players were free to go to whichever club they decided on without clearances. Every player to the man from the old clubs signed to play for Woomera North and a concentrated effort was made to sign new players in the area.

 

John Shepherdson and Bryan Hughes, with the help of the President of the WFL Pat Cullinan, drafted a new constitution and presented it along with the 1977 nomination fees at the league AGM.

 

Woomera North was voted into the league by Centrals, Koolymilka Mt Gunson in March 1977.

 

John Shepherdson had been working on an outsider for a coach so as not to cause any animosity from players or supporters.  The final choice was John Payne a well-known and respected football identity who had previously played for Centrals.

 

In an interleague match the Woomera League defeated the Flinders League 15.16 (106) to 14.15 (99).

 

The Area & Mail medals were won by Terry Morphett of Central; second was his teammate and last year’s winner Angelo Mele; third was Des Zobel of Woomera North who was also the top goalkicker with 89 goals.

 

Player Life membership was awarded to Ray Dodds (RIP) of Koolymilka, Bruce Perkins who played for both Works and Koolymilka and Les Keatch of Centrals.

 

At the end of the minor round, Centrals had only lost 1 game for the year and were clear favourites to win successive premierships.

 

Then all hell broke loose. Woomera North who was second on the table got wind of a story that the town’s best footballer Angelo Mele who worked for the SA Education Department, had played a game for an A8 Amateur side in Adelaide during the school holidays.

 

This information was presented to the WFL and Angelo was subsequently ruled ineligible to play in the Woomera Football League finals. Woomera North whose relentless investigation brought the breach to light had become firm favourites for the WFL flag.

 

The whole episode split the town in two and to this day there are some previously good friends who no longer speak to each other.

 

I was in contact with Angelo in 2013 and he never mentioned the incident. All he was interested in was getting in touch with some ex-Woomerites of that era.

 

Team	Wins	Byes	Losses	Draws	For	Against	%	Pts
Centrals	11		1				78.00	22
Norths	8		4				74.00	16
Mt Gunson	3		9				35.00	8
Koolymilka	0		12				15.00	0

 

Final	Team	G	B	Pts	Team	G	B	Pts
1st Semi	Mt Gunson	19	20	134	Koolymilka	4	8	32
2nd Semi	Norths	17	11	113	Centrals	9	24	78
Preliminary	Centrals	18	13	121	Mt Gunson	9	10	64
Grand	Norths	14	8	92	Centrals	10	18	78

 

Grand Final: Woomera North defeated Centrals 14.8 (92) to 10.18 (78).

 

Premiership Coach: John Payne. Premiership Captain: John Shepherdson.

 

Best in Grand Final: Gavin Hitch – Norths, G Cox – Centrals.

 

League Best & Fairest – Area & Mail Medals: 1^st Terry Morphett – Centrals 19, 2^nd Angelo Mele – Centrals 14, 3^rd Des Zobel – Norths 12.

 

Leading Goalkickers: 1^st Des Zobel – Norths 89, 2^nd Graeme Porter – Centrals 49, 3^rd Angelo Mele – Centrals 43.

 

Player Life Membership: Les Keatch – Centrals, Ray Dodds – Koolymilka, Bruce Perkins – Works and Koolymilka.

 

League President: Pat Cullinan. League Secretary: F T Grose/Jack Curley.

 

 

1977 WJFL

The WJFL was beginning to have trouble with player numbers, as by finals time the Magpie had insufficient players and were forced to forfeit.

 

The second semi-final produced a lopsided result with the Roosters failing to score against the Eagles.

 

Final	Team	G	B	Pts	Team	G	B	Pts
1st Semi	Demons			Def	Magpies on forfeit
2nd Semi	Eagles	17	21	123	Roosters	0	0	0
Preliminary	Roosters	12	10	82	Demons	8	5	53
Grand	Eagles	18	32	140	Roosters	2	6	18

 

Grand Final: Eagles defeated Roosters 18.32 (140) to 2.6 (18).

 

Premiership Coach: Gary Smoker. Premiership Captain: Grant Oaklands.

 

Best in Grand Final: P Robinson – Eagles, Gary Curley – Roosters.

 

League Best & Fairest: 1^st Gary Curley – Roosters 13, 2^nd S Cunningham – Magpies 9, 3^rd K McGregor – Demons 7.

 

Leading Goalkicker: Gary Curley – Roosters 35.

 

Junior League President: Jack Curley.

 

 

 

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