Almanac Footy: Colac Youth Club Under 16 Premiers 1965 and 1966
Inspired by a post from Matt Zurbo on grand finals, Footy Almanac editor David Wilson (E.regnans) suggested fellow editors and the wider Almanac could share their premiership victories. Here is a brief account of my only two premierships with the Colac Youth Club in 1965 and 1966.
Colac Youth Club Premiers 1965, Col Ritchie is front row, second from the left [Source: Author]
Colac Youth Club Premiers 1966, Col Ritchie is front row, far right [Source: Author]
I was fortunate enough to play in consecutive premiership sides with The Colac Youth Club U16 team in 1965 and 1966. I don’t remember much about the ’65 game except that it was hard fought and we won in the dying moments by a few points.
1966 I remember more clearly. I’d spent nearly six months with my right leg plastered from ankle to the top of my thigh, and I was desperate to get back into footy once the plaster came off. That took a little longer than I’d anticipated as it took some time for my withered leg to return to normal. Thankfully it did and I was able to play the last part of the season.
Our team had gone through the season undefeated only to lose our first match against the Colac Magpies in the Second Semi Final.
Kicking against a strong wind in the last quarter we managed to sneak home by a goal or so in the preliminary final, and into the Grand Final to face our arch rivals.
I had a dream start in the Grand Final, kicking the first three goals of the match in the first 10 minutes. The first came not long after the opening bounce. I was playing forward pocket-cum-rover. My dad always told me: ‘play in front son’, which I did, and lo and behold the ball landed in my arms. All my team mates called me to pass the ball off. They didn’t think I could kick the distance. I decided I could, went back, held the Ross Faulkner for a torp and let sail. Perfect connection with my Matchless footy boot (a forerunner to Adidas) and the first goal of the match was scored. My second goal again came by playing in front as a floater dropped short into my waiting arms. Another beautifully executed torp and I’d kicked two in five minutes. The third came from the next centre bounce after ruckman Doodle Williamson with a mighty punch forward sent the ball in my direction.It was just me and my opponent, and luckily my zippy pace was just enough to get in front of him, pick the ball up and snap around the corner. No-one was in the goal square, the ball bounced end on end and finally rolled through for another goal. I could not believe my fortune. Come the second quarter I had a new opponent who immediately gave me a whack when I wasn’t looking. Down I went like a bag of spuds, then staggered to my feet and received another whack. I don’t think I got another kick for the match after that!
However (to cut a long story short) we easily accounted for our opponents despite my troubles later in the game and took out the 1966 flag for the second year running!
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About Colin Ritchie
Retired teacher who enjoys following the Bombers, listening to music especially Bob Dylan, reading, and swimming.
Great stuff Col.
So tell us about the junior comp in Colac?
How many teams/clubs?
Were the Magpies from the Imperials Club?
Any district teams?
School teams?
Catholic teams?
I’m presuming this was in the era when each town & distict had a junior comp and the teams were not aligned to a senior club?
Be interested to know.
Thanks Rocket.
As I remember, the league was The South Western District Junior Football Comp and it was played on a Sunday, and yes, featured Catholic teams.
The teams were: Colac Youth Club, Colac Magpies (catholics and our fierce rivals), Coragulac (mainly catholics), Beeac, Forrest, and Apollo Bay.
The Colac teams were not affiliated, but others probably had links with their local teams.
I have no idea when the comp finished up but I think it went on for a few more years.
John Cassin who played for Essendon, Nth Melb & Fitzroy played for Coragulac.
Thanks Col,
Just as I thought. I reckon the junior footy comps were a micro-ism of socio-economic life in reasonably-sized country towns in the 1960s into the 70s…
The Kyabram junior comp in which I played, is uncannily similar to the Colac one.
Also a Youth Club team, High School and St Augustines were all from Ky, then Tongala, small town near Ky just like Coragulac – then village teams from Lancaster, Merrigum and Girgarre.
Be interested to know of other junior comps in this era.
By the 1980s the senior leagues had appropriated the junior teams and folded them into their own competitions.
Excellent summation Colin and Dr Rocket’s comments on the similarity of socio-economic life and the composition of junior football leagues in country towns during the 1960’s I find particularly relevant. On reading both your comments I recalled a lad who played for Colac Youth Club and although he attended St Josephs Catholic School he chose not to play with the Colac Magpies. I recall a few comments but never any animosity. CGR, my recollection of the 1966 season differs a little. I believe we were beaten by the Magpies on our home ground at South Colac however we defeated them in the last game of the home and away games at their home ground, the Western Oval. Losing again in the second-semi final we met again in the Grand Final. I clearly recall those three goals you kicked in the first quarter. The last, as you described an absolute pearler, and not without controversy. You had chosen not to pass to the half-forward, unmarked some 17 yards out in front of goal, and take the shot yourself. Kevin Bartlett must have learnt from this. The ball hit a tuft of grass beside the goal-post and wobbled through. The Magpie supporters were outraged. Rob Oborne’s father was in raptures. I, still 17 yards out, couldn’t believe it. You probably don’t remember the last goal of the game with a minute remaining. The game was won, we were three goals up. Gliding across the front of the pack, number 10 was paid the mark and the free kick by umpire Geoff Finch. It was blowing a howling gale, the ground was quagmire, which was normal for the Western Oval. Number 10 was on a slight angle but lined up to kick to the wing. A foot or two after leaving his boot the wind caught the ball which turned 90 degrees and sailed through the big sticks. The sealer after the sealer. That night we went to Ian Foley’s parents house. Ian became an outstanding footballer and I believe he won two Maskell Medals in the Hampden League. Ian’s brother Ron was our Coach. How fortunate were we? That night Keith Simpkin showed considerable initiative and from the funds received Keith went down to the Commercial Hotel on Murray Street and returned with a couple of bottles of sherry. I could go on…
Wayne, please do go on…we’re loving it.
Great piece Col. The ten minutes is a wonderful memory. No doubt others can relate such purple patch stories.
Great yarn Col. Love your goal-kicking prowess although the opposition’s methods of slowing you down were, sadly, very 1960s in style.
Mind you, my aroused curiosity keeps nagging me with the question “whatever happened to Doodle Williamson?”
RDL
A forward pocket after my own heart Col.
Col from Colac – that’s a good name for a Coodabeens caller too.
Wonderful story Col, as I mentioned to you earlier, I love the back to back torpedo punts! You could easily go months of watching the AFL and not see two spirals kicked at the goals today.
And to echo JTH, please do go on with your tales, Wayne. Very entertaining!
Thank you John, I’ll delve into my memory bank and see what I can find. Stories from years ago may be overlooked or become lost as time passes. This forum evokes those memories and we can continue to appreciate and value them. Colin’s story and photographs has done that.
RDL posed the question of, ‘Whatever happened to Doodle Williamson?’ Russell, or Doodle or Darkie, could play. I’m going with Jack Riewoldt and Cam Mooney type. Like Jack, knew the rules better than the umpires and let them know. Like Cam, always got caught breaking particular rules and spending a Tuesday night or two at the Tribunal. I started school with Russell back in ’55. Colin may be able to update.
Cheers. w.
The memory is being stirred here! At the CYC two Williamson brothers played, Russell and Colin, one had the nickname ‘Doodle’ and the other ‘Darkie’, not certain which belonged to who. I’m sure they both played together in ’65 but only Russell (?) (‘Doodle’ ?) in ’66.
A great yarn, Col.
And excellent comments on the thread.
Hey Colin …. I just stumbled across this thread by pure chance.
I played for Colac Youth Club in 1966-67, after that for Colac Under 18’s, then out to Irrewillipe where I captained the Under 17’s to the 1970 Premiership, then played full forward for the seniors in the 1971 Premiership side.
I’m second from left in the 1966 photo – went to Colac High School and lived in Marks Street at the time not far from the Western Oval. I remember in the Grand Final Tommy Morrissey was coaching the Magpies and he got quiet nasty with our coach Ron Foley on the sideline.
Great memories … best wishes from my home now in Kangaroo Valley, NSW.
Colin Talbot
Goodness me Colin Talbot, it must be nearly 60 years since I last saw you! My family moved back to Melbourne in Feb ’67.
I returned to Colac in 1981 to take up a teaching position. Ken Morgan lives around the corner from me and I see him most days. Robbie Oborne is over the road from Ken. Bruce Hay, Wayne Matthews, I’m still in regular contact with. Johnny Walker I haven’t seen for awhile though Ken is in occasional contact with him.Gary James has lived in New Zealand for 30+ years but returns to Colac on a regular basis, I probably see him a couple of times a year. Rod Cameron has lived in America for much of the past 40 or so years though did make regular visits back until his mum passed away 10 years ago.
Russell Williamson and Ian Foley I see often around town.
Fond memories, all the best Colin.
Another year, another thread revival. I also just came across this one by chance, just like Colin Talbot, whom I hung out with quite a lot over the schoolboy years.
I was with him in the ’67 team, which also beat Magpies at the Western Oval. I think it might have been a four-team comp by then. Undistinguished as a footballer except for my height, playing forward and occasionally relieving Stuart Wood in the ruck. I still remember taking a mark on the half-time siren deep in the forward pocket and being reminded by celebrity umpire David ‘Butch’ Wheadon that I couldn’t run around the mark. Threaded it with a careful flat punt, possibly the highlight of my football career.
The following year I headed to South Colac U17s along with a few from Youth Club that year and last – Russell Williamson, John Walker, Doug Hose from the ’66 photo come to mind, Woody, some others. Another flag there! At which point I reluctantly concluded that all my opponents being better footballers and three stone heavier left me a bit exposed, so that phase of my life ended but for a few one-offs here and there over the years.
Thanks for the terrific comments Andrew. The games only seem like yesterday rather than 60 odd years ago. That was the last game of competitive footy I ever played. Although I considered myself quick on the field, unfortunately, my expected height and weight growth spurts did not occur and I saw the writing on the wall – I just wasn’t big enough to continually out run bigger players. Cheers Andrew.
… and of course, now that I start to think of it, a few more memories. Ian Foley captained South Colac to that 1968 U17 flag under Spud McCoombe as coach, as we beat Alvie at the Showgrounds. Russell Walsh, Noel Boyes, Ronnie Payne, Peter Stephens and the Laity brothers (is that Kevin in the CYC ’66 photo?) are other names I recall.
Training at the South Colac oval was disrupted during that year for a couple of weeks by the presence of a nesting pair of plovers behind the goals at the eastern end. Their aggression of an evening made swooping magpies look like bluebirds of happiness by comparison, and no one dared approach the goal square. One father/trainer was a duck hunter in his spare time. One day we were told that the birds had flown away.