Almanac Footy History: The Nullawil Maroons Part 2 – Breaking the drought

 

In his capacity as the Hayden Kelly Scholar, Paddy Grindlay has been researching the history of a tiny Mallee town known for its sporting success. Here is Part 2:

 

 

 

 

 

It’s a November midday in Bendigo, northern Victoria. The drive from Melbourne is a long, flowing ramble at 110 kilometers per hour as the temperature reading in my car marches steadily upward from a pleasant late-teen degrees Footscray morning. By Kyneton it is 22, and in Kangaroo Flat, 25 degrees. It’s shirt-and-sandals weather at the National Hotel in Bendigo by the time I am parked down a side-street. Northern Victoria takes the brunt of seasonal heat, and even in a kinder summer season does the blast furnace of Australia’s centre make its presence felt.

 

The men I’m about to meet are accustomed to the drawback of an Australian summer. Gerald Hogan and Ken Townrow are two fine products  of the Nullawil Football Club who played in perhaps the most signficiant of Nullawil’s many premierships: the 1964 flag, with Hogan named on a wing, and Townrow at half-forward. It would be Hogan’s last game for the Maroons before his teaching career took him elsewhere; Townrow played in three more flags thereafter. Gerald Hogan, tall and easy-grinning, has with him a plastic pocket filled with a document on Nullawil history. Ken Townrow, shorter than Gerald by half a head, wearing shorts and an open-necked polo shirt with a pen in his shirt pocket. He looks as if he were on his way to umpire junior football, fit and lively.

 

Ken’s footballing talent has been emphasized to me by old Nullawil footballers – even as a 13-year-old would the young Townrow been of use in the senior side, according to Gerald Hogan and Peter Ryan, for he was winning the Nullawil reserves’ best-and-fairest as a youth while Nullawil’s senior side struggled to win an elusive Grand Final.

 

Also in Gerald’s plastic pocket are details of the contested result of the 1967 Southern Mallee Football League Grand Final between Hopetoun and Yaapeet.

 

Gerald Hogan played for Yaapeet in that Grand Final, the schoolteacher of the town with a population of just 60 facing “the might of Hopetoun” – population, 1000. These are Gerald’s post-Nullawil years, where his career as a teacher took him across northern Victoria until his retirement. It’s an underdog story – one of many that populate Gerald Hogan’s footballing career.

 

This story tells of a contentiously resolved Grand Final, played at Rainbow. After a goal in the 28th minute of the final quarter, Hopetoun were ahead by a single point at the sounding of the final siren, and were celebrating their apparent premiership. However, the goal umpires conferred for a “prolonged meeting,” and after eight minutes of consultation, declared the game a draw. Confusion took hold, but the flop was still to come out – minutes later, Yaapeet were declared premiers, by one point.

 

Mayhem ensued at the ground, with Yaapeet beginning their celebrations, emerging back onto the field to perform a delayed lap of honour. After rounds of appeals, where a replay was suggested, the Southern Mallee Football League eventually confirmed the Yaapeet victory on the Monday week after the Grand Final. Reporter Paul Schwedes named the game “the best Southern Mallee Football League match for years – whoever won.”

 

Gerald Hogan was named in the best players that day and tells me of a photo in the Yaapeet rooms that displayed the ’67 team as the ‘Unofficial Premiers’. Gerald believes it to have been removed in 2017 in time for the 50th anniversary of the premiership, as to not rankle those who played in the dramatic Grand Final.

 

“Who won that fateful day…I am not sure, as I always went by the scoreboard,” says Gerald.

 

Gerald lives in Bendigo and plays lawn bowls, where some call him ‘Gerry’. Even at our meeting at the National Hotel, chosen by Ken Townrow as it supports the Nullawil Football Club, do passers-by wave a friendly hello to ‘Gerry,’ while Ken grins knowingly. It’s because Ken won’t call him Gerry. Ken calls him ‘Whip’.

 

The nickname dates to Gerald Hogan’s primary school days in Nullawil, one teacher for the whole school. Even as a child, Gerald Hogan was quick, and photos of him as a footballer give way to a reed-like midfielder, hence the moniker. A young Ken Townrow was warned on occasion as a schoolboy, an underage senior footballer playing with a local teacher: “Don’t call him ‘Whip’ today, it’s Mr. Hogan”.

 

‘Whip’ Hogan chortles as he explains that his family have flatly rejected the ‘Gerry’ moniker they hear on occasion – “who’s this ‘Gerry’ fellow I keep hearing about,” they’d say. It’s the Nully name for Nullawil’s best-and-fairest-winning centreman and wingman.

 

 

 

 

Over a lunch, the conversation turns to the `60s. Nullawil were coached in 1960 by Brian Lowry, five-time League best-and-fairest winner in the 1950s for the Maroons and a tough Mallee footballer.

 

Brian Lowry was Gerald Hogan’s first coach, and an outstanding footballer.

 

“He used to hunt the ball,” remembers Gerald, “and sometimes used his stops to climb over the top of players, which would have upset a few.”

 

“His legacy will live through the annals of the football club.”

 

After Brian came Leo ‘Goo’ Lowry, a passionate coach, “a most enthusiastic player” who would eventually be named in the forward pocket for the 1964 premiership. ‘Goo’ Lowry led Nullawil as captain/coach to two consecutive top-of-the-ladder finishes in 1961 and 1962, yet Nullawil was defeated despite their regular season domination.

 

The Maroons’ identity changed over the summer. The once-plain maroon jumper was amended to display a proud club emblem on the chest, as well as white cuffs and collar. The design is the same now.

 

But more significant was the appointment of a new coach – Tony Tuck. Unlike the Lowrys who came before – they were ‘Nully’ boys, well known in the community and with years of Maroons football behind them – Tony Tuck was recruited from Birchip, cleared to Nullawil in March 1963.

 

Tony Tuck was the brother of Collingwood captain Frank Tuck, an uncompromising half-back flanker perhaps most famous for the hamstring he tore in 1958, ruling him out of the Grand Final victory over Melbourne. In 1963, Frank Tuck was coaching Corowa while his brother Tony led Nullawil to a third straight Grand Final, after a third successive top-of-the-ladder finish.
Tony Tuck took the young Ken Townrow under his wing.

 

Over half a century later, Ken chortles as he remembers an interaction with Tony years after, having told his old coach he didn’t remember much of his coaching years.

 

“’You ungrateful little so-and-so’, he said, ‘I used to look after you!’”

 

Gerald remembers Tony and the football team selectors emerging from a wine shanty (Nullawil doesn’t have a pub), crossing the road to a small room where the players would be waiting to pick the team.

 

“We’d go into a little room where the blackboard was, and we’d wait for the couple of selectors to arrive from over the road. ‘Tucky’ would come into the room and rub off this name and that one – ‘oh, he’s injured, he’s had a good go’ – and write three names in, and the job was done.”

 

Both men look upon Tuck with admiration, even now.

 

“We were very proud to have him at Nullawil,” recounts Gerald.

 

“He was an inspirational player.”

 

 

**

 

 

Ron Pollington was another new arrival in the early `60s. His journey started at Yarra Junction, where he worked as an apprentice carpenter, debuting for Yarra Junction as a thirteen-year-old backman in the senior side. He left for Jerilderie in 1963 and, having as playing coach led the club to a premiership, moved on to Nullawil in time for the 1964 premiership run.

 

These days, Ron is the timekeeper for the Maroons during the footy season, and throughout his footballing career accumulated nine senior premierships, second only at Nullawil to Shane Hogan. He’s still in ‘Nully’ now, farming at the age of 83, marking sheep at the time of my phone call.

 

“We had rain yesterday, but it’s a good day today,” says Ron, and you can hear the farmer’s patter rolling easily down the phone line.

 

“With farming, there’s always something to do, and while I’m fit enough, I’ll do it…if you’re doing something you love, you do it for longer.”

 

Ron Pollington was one of nine players cleared to Nullawil for the 1964 season, including Peter Hahnel, who would be named rover in the premiership side and come runner-up in the Nullawil best-and-fairest – Ken Townrow pipped him by one vote, taking his first senior best-and-fairest.

 

“I had a cousin,” says Ron, “who said, ‘there’s a job here at the farm, but under one condition: you play football for Nullawil.’ That was the standard thing for anyone new in town.”

 

It’s the notion of inclusivity and one-in, all-in that permeates every conversation had with old Nullawil players. Ken Townrow remembers his teammates chastising one another for their colourful language in the clubrooms, which were populated by children eager for a glance at the local footballers and their one-eyed mothers.

 

Says Ron, “I left (Jerilderie) after coaching a premiership, yet things weren’t good at the club. I came over here, and it opened my eyes to how everyone knew one another and got along with each other. A family club.”

 

Ron’s parents had left in the ’40s from Nullawil to Yarra Junction – it was a homecoming of sorts for the rugged half back in Nullawil’s 1964 premiership team.

 

“That team was good,” he says reverently from his Nullawil farm. Gerald Hogan agrees, down in Bendigo: “there were some champions there.”

 

Nullawil’s 1964 team did not lose all season under the leadership of Tuck. The pressure to succeed had never been greater from a sports-mad town who had seen Nullawil fall agonizingly short on three separate occassions. The team was in fine shape, racing unscathed through the finals, but still had to conquer Chinkapook.

 

Writing in his book The Maroons – A History of the Nullawil Football Club, Townrow recounts a “torrid” Grand Final. Played at Sea Lake on a ground that had been given a dousing of rain towards the end of the preceding Reserves game, Nullawil’s victory was hard fought. The Wycheproof Ensign tells of a “hard, ruthless football (game),” where Nullawil leapt to an early ascendancy. Tony Tuck set up ruck-forward Joe James for a strong mark (“he was very good,” remarks Ron Pollington) for the first goal of the game – although Chinkapook replied with two straight majors against the flow.

 

The umpire’s whistle was rarely used as Nullawil kicked inaccurately, with Tuck and Ken Townrow providing forward Maurie Koop and rover Peter Hahnell with goalscoring opportunities that missed, while the Chinkapook captain Westcott was sturdy in defence. Nullawil trailed 1.5 to 2.0 at the first break.

 

“We thought it was impossible,” remembers ‘Whip’ Hogan of the Grand Final. The pressure on Nullawil to succeed was almost insurmountable. When Chinkapook put the first two goals of the second quarter through, doubts borne of yesteryear’s shortcomings began to seep through.

 

It was then that a “skirmish” on the Chinkapook half-forward flank occurred, with Nullawil desperate for a settling major. Ken Townrow recounts in his history that the scuffle drew in much of the Chinkapook team, and that the umpire bounced the ball quickly to distract the players. Nullawil had the presence of mind to avoid the scuffle and focus on the football, and through ‘Whip’ Hogan on his wing, whisked the ball away from half-back. He found Denis Tomlin, who in turn found Jim White, kicking Nullawil’s second major.

 

Townrow recalls the White goal as a key moment in a game decided by only a single point. If Nullawil were drawn to the fight, it could have very well been a fourth straight Grand Final defeat. Instead, ‘Whip’ Hogan took the ball away as the scuffle took hold. Nullawil had lifted, and then added another goal through Hahnell, but still were nine points behind at half time.

 

The third quarter belonged to Joe James, who “in brilliant style” leapt over packs to take strong marks on more than one occassion, as reported by the Wycheproof Ensign, while assisting his teammates Hahnell and Koop. He managed a single long goal for the quarter which placed the Maroons in front, but once again Nullawil’s dominance was not reflected on the scoreboard. Chinkapook defenders Westcott and Kelly, named their team’s best two players on the day, were mighty, thwarting midfield attacks from Tuck, Derek Smith and the mighty James. Chinkapook held fast, and kept a slender five point lead for the final quarter.

 

“It was all Nullawil,” reads The Ensign, “but they just could not get the goals so badly needed.” They needed one last push to finally secure a premiership.

 

Tuck had one final address to make, and at the beginning of the final quarter James was once again Nullawil’s key, kicking a third goal for the game to place the Maroons in front. It wasn’t long until rover Hahnell consolidated the lead, converting his second after marking well. Nullawil had made the perfect start – Graham Sheahan and ‘Whip’ Hogan were well on top on their respective wings, Ron and Tony Hogan miserly in defence, while Tuck was brutish in pushing Nullawil forward, completely dominant in the centre. Chinkapook moved one of the Ingram brothers to him to try and negate his influence as Nullawil’s bright start required a Chinkapook response.

 

It came a minute into time on, a goal cutting the Nullawil lead to two points. James was shifted to defence and hauled in intercept marks as Chinkapook rallied. Deep into time on, Chinkapook launched another shot at goal, a behind that cut the margin to just one point.

 

A pack formed in the Chinkapook goalsquare in the dying seconds. From an exhausted scramble, Peter Hahnell broke from the pack, the tireless rover roosting the ball to the flank. Nullawil gave chase, the ball was disputed on the far wing, and the siren finally sounded.

 

It was Nullawil by a point, snapping a 27-year dry spell, kicking 7.14 (56) to Chinkapook’s 8.7 (55). Tony Tuck was named best on ground ahead of Joe James and Ken Townrow; the award for the most determined player went to Peter Hahnell.

 

“In many ways, in the years we got beaten in the Grand Final (celebrations) were bigger than the year we actually won the premiership,” recalls ‘Whip’ Hogan.

 

“We’d been drowning our sorrows for three years – once we won the premiership, we didn’t know what to do.”

 

He remembers not without a grin that there was a more pronounced presence in the Nullawil rooms following 1964 than there had been at the conclusion of the previous Grand Finals. Ken Townrow’s celebrations were cut short – he had the Melbourne Show to attend the next day and reckons that by 8am on the Sunday morning that he was already loading cattle.

 

Nullawil’s victory was as much a relief to the players and township as a joyful release. It was the premiership that reforged Nullawil’s winning identity, that drew people to the club and held them fast.

 

Ron Pollington puts it best from the town he moved to, and is stuck to even now.

 

“You didn’t have to drive into the players much – they knew what success meant to the club, and wanted to be a part of it.”

 

“It’s something to do with the footy club…when you have success, people always come back.”

 

The good work done in the 1960s exploded into a fruitful 1970s, where Nullawil won Grand Finals from 1971-73 and 1975-1980. Despite the diminutive size of the town, the Nullawil Maroons would enjoy one of the finest eras of footballing success seen in the game of Australian Rules Football.

 

Nullawil in the `60s had developed a family-based, homegrown culture, exemplified in the weeks after the ’64 victory where three Nullawil footballers were involved in a car accident in Bathurst. Tony Hogan, premiership player, the most improved Nullawil footballer in 1964 and ‘Whip’ Hogan’s brother, was killed in the single car accident, a tragedy that cut short the frivolity as the small community came together to grieve and remember.

 

Nullawil came together once again, a town not only known to foster immense footballing talents but to have created an “all-in” attitude that encompassed the playing and non-playing community, as well as any blow-ins who came up for a game. Even today does Ron Pollington speak in respectful tones about how friendly ‘Nully’ people are, and the convergence of Nullawil around its football club.

 

“(Nullawil) is still going, with support from the community,” says ‘Whip’.

 

“Nully seems to attract good people.”

 

 

 

 

Read more from Paddy Grindlay (including Part 1 of this series) HERE.

 

 

 

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Our writers are independent contributors. The opinions expressed in their articles are their own. They are not the views, nor do they reflect the views, of Malarkey Publications.

 

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