The Gas, the `62 flag and ‘Marbuck’

“The Gas, The 62 Flag and ‘Marbuck’

 

On Saturday arvo I  wandered out to Enoggera Memorial Park at Mott Sreet Gaythorne for the annual Mick Nolan (yes of Gallopin Gasometer fame) Memorial Day where the undefeated mighty Mayne Tigers where hosting the Maroochydore Roos from the Sunny Coast.

A 29kph sou sou easter greeted me, with what Queenslanders at this time of year might say, was a biting breeze. It was sharp in Qld parlance and favouring the Northern, Creek or Stafford end of the oval.

This day was also doubling as a reunion for the Tiger “Twos” flags from 75, 76 and 77 and also the premiership reunion for Mayne’s sister club Banyo “The Bloods” who were victorious also in 75 in the seniors of the SQAFA comp. 40 years ago. My God!

The P155, party pies and sausage rolls was provided by the club and the Past Players Group and away we went.

As always it was great to see everyone.

Keithy Bostock travelled from Mentone, Peter “Flash” Lynskey from Hobart and others from all parts of the Sunshine state graced the gathering with their luminous presence. Drac, Jughead, The Digger,Hairline, Marbuck and Bangers x 2 (Clay and Banfield) where all there.

On the field the Mayne twos had belted the Roos and the stage was set. The “Ones” were vulnerable with four key prime movers out and their star forward resuming from a “bacon rope”

And so it proved as the second placed Roos withstood a barnstorming last quarter from the Tiges to run out winners 9.6. 60 to 6.15.51 after making terrific use of the 3rd quarter gale. It was a Sydney v Hawthorn type classic with pressure everywhere and mistakes a plenty.

Bad kicking is bad footy and the Tigers choked a bit as they tried to defend their undefeated realm.

Luke Faulkner (Former St Marys in Tassie), the 100 goal a year full forward and 2014 League B&F was held goalless by Nigel Baker (SOB – Son of Bakes, Ian Baker former St Kilda and Richmond 50 gamer). That hasn’t happened in living memory.

A great win for the Roos and I reckon they would have celebrated hard. These two sides and Noosa are a class above the others and should fight out the flag cum September after the Mayne Tigers prevailed in ’14 after a 32 year drought. That was when the “Gas” coached side hammered the John Blair led Morningside Panthers in ’82.

The story of the day though was the club unveiling the 1962 senior premiership flag. Yeah that’s right ’62 flag!

You see it had been missing and Allan “Marbuck” Walters was on hand to deliver it back to the club. A year or two later after the win the players were having an illegal summer drink at the old Thompson Street headquarters opposite Perry Park, the at the time QAFL Grand Final venue.

Marbuck had wandered downstairs to “strain the potatoes” when he discovered the flag lying in the mud and grog. He thought that terribly disrespectful, so he gathered it up with, took it home, washed it, carefully folded it up and put it in his Mums wardrobe for safe keeping.

And there it stayed.

When his mum moved about 26 years later Marbuck took it to his place with all intentions of dropping it back to the club. But, forgot it was there until recently dawned on him and thought he had better repatriate it to its rightful place of abode.

And there it was, gleefully hanging proudly in the clubhouse. A massive royal looking flag in pristine order. They don’t make em like that these days!

Don’t know the story yet on whether the club had been looking for it. Will let you know if I find out!

And before I go, a quick story on Marbuck, a big man of about 6’3” and 17stone who played as a key forward with some aplomb. He coached the Banyo Bloods” to the 82 flag.

One evening whilst enjoying a beverage at the “Hammo”(Hamilton Hotel) he entered into a spirited discussion with three jockeys which ended in acrimony and the threat “we will get you ya big prick” in a high pitched tirade. The big fella thought no more of it. Could handle himself okay.

On alighting the said hotel and wandering home up Racecourse road, Alan was stunningly ambushed as the jocks descended from the heavens and started flailing the big rooster in a sea of arms and legs for a minute or two until peace was restored. They had been lying in wait up an elm tree. The little rascals!

 

 

 

 

About John Harms

JTH is a writer, publisher, speaker, historian. He is publisher and contributing editor of The Footy Almanac and footyalmanac.com.au. He has written columns and features for numerous publications. His books include Confessions of a Thirteenth Man, Memoirs of a Mug Punter, Loose Men Everywhere, Play On, The Pearl: Steve Renouf's Story and Life As I Know It (with Michelle Payne). He appears (appeared?) on ABCTV's Offsiders. He can be contacted [email protected] He is married to The Handicapper and has three school-age kids - Theo, Anna, Evie. He might not be the worst putter in the world but he's in the worst four. His ambition was to lunch for Australia but it clashed with his other ambition - to shoot his age.

Comments

  1. Bloody jockeys. No wonder they all drive Porsches.

    Must have been the weekend for local Queensland footy. I went to Noosa vs. Caloundra to see a tight first quarter, followed by a slow squeezing of the life out in the remaining three. Noosa moved the ball around to space, often through the couple of big men who had the legs to get away from less fit opponents. The other key was the nuggety rover who looked too old, too slow but did have too smart going for him. Always an easy out for a team mate under pressure. The kids were lured up on the pretence of getting some hot chips and a can of soft drink, and the chance to look for Brent Moloney who is running round for Noosa this year. (The boys like him because he signed their Lions jumpers a few years back). Unfortunately for them, he was out this week.

    Will make the effort to see a few more games, especially the local derby between the two coastal powerhouses. Mainly hoping both teams scrap, niggle and antagonise each other. Being from an in between local junior club means not having a particular like nor concern for either club. Imagine Collingwood vs Carlton for a lover of footy/fan of neither.

  2. Shane Johnson says

    Gus
    Mayne v Noosa should be a ripper this week as well!

  3. John,
    I never knew Banyo had a team in the local league.
    I live in Banyo. There’s no AFL oval so they must’ve played in a nearby suburb.
    Great story.
    Loved the old flag being unveiled.
    Cheers

  4. Shane Johnson says

    Ironmike – The Bloods used to play on the Nudgee recreation reserve at the end of Elliott road. Formed in 1970 and went for about 26 years I think. They meet on the first Saturday every December at the Breaky Creek to share old war stories and sing the club song.

  5. Dr Rocket says

    Reckon Mayne were runners-up in seniors in ’75 to Windsor-Zillmere?
    Recall going to the Gabba to see the game…?
    A couple of ex Mentone larrikins, Peter Cerato and Ian McKenzie played for Mayne.
    They were later team- mates of mine at Turvey Park

    Uni New England went up to play the UQ Red Lions for the Clem Jones Shield, which we duly took back to Armidale, stopping at the Red Lion in Glencoe to pay hommage to our opponents.

    Darky, in Brisbane parlance Maroochydore are from the “north coast”…..

  6. paul mc mahon says

    I once played for the mighty ban yo bloods back in 1979 I was in the reserve team that beat aschgrove in the grand finale coached buy peter cub is … and my name was the rock..

  7. Shane Johnson says

    The 75 GF was at Windsor Park and won by Zillmere and yes great fun playing with Macca and Cerato. Keithy Bostock Dave Moran and Beau Kirkby were there as well.

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