Kooweerup players and supporters celebrated at the presentation ceremony, with Gary King front By Ken Moore
KOOWEERUP held a successful reunion on Saturday – prior to their home game against local rivals, Catani – to celebrate its triple premiership feat in 1981.
That’s when the Demon seniors, reserves and thirds all won the flag – the greatest day in the club’s 108-year history.
Popular life member, Gary King, was master of ceremonies and introduced three guest speakers, club stalwarts in Marty O’Hehir, current president Tony Cammarano and Robert ‘The Fonz’ Dennis.
A highlight of the luncheon was a letter prepared by Peter Levey and read out by King.
Levey was too ill to attend but penned his thoughts on the era between 1963 and 1981. A senior premiership player in 1969 and 1979 and a member of the 1981 reserves team, Levey wrote of his memories of the club, the rough and ready times and the names who were synonymous with the Demons throughout the 1960s and ’70s.
Marty O’Hehir, chairman of selectors in 1981, mused on the respective strengths of the side that season and introduced some witty comparisons of individual players in the side to the current star-studded Geelong team of recent years.
O’Hehir made a point that all of Kooweerup’s 60 players clicked on the same day in 1981 – and he said it was a tribute to all involved who did the town proud.
Cammarano, a thirds premiership player in 1981, drew plenty of laughter from an attentive audience when he waxed lyrical about the characters at the club, the fun times and amusing incidents at training.
He also touched on the value of the families who had stuck with the club over many decades. He also spoke enthusiastically about how many of his former team-mates now have kids who are involved with the club. Cammarano brought plenty of laughter, after conveying a number of anecdotes from well-admired club matriarch, Norma O’Hehir.
Dennis, the 1981 thirds coach, spoke from his heart and reminded those present that while winning a flag was great, just belonging to the club was more important.
He said the mateship he forged with many at the club has stood the test of time and was one of the enduring features of an involvement with a club.
The club was buoyed by the many ex-players who came to the function from far and wide.
These included Shane Uren, Peter McClusky, 1981 senior coach, John McKenzie, who came from Queensland and Stuart Fraser, who travelled from Thailand.
