The Officer (ROC) Football Club and ROC Past Players and Officials hosted a special reunion on Saturday, 40 years since the club won its first premierships as ‘Rythdale-Officer-Cardinia’ back in 1983.
THE REUNION
The new social rooms at Starling Road played host, with every player from the list in 1983 invited to attend; resulting in a larger than expected turn out.
Under-15 premiership coach from ’83, Rob Porter, spoke along with reserves captain/coach Steve Charles.
Two of Charles’ premiership players in Frank Wyatt and John Gay also recounted stories from the year.
In some terrific synergy for the Charles family on Saturday, while Steve was in attendance, his son Daniel was coaching the Officer (ROC) senior team and his grandson Zac was playing in the seniors.
Special guest of the club was the ROC senior coach of that year in Peter Chisnall, the North Melbourne 1975 premiership player.
Chisnall recalled how he came to coach ROC; recently moving to the area after taking a job with Barastoc Feeds in Pakenham.
Chisnall firmly believed in developing young players and he recalled how there was a great bunch of junior footballers at ROC.
Football was played very differently back in the 1980s to today, there were many stories of hard, tough and physical clashes on the field.
Chisnall himself missed several games through suspension that year, however he was one never to take a backward step and would always stick up for his players.
In wrapping up the afternoon, MC Gareth Sheean thanked the work of the late Bill Toner who instigated the reunion back in 2019.
Covid then prevented the event from happening in 2020 and then Bill himself became ill and sadly passed away in December 2020.
The Past Players group was determined to ensure the reunion took place for Bill and his team mates that also could not be present on the day.
THE MATCHES OF 1983
A rampaging Garfield steamrolled Drouin by 51 points in the West Gippsland Football League’s main game, but it was the results of the earlier matches that would cause much excitement for the small towns of Rythdale, Officer and Cardinia.
A very talented ROC under-15 team, coached by Porter, kicked the day off with a win over Drouin.
That team contained players that would go on and play many senior games like Stuart Young (captain), Grant Tivendale, Troy Pipicelli, Steve Pursell, the Armstrong brothers – Andrew and Bruce – and Glenn Longmuir.
Up forward Darren Andrews provided a focal point, and he was ably assisted by Peter Blackwell, Rick Valentine and Anthony Green.
The Under 17’s performed admirably, just falling short to a highly fancied Drouin side by seven points.
Best players were Andrew Gilbert, Mick Simon, Chris Pitt and Gary Valentine.
The reserves faced off against Pakenham.
Charles led the way with a blend of experience (Frank Wyatt, Bill Toner) and youth (Darryl Petrie, Andy O’Brien).
In an evenly contested match to half time (ROC 6.2 to Pak 5.4), the Kangaroos kicked an impressive 7.1 to 0.0 in the premiership quarter to give themselves a lead of 50 points, eventually winning by 43.
To further add to the excitement, the ROC netballers won flags in both the A Grade (ROC 52 def Longwarry 47) and B Grade (ROC 43 def Pak 39) deciders.
-Gareth Sheean-
