An unrivalled century of football achievement and individual glory burst into life at Crystal Brook on Saturday.
It was the unveiling of the Northern Areas Football Association’s 100 Champions for 100 Years.
The players, some using walking sticks or in frail health, but many almost as fit as their heyday, were awarded plaques to mark the association’s centenary year and their football prowess.
The dinner at the Crystal Brook Football Club celebrated the many clubs and leagues throughout the Flinders Ranges and Mid North that have developed into the association.
Association president “Spud” McKay told the crowd that it was “not an easy job” to choose the leading players of the era.
“Some selected themselves because they had won medals and represented the association,” he said.
“We added full-forwards and defenders who didn’t seem to pick up many votes from the umpires.”
Former secretary Warren Combe told of players such as ruckman Ron Carlson who could thump a ball 50 metres to his rover waiting at the half-forward line.
He said towns, once connected by poor dirt roads, had built teams around dynasties such as the Kitschkes, Arbons and Landers. Seven-time Mail Medallist and former Jamestown-Appila player Peter Kitschke, 78, took on the role of an elder statesman at the dinner.
As a former senior umpire and serving Minis umpire, he spoke about the man-in-white. He said that by 1985 there were 32 umpires on the panel under “father figure” Geoff Millard. Mark Poser and Des Foster, later of SANFL fame, were involved in the association panel as were Port Pirie’s Ivan Zubrinich and Paul Fitzgerald who he both rated highly.
Kitschke finished his speech by outlining an incident in a Gladstone versus Jamestown match when “a fellow got bowled over”.
“Trevor Lloyd was at centre-half-forward flat on his back and the game was never stopped in those days for a stretcher to come out,” he said.
“Someone yelled out, ‘Trevor!’, as the ball was coming down and he half-sat up and marked the ball. He shot it out to a player running past who kicked a goal.
“I thought I had seen everything.”
Orroroo football identity Keith Nutt paid tribute to players in the champions group including the late Graham Pavy, of Crystal Brook. “You just thought, jeez, he wants the ball bad,” he said. In an outstanding effort, three members of the Harris family were represented in the group - Roger Harris, Garry Harris and the late “Butch” Harris who died in a blast at an explosives factory at Beetaloo Valley some years ago.
North Adelaide was a major sponsor of the night and its representative, zone director Wayne Jeffries, said the Northern Areas “has been a big part of my winters for the best part of 20 years”.
“There was significant football talent in the junior and senior colts on grand final day,” he said.
Commissioner with the SANFL David Shipway told how he had a major connection with the area.
“My mother was conceived in the Laura Post Office,” he said.
“The Northern Areas is not only part of North Adelaide football history, but South Australian football history.”
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