By Kath Gannaway
AT 55, Yarra Junction footy veteran Laurie Reed says he can now retire from the game, a happy man.
The Vets, a determined bunch of 35 to 55 year olds won their first game since joining the YVMDFL Vets Competition in 2001 against Mt Evelyn on 23 April and, it seems they’re on a roll.
The team was still recovering from the sort of celebration usually reserved for a grand final win when they faced up to Monbulk on Sunday … and came away with another convincing win.
Winning, it seems, can be habit forming. At least that’s what Laurie and the Vets are hoping.
“In the third quarter we thought we were in with a chance. We went into the last quarter with a two goal lead and just went bang, bang, bang … we knew then we had it won,” Laurie said …his voice still faltering just a bit at the memory.
“We sang our song about five times before we even got off the ground, everyone was cheering, wives and partners were crying. It was a very emotional win,” he said. And, he’s not ashamed to say “Some of the boys had tears in their eyes”.
One of the ‘boys’ was new coach Johnny North. Johnny took over this year as coach but he knows the ropes, and, as a team member for the entire five-year dry patch, he was not a stranger to the hunger everyone had for a win.
Laurie said another stalwart was their long-standing sponsor, Paul “Whitey” White of East Hills Concreting.
“He’s stuck by us and has been at every game for five years. He always said to us ‘one day you’re going win,’ and he wanted to be here when it happened,” Laurie said.
“Whitey even went and got his wife out of her sick-bed to be here,” he added. “When he rang during the game to tell her we had a chance, she just said come and get me. I want to see them win.” Laurie doesn’t down play the role sheer determination and perseverance has played in their “winning streak” but says their new-found form is mainly down to some good recruiting this year. “We’ve got a good crew, with some taller players which we haven’t had before.”
He had a special mention for an overseas recruit, “Stewey” an English player who Laurie said played his first game and was excellent in the ruck.
He paid tribute also to everyone who has trod the long road leading up to the win.
“It’s the culmination of all the past players and committees who have kept us on the rails; keeping the belief in us when we were travelling to away games with only 16 players, that one day we would start winning.”
For a change, the Vets are not chanting the “well, there’s always next week” mantra … well, not in the usual sense anyway!
“At the moment you could say we’re on a roll, but we have Kilsyth this Sunday, and that will test us.”
Whatever happens now, Laurie Reed, will retire at the end of the season with a smile on his face.
Mountain District
Football League report will not appear this week due to the
correspondent’s ill health.
