Vet Villains launch comeback

By Kath Gannaway
FORMER Marysville premiership player Terry “Flash” Ross did the Marysville Villains proud on Sunday 1 May when he kicked a goal in the club’s return to league football.
The villains played Mount Evelyn in the YVMDFL Veterans competition and while the bigger and more seasoned Mount Evelyn team took the win on the day, Marysville Football Club president John Phillips said the Villains were competitive and fought it out until the end.
Jason Harrow flew down from Queensland to play on the Trevor Harrow Oval, named after his father. Harrow led the team on to the ground for the first time as its inaugural captain.
Other well-known club identities returning to duties were timekeeper Jim Sherlock, now in his 90s, who sounded the siren to start the game, and Bernie Culhain, now 82, a trainer in the mid-’70s who helped rub down the team’s tired and ageing muscles.
Terry Ross, the oldest team member at 58, admitted he was “probably too old for it”, but he said he was also determined to fulfil the dream of the club to see footy reborn in Marysville nearly 30 years after hanging up his boots.
John Phillips said it was a great day for the town with a crowd of about 1000 people, many locals getting together for the day.
He said the club was starting with the veterans and working towards a longer-term plan of establishing junior teams into the future.
With an Auskick program operating the first steps had been taken.
The club was also keen to see the playing surface of the oval redeveloped to open up the possibility of some high-standard exhibition matches, he said.
In the meantime, the veteran Villains will keep the ball rolling. Their next match is against Woori Yallock.