2019 Annual Reunion Day

by Sarah Bennett | May 23, 2019 | Event, General

We welcome everybody to the Mt Lofty District Football Club’s Annual Reunion Day on Saturday 25 May 2019

Every home match is special, but reunion day gives everybody an opportunity to watch our many developing teams, where wins or incidents could become part of future club legend, while reliving stories of the past which have become legendary with the passing of time.

We are very pleased and proud, to welcome past players, officials, members, sponsors and supporters today, where we recognise the people and the achievements of Mt Lofty and its heritage clubs. Each year we try to bring together the people who contributed so much in previous decades, while recognising young players with the presentation, by past players, of a special medal struck for the day, to be awarded to a player in each of the colts grades.

2019 is especially significant as we celebrate the 40^th anniversary of Mt Lofty entering into football competition for the first time, following the club’s formation as a result of the amalgamation of 2 iconic hills clubs in Heathfield Aldgate United and Stirling.  This very bold initiative saw hill’s players provided with an opportunity to compete at a higher level in the newly and at the time, innovative football competition, the South Australian Football Association (SAFA).

The look of the game has certainly changed over the decades, but the passion of hills football was there at the 1929 Stirling Premiership (6^th in a row and 8^th won in the 1920’s), the 1939 Crafers Premiership (Britain and France declared war on Germany the next day) and has been so strong throughout the passing decades:

• 1969 Stirling A Grade Grand Finalists
• 1969 Heathfield Aldgate United Junior Colts Premiers
• 1969 Stirling Senior Colts Premiers
• 1989 Mt Lofty B Grade Premiers
• 1999 Mt Lofty Senior Colts Premiers

We would like to especially welcome the Coach of the 1969 HAU Junior Colt’s side, Andy Fletcher. Andy, who now lives in Cairns, has gone to great lengths, while managing a serious health condition, to attend the last 3 reunions.  Now a successful author, he achieved much success as a Junior Coach of United and as an important member of the 1967 and 1968 Heathfield Aldgate United A Grade Premierships.  

Mt Lofty Begins Competition in 1979

Mt Lofty was formed in 1978 when the members of neighbouring rivals, Heathfield Aldgate United and Stirling Football Club’s almost unanimously voted to merge to compete in the newly formed South Australian Football Association. SAFA, as it was commonly known, was created in the mould of the then Victorian Football Association which played on Sunday’s with games being telecast in the day’s when the VFL and Television stations did not fully appreciate the huge appeal of Australian Football and the financial gains to be made by much more flexible programming.

Meetings of the two heritage clubs took place separately and simultaneously in 1978, with detailed proposals presented by the 4 members of a subcommittee with Frank Clements and Richard Symons representing Heathfield Aldgate United and Royl Chardon and Allan Miller representing Stirling.

In the 33 seasons which followed the end of World War II until the amalgamation, Heathfield Aldgate United and Stirling had competed in a combined 25 Grand Finals. Both clubs won a combined 18 Premierships in that time, with Stirling winning 9 and Heathfield Aldgate United winning 9 in its 13 years in the Hills competitiion.

The incredible work and dedication of officials, players, members and supporters saw Mt Lofty compete in A and B Grade Grand Finals in their first year in the SAFA competition, win the Senior Colts Premiership in the second year and go on to win the A Grade Premiership in just the third year of competition. In 1986 Mt Lofty left SAFA to join the Hills Football League, winning the A Grade Premiership in that year.

Incredible change has taken place over Mt Lofty’s 40 years, to the point where the club now fields over 500 players in 21 teams and 60 children participate in the Auskick program. The club introduced it’s first women’s side in 2016 and now has 2 senior women’s teams and 2 junior girl’s teams.

Much fascinating detail of the inaugural year of competition is on display in the club and we are very grateful to Margaret Clements for making her excellent scrap book available for copying.

Among the detail is the  Courier article below which was presented prior to Mt Lofty’s first match. As shown, inaugural  Club Captain was John Coventry who was one of the most outstanding players in the Adelaide Hills. Unfortunately, while largely uninjured throughout his decorated career, John suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in Mt Lofty A Grade’s first ever match. Vice Captain, and former Stirling Champion, Harvey Dawes, who was John’s brother in law, then lead the club for the remainder of the season.

Heritage Clubs Rivalry in 1969

1969 saw heritage clubs, Heathfield Aldgate United and Stirling Football Clubs, both feature in the HFL final’s series. The rivalry between the two clubs was fierce and legendary and the thought of amalgamation 10 years later would have been unimaginable at the time.

In that year, Stirling A Grade actually defeated Heathfield Aldgate United in the 1^st semi final on their way to playing Mt Barker in the Grand Final. Amazingly, this was the only year in which United did not compete in the Grand Final in its 12 seasons  competing in the HFL.

Mt Barker had been dominant throughout 1969 and while coach Royl Chardon had marshalled many Stirling teams to Premierships over the years, Mounts form continued in the Grand Final. Most of the damage was done in the first quarter with Mt Barker getting off to a great start to lead by 35 points at quarter time, making full use of the dry ball on what was a very wet day. Stirling restricted their opponents in the remainder of the match with the winning margin increasing by just 10 points to see the final score of 15 goals 13 behinds to Stirling’s 8 goals 10 behinds. Alan Evans, as a ruck rover, was clearly Stirling’s best player with John Stoddard at half back and centre, together with Phil Riggs at centre half back also putting in strong efforts.

In the Senior Colts Grand Final, Stirling defeated Mt Barker to win the Premiership in a very hard slog where the margin at every break was less than 1 goal. The talented young side was coached by the very popular Reg Hewish who in later years, was President of both Stirling and Mt Lofty. Final score was Stirling 4 goals 7 behinds to  Mt Barker  4 goals 5 behinds, a 2 point win where Captain Brian Wybrow was best player, well supported by Tali Strauss and Andrew Clarke.  

In the Junior Colts, Heathfield Aldgate United won its second Premiership in a row, a fairly rare achievement in junior football. HAU A Grade Premiership player, Andy Fletcher was the side’s coach  and had coached the side the previous year with Jack Hampton.   In a final score line very similar to the Senior Colts, HAU held on to record  a 4 point win with 4 goals 7 behinds to Lenswood Ranges 4 goals 3 behinds. Best player for United was Adrian Wastell, with strong support from Bronte Payne and Peter Goodhand.

1989 Mount Lofty B Grade Premiers – Youth and Experience!

The Mount Lofty B Grade side had a very good mix of youth and experience which saw it trailing Mt Barker by 3 points at half time, but then kick 6 goals 3 behinds to 1 goal 1 behind in the third quarter to set up a Premiership win. Final score was Mt Lofty 11 goals 10 behinds to Mt Barker 6 goals 7 behinds.

Coached by Michael Hayward, the side had young players including Bruce Dawes, Gerald and Greg Petersen, Philip Blows and Simon DeRoos to name a few. Leading and guiding the way, however, was perhaps the most experienced and decorated group of players seen in an HFL B Grade side. John Coventry, Geoff Hampton, David Evans and John Bowes had played in many Premiership sides and had been recognised with Club and HFL awards. John Coventry played in the first of many  Premiership sides in 1961 with the Heathfield Colts.

Best players that day were Greg Northcott, Phil Blows and Geoff Hampton who also kicked 3 goals playing on the wing. Geoff had kept the side in the match until half time and was described in the Courier report as “ageless” and a “dynamo”.  

1989 also saw Mt Lofty’s A3 side, coached by Jeff Pistola, compete in the Grand Final. Unfortunately, the side just failed in its bid to win 3 Premierships in a row, with Milang taking the flag with the narrowest of margins in a tight match which saw both sides score just 12 goals during the full match.

1999 Mount Lofty Junior Colts Premiers – A Grade Premiership Foundation!

The 1999 Mount Lofty Junior Colts Premiership side is testament to the fact that a strong junior program must be in place if a club is to achieve success in A Grade competition in future years.  6 players from this side went on to play in A Grade Premierships during Mt Lofty’s triple Premiership run in 2006, 2007 and 2008.

Coached by Mt Lofty stalwart and Premiership player John Bowes, the young Devils won with 7 goals 9 behinds to Mt Barker 5 goals 5 behinds, a margin of 16 points. Best for Mt Lofty was Galvin Zeitz, Alex Cullen and Dougal McCormish.

As mentioned above, six players in that side went on to play A Grade Premierships during the 2006 to 2008 Premiership run. Matt Stapleton was the Vice Captain of the A’s during that amazing period, with Jon Temme, Nathan Peterson-Gray, Lachlan Fleet, Sam Broadbridge and Matt Penny all going on to become A Grade Premiership players.

1929 Stirling A Grade Premiership

Unfortunately we do not have a photograph of this side. If you know of somebody who may have one, could you please contact Chris Chardon on 0448 657 593 or Haydn Cutting on 0409 088 565.

1939 Crafers A Grade Premiership

1969 Stirling A Grade Grand Finalists

1969 Stirling Senior Colts Premiers

1969 Heathfield Aldgate United Junior Colts Premiers

1989 Mt Lofty B Grade Premiers

1999 Mt Lofty Junior Colts Premiers