U19 Div 1

The Return of a Club Tradition

In the mid 70s the idea of a Mug being awarded to the coaches best player on the ground in the two teams we had at the time, first grade and reserve grade, was instituted. We believe it was probably Peter “ Branch” Ramus who brought in this well loved tradition.

Each player put one dollar in the mug, a couple of supporters put in a dollar and the coach put in a few dollars. So the Mug ended up with about 25 dollars in it (only 20 players in a team in those days). With schooners at the time costing about a dollar, you had a hot time in the old town that night, if you won the Mug.

The tradition continued into at least the early 90s, and while we cannot pinpoint who is responsible for its discontinuance, no doubt if they are ever identified, they will need to fill the Mug on many occasions to come.

Fast forward to the current day and Premier Division Captain, Al Clarke, has reintroduced the tradition following his experience of the Mug at his former club, Finley.

A great club tradition, that admittedly took a slight haitus, is back and can be celebrated by two pictures (shown below), showing the past and the present. The first photo, taken in 1978, shows a young lad who came up from Albury to study economics, Graeme ( Sprout ) Down.  It was his first game for the Club playing against archrival St Ives, played on the then No. 2 Oval and he was awarded the Mug by first grade coach Steve ( Elbows ) Lethlean. With him is his brother Roger ( Ramjet ) Down who was at the start of his fourth season and was awarded the Mug by ressies coach Pete Moggach.  The Down boys would’ve had a hot time at The Student Prince Hotel, Camperdown ( no longer in existence ) that night! The second picture shows Jack ( Dimma ) Dimery, who won The Mug in the Prem. Reserves on the weekend holding up Thomas Van Dongen’s arm who won the Mug in Premier Division. We are sure both lads had an enjoyable night.

 

Long may the tradition continue.

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