Reunion prompts happy memories
• Malcolm Crichton, John Dekkers, Bob Wilson, Grahame Hayes, Ricky Rattray, Max Hadley, Rodney Hughes, Les Lette and Martin Flanagan.
April 05, 2023
A reunion of the undefeated state premiership winning 1973 Scottsdale football team, supported by the NTFA premiers of 1970 and 1971, was attended by more than 50 players, partners, wives and officials on Friday.
Martin Flanagan, a former renowned journalist and author, interviewed several players from what was one of the most successful eras of the club.
Bob Wilson who coached all three premiership teams, was widely praised by his players, and he reminisced with Flanagan about taking his team to Adelaide in 1973 for the national club championship.
“We came from a town of just 3,000 people with an entire community behind us, and were more than competitive against the likes of Glenelg and Subiaco,” Wilson said.
He claimed that Ken Lette, Ron Hall and Max Hadley, all members of the club’s first premiership in 1964, were important cogs in the win in 1973.
The championships were won by VFL premiers Richmond, whom Scottsdale was not required to play.
Flanagan also interviewed Rodney Hughes, the youngest member of the 1973 team, who cut his teeth playing underage football for North Scottsdale.
Hughes recalled the famous moment at West Park against Cooee in the state grand final, when the ground announcer at three-quarter time, urged all Cooee supporters to get their tickets for Adelaide. Cooee led Scottsdale by 32 points at the time, but the Magpies staged a mighty comeback to win the game.
John Dekkers was described as the first Scottsdale premiership players to be born outside Australia. He was born in Holland, and played in the 1970 premiership team, after being recruited from East Launceston.
Lance Styles came from Ringarooma as a teenager. He played in the 1970 and 1971 teams before being recruited by Carlton where he played for a further two years before a successful career in the VFA.
He admitted he wasn’t ready for senior football when he arrived at Scottsdale, but thanked Wilson for giving him the requisite time to mature into a senior player.
Billy Millwood was the consummate MC, reminding everybody that the backline players of that time were the ones who deserved all the credit for winning premierships during that time.
• Danny Hall, Greg Lethborg and Leon Ranson.
• Steve Nichols and Shirlee Dobson.
• Chris Crawford and NTFA president Scott Rigby.
• Billy Millwood, Peter Simmons and Murray Partridge.