Grovedale sporting legend Fred Thomas remembered for his incredible contribution after passing away

Fred Thomas leaves a lasting legacy after decades of service as a player and volunteer to the Grovedale sporting community. Figures of the club open up on the selfless figure.

Fred Thomas passed away last week.

The Grovedale sporting community has lost a loyal volunteer and club legend after Fred Thomas, 84, passed away last Thursday following a battle with cancer, leaving a lasting legacy at Grovedale Football and Netball Club and Grovedale Cricket Club.

Thomas was inducted into the Grovedale Tigers’ Hall of Fame in 2019 for his incredible contributions on and off the field and is best remembered for his dedicated service manning the gate for 45 years from 1977-2022.

The dedicated clubman and player was part of Grovedale’s first senior premiership side in 1973 and played 108 games for the Tigers, later serving on the committee also served as a committee member across two decades and was senior vice-president from 1972-1975.

Thomas was arguably an even greater contributor at Grovedale Cricket Club, where he celebrated 70 years of continued service in 2022.

He scored 5215 runs across 254 matches for the club, served as president for nine years (1963-72), vice-president for three years (1973-76) and assisted groundsman Alan Pung for the life of Grovedale’s turf wicket.

Fred Thomas assisted Alan Pung with the turf wicket at Grovedale.

He also umpired for several years in the Geelong Cricket Association.

Fellow Grovedale Tigers Hall of Fame member Daryl Sceney grew up with Thomas and recalls them chasing rabbits together as youngsters.

Sceney said he will be sorely missed, with the community admiring and appreciating his commitment to both the football and cricket clubs.

“Everyone that knew him admired him, he didn’t have an enemy in the world. He was a quiet fella but he was always there and no one would have had a bad word about him,” Sceney said.

“Fred was a creature of habit, he never changed the whole time I knew him … He was always busy doing something.

“He was a player but also for many years he was on the gate so he collected a lot of money, quite a big contribution he made every home game.

“For cricket season he helped Alan Pung with the pitch. Pung did the turf wicket for 30-40 years and Fred used to help him. He would get on the roller and go up and down for hours and he was always there to help.

“Cricket you rely on your volunteers, the ones who put in every week you can’t do without.”

Fred Thomas at GMHBA Stadium in 2013.

Current Grovedale FNC president Michael Schulze said Thomas’ volunteer work was crucial to the club, declaring he will be a part of the club “forever”.

He said his selfless service as gatekeeper was something you could count on every single home game and that he never asked for anything in return.

“Freddy has been around as long as I can remember. A player, committee member, chairman of selectors role, did a bit of everything,” Schultze said.

“He was actually on the gate for the last 45 years before this year. Just one job you didn’t have to worry about.

“Didn’t ask anything for it. Just take him down a hamburger and a can of coke to say thank you but he just turned up every Saturday and got his satchel and away he went.

“It’s hard to find volunteers and you could just tick that off every week because you knew it was going to be done. He just enjoyed doing it, mixing with people.

“(It was) very important, you don’t take those roles lightly. Again it is all voluntary stuff so you just respect people who give up their time to make an effort for the club. You can’t exist without them

“He’s a big part of our history and he is a big part of our club forever really.”

Originally published as Grovedale sporting legend Fred Thomas remembered for his incredible contribution after passing away