South Barwon rocked by deaths of club stalwarts Vern Matthewson and Greg Oman within three days

South Barwon Football Club has been left stunned after two club stalwarts from the same family passed away within three days.

Vern Matthewson and Greg Oman passed away within three days.

South Barwon Football and Netball Club has been rocked by a double family tragedy, with former player and volunteer Greg Oman and club stalwart Vern Matthewson, Oman’s father-in-law, passing away within the space of three days.

Oman died suddenly from a heart condition at his property in Kyabram on Thursday, aged 63, while Matthewson, 86, passed away on Monday after a battle with bone cancer, with his condition declining recently.

Matthewson, a life member who has dedicated 50 years of service to the club, was instrumental in the 1990 merger between Barwon Football Club (GFL) Belmont Football Club (GDFL) to form the South Barwon Football Club.

He held a number of key roles at Belmont – including team manager, property steward, junior president and senior vice-president – before becoming a board member of South Barwon football club.

In recent years he had volunteered his time taking care of maintenance tasks with close friend and fellow South Barwon stalwart Noel Hooley.

Oman himself had been part of the Belmont and South Barwon community for several decades, playing at Belmont as a junior and volunteering for the club with various projects, including the lighting upgrades for both ovals.

President Tim Sherman said it has been a difficult time for the club this week with the Swans to wear black armbands as a tribute to Matthewson and Oman.

“It’s been a real shock with Vern firstly, he’s been ill for a while … but then a few days later it was the real shock,” Sherman said.

“A lot of the people around the club were close to those guys, they certainly did a lot around the club for many years. Great stalwarts and volunteers for many years so it’s a pretty tough time for a lot of people at South Barwon.

“Guys like Vern and Greg – they played that link in the chain to help us be where we are today. Their contribution is certainly something we want to acknowledge and celebrate.”

South Barwon will wear black armbands this weekend. Picture: Mark Wilson

APPEASING THE DOUBTERS

Hooley says Matthewson took joy saying he never played a game of football in his life, but he knew all the ins and outs of South Barwon Football Club — from maintenance through to the operations.

Before his health began to deteoriate several years ago, he used to be around the club doing whatever he could to help.

And when Belmont and Barwon Football Clubs had doubts over the merger, Matthewson helped provide stability and a vision.

“At the time of the merger there were people involved from both clubs – Belmont and Barwon – who had some concerns, didn’t want to see the teams merge. Some left the club but Vern enthusiastically endorsed the merger and he was one of the people who stayed on and became a member of the South Barwon board and his forward thinking helped the whole situation,” Hooley said.

“When the two clubs merged he was a member of the committee. So he was a member of the board at South Barwon for many years and he was always a volunteer for everything.

“He was certainly a valued member and just a wonderful volunteer. He had so much experience and he knew the ins and outs and the workings of the club from the maintenance area through to the operations.”

Hooley remembers Matthewson’s delight after the Swans won their first Geelong Football League premiership since the merger in 2001, highlighting how much the club meant to him.

“I remember the 2001 premiership when a lot of those guys like Vern were on the ground at Kardinia Park hugging each other with tears in their eyes that they’d finally got a premiership. It was quite a touching moment actually, but it just showed what the club meant to those eyes,” he said.

LASTING LEGACY

That 2001 premiership cup sits in a trophy cabinet that Matthewson and Oman built and donated to the club, which Hooley describes as a “wonderful gesture”

It serves as a fitting symbol of their contributions to the club and will ensure their legacy lives on inside the four walls.

“That’s certainly a legacy that will live on a long time at the club,” Sherman said.

Originally published as South Barwon rocked by deaths of club stalwarts Vern Matthewson and Greg Oman within three days