Re-living the historic first game at Fankhauser Reserve in 1989
Warwick Capper booted five goals and it marked the emergence of future Brisbane Bears star Matt Kennedy, the first game ever at Fankhauser Reserve had it all.
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WARWICK Capper booted five goals and it marked the emergence of future Brisbane Bears star Matt Kennedy, the first game ever at Fankhauser Reserve had it all.
Kennedy has relived the historic 1989 event as the Southport Sharks prepare to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the development of their home ground.
The Sharks junior, Brisbane Bears player and current Gold Coast Suns fitness man was 18-years-old and sporting a mullet when the club christened their new home on May 1 with a 59-point win over Mayne.
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Southport won the game 15.17 (107) to 7.6 (48) despite the then Brisbane Bears-contracted Capper’s efforts.
The Sharks beat Western Districts a fortnight later by 104-points and won four in a row at Fankhauser Reserve in a year they went on to win the seniors, reserves and colts grand finals.
Kennedy went on to play 187 games for the Bears and he credited the foundations he built at Southport for his success.
“I was 18 and doing some training with the Bears that year too and it was such a thrill to be playing alongside Warwick,” Kennedy said.
“It was a really exciting time for Southport because of the new clubhouse and new grounds.
“It looked very different to what it does now. I had a dirty big mullet going and finding my way in the world.
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“I played with some fantastic players at Southport. They were all really hardcore old school players. It was an outstanding team so as a young bloke you couldn’t have got a better start.”
Southport had spent two decades at the smaller Owen Park in Southport before shifting to Musgrave Hill.
The new venue was originally earmarked to be the headquarters for the Gold Coast District Rugby League.
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When the league lost interest in the venue, the Sharks jumped at the opportunity and, with a lot of work (and money) put in by Wally Fankhauser, the ground was bulldozed to make it suitable for Australian rules football.
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