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Edi-Asp to hold reunion of 1987 trifecta of premierships

Edithvale-Aspendale Football Club is gearing up for a special day to celebrate its 1987 premierships — all three of them.

Edithvale-Aspendale captain Brett Wright and coach Kenny Little lift the 1987 premiership cup.
Edithvale-Aspendale captain Brett Wright and coach Kenny Little lift the 1987 premiership cup.

One of the finest days in Edithvale-Aspendale Football Club’s storied history will be celebrated with a reunion of its 1987 premierships on Saturday.

All three of them.

The senior team’s victory over Rosebud in the MPNFL second-division grand final followed Eagle flags in the reserves and Under 17s.

The senior final that year was shunted back a week when Edi-Asp, coached by Kenny Little, and Frankston YCW played out a draw in the preliminary final.

Brett Wright, Edi-Asp’s great centreman.
Brett Wright, Edi-Asp’s great centreman.

The Eagles won the replay easily, fired by six goals from their great centreman Brett Wright.

But in the decider, few fancied them to beat Rosebud, which was coached by Trevor Lloyd, captained by mop-topped ace Lynden Oats and featured such top-shelf players as Garry Evans, Lachlan White and Liam McDonough. Evans wore magnificent sideburns and was as hard as a steel ball.

The Buds had won both encounters against Edi-Asp that season and their campaign was expected to finish with a bang. It concluded with barely a pop.

In an emphatic turning of the tables, the Eagles led all the way in the grand final, despite Wright, Alan Glanville and Ted Turner picking up injuries.

Their long road to the final told in the last quarter, but goals by Paul Midolo and Glanville locked it away. Glanville had 10 kicks in the final term.

A file pic from the Frankston Standard 30/11/1987: Edi-Asp celebrate their win over Rosebud in the MPNFL div 2 1987 grand final. A young Aaron Martello is all smiles.
A file pic from the Frankston Standard 30/11/1987: Edi-Asp celebrate their win over Rosebud in the MPNFL div 2 1987 grand final. A young Aaron Martello is all smiles.

The Dales were without first-choice ruckman Stuart Cochrane, leaving a young Aaron Martello to take on the bigger Buds. He had 20 disposals, four marks and 16 hit-outs.

After the match coach Little told the Frankston Standard: “Today’s win was as gutsy as I’ve seen. We knew they could outmark us, so we decided to run and run and keep on running.

“Although they have had plenty of hard footy in the past month, these guys pushed themselves to the limit. It was a gutsy, from-the-heart performance by every player on the ground.’’

Paul Martello captained the U17 premiership team and then played in the senior premiership team the following week.

While Edithvale-Aspendale took the division-two title, Chelsea claimed the division-one crown by clouting Pines by 79 points.

Coach Chris Bull, Willy Duff, Andrew Sinclair, David Cathcart and gun spearhead Dave Baker were among the best players.

Edithvale-Aspendale’s reunion will be held at Regents Park social club on the day the club hosts Rosebud.

Organiser Aaron Martello says “the majority, about 80 per cent’’ of the senior players will attend. Shane Atkins is coming from Queensland.

Edi-Asp premiership team:

B – P Martello Phillips Atkins

HB- Hart Dale Juliff

C – Gray Pragt Davidson

HF – Midolo Wright Muschialli

F – Smith Moulton Walker

R – A Martello Turner Glanville

I/C – O’Connor Daggett

Coach – Little

Runner – B Turner

1987 reunion

Date : Saturday 21st May 2022 (Vs Rosebud)

Time :12 pm

Cost - $20

Includes : Finger food & first drink

RSVP : Aaron Martello : 0410 854 544; aaron@atstimber.com.au

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/localfooty/ediasp-to-hold-reunion-of-1987-trifecta-of-premierships/news-story/0c8c6e65817adf95ea62b7291ea55b73