Eastern league: Heathmont and Ringwood set for Friday night blockbuster
All roads lead to H.E Parker Reserve this Friday night as two of the Eastern league’s fiercest foes renew acquaintances.
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One of the Eastern league’s hottest rivalries reignites on Friday night.
Heathmont and Ringwood kick off a bumper weekend of footy in the east as the pair commemorate the Anzacs and vie for the Parker Family Cup.
Ringwood enters the clash undefeated from two starts following its minor premiership last season, while Heathmont will be looking to post a second straight win.
The opposing coaches agree their players don’t need any extra motivation to get up and about for the occasion.
They met twice last season, splitting the ledger. A five-point Friday night thriller in Round 3 fell the way of the Jets before the Redbacks exacted revenge later in the season.
Heathmont senior coach Nick Rutley says his club is hellbent on reclaiming the Parker Family Cup.
“The guys that played in it last year understand how big the occasion is and how exciting it is to play in front of a crowd like that,” he said.
“We don’t have it (the Parker Cup) at the moment, they’ve got it and we’re keen to get it back where it belongs … in regards to motivation, I don’t think I’ll need to press the button too hard.”
With the Division 2 clubs separated by a stone’s throw, friendships from the local area are cast aside when the Jets and Redbacks square off according to Ringwood senior coach Brett Rowe.
“It (the rivalry) probably stems from the fact that a lot of the guys know each other, so they always want to get that one-up on their mates – it’s always a massive game,” he said.
The pair share a long history stretching back to the days of the Croydon-Ferntree Gully Football League, where they met from 1959-1961. The bouts continued from 1962-65 in Eastern Districts Football League’s top division before the Jets were relegated, cooling the rivalry for a few years.
The traditional foes have met on 33 occasions with the Redbacks holding the advantage, 23-10 – but the Jets have won two of the past three.
Speak to anyone involved and they’ll tell you it’s not just another week – just ask Heathmont president Rob Parker at the centre of the rivalry.
The Parker Family Cup recognises the contribution of the family across both clubs.
Rob, who has an association with Heathmont stretching more than 40 years, played at both and has been president at the Jets for more than 20 years. His son, Nathan, currently coaches Heathmont’s reserves.
Rob played at Ringwood with his three brothers where his mother was also involved, while father Gordon was secretary and president before going on to serve as CEO at the EFL.
“The Parker Cup over the years has been pretty hotly contested between the two clubs,” Parker said.
“I think it’s just that friendship component where we’re friends with a lot of people (from the opposition) but when it comes to playing a game of football, we all want to strive to win.
“That competitive spirit really comes out even more when you’re playing against people you know … we have that rivalry, but we respect each other and over the years we’ve had some really good games.”
The Redbacks haven’t missed a beat this season and Rowe believes his side’s unblemished start is down to its “belief in each other, trust in the game plan and trust in each other” following two close wins.
But as history will attest, these clashes have a habit of throwing up some topsy-turvy results. As the Ringwood coach is well aware, form lines go out the window when locking horns with the Jets.
“That’s the beauty when you have a rivalry like this,” Rowe said.
“It doesn’t matter where you are on the ladder, there’s always an extra sting to the game. It’s always up and down … it’s always pretty close and there’s always a bit in it.”
Rutley says the rivalry embodies everything great about local footy.
Now in his second season at the Jets’ helm, Rutley remembers the “huge awakening” of his first Parker Family Cup match as coach, seeing the masses of rusted-on fans and neutrals alike heavily invested in the result.
“Just the passion and the want for people to do well, because you walk around and there’s people wanting to talk to you about the opposition – they’ve either gone to school with them or grown up with them … everyone wanted to play a role in getting a result and there was a lot of want to do well,” he said.
“But that’s why community footy’s so good, you’ve got to embrace people and allow them to be part of it. It’s about people.”
Eastern league Division 2, Round 3 – Heathmont v Ringwood, Friday April 22, 7.00pm at H.E Parker Reserve, Heathmont
Past five:
Round 10, 2021: Ringwood 10.8 (68) def. Heathmont 7.6 (48)
Round 3, 2021: Heathmont 10.8 (68) def. Ringwood 9.9 (63)
Round 13, 2019: Heathmont 8.5 (53) def. Ringwood 4.6 (30)
Round 6, 2019: Ringwood 15.5 (95) def. Heathmont 6.10 (46)
Round 13, 2018: Ringwood 10.11 (71) def. Heathmont 7.11 (53)
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