‘Midge’ Rossetto notches 60 years as a proud Frankston YCW Stonecat
Frankston YCW is set to celebrate an unbelievable milestone — “Midge” Rossetto’s 60 years of service to the club. He reflects on his journey and looks back at some of the club’s greatest players and coaches.
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Remigio “Midge’’ Rossetto’s massive impact at Frankston YCW becomes obvious when you scan the premiership photos in the rooms at Jubilee Park.
His face appears in nearly all of them.
From the 1970s, through the decades, across the new millennium…to the Stonecats’ latest flag photo in 2022, there’s Midge’s smiling face — as either a player or official.
“I only missed out on one, in the 1980s,” he says.
“I think I had a break for a year or so, and then came back into it.”
Rossetto refers to Frankston YCW footy club as his “second home”, having been involved for 60 years.
The club is celebrating the “unbelievable’’ milestone with a function on Friday night.
Rossetto was 13 and living in nearby Heatherhill Rd when he first walked into the club in the mid 1960s.
His older brother Erminio was playing at YC at the time.
“I just followed in his footsteps,’’ Midge says.
“I joined the club and stayed there ever since.’’
Now 73, Rossetto is still heavily involved at the Stonecats, as head trainer.
“I get there at about 9.30 in the morning,’’ he says.
“I do the twos and ones...clean up after we finish and find stuff leftover — boots, shirts, you name it, it gets left behind.
“I tell the boys, ‘don’t forget, fellas, rubbish in the bins’.
“But it doesn’t seem to work,’’ he laughed.
“I still enjoy it. It keeps me out of trouble, gives me something to do on the weekend.’’
Rossetto played over 300 games for YC, winning three league best and fairests, as well as five club best and fairest awards. He was also twice leading goal kicker.
Asked to describe himself as a footballer, Midge fired back: “I was tough as nails. Ex concreter so I never had to worry about being fit.’’
Rossetto has seen it all at Frankston YCW — brilliant players, visionary coaches and even the changes in jumpers.
“We went through three or four sets of jumpers,’’ he says.
“We started off with the all blue with the YCW emblem on the front. Then we went to the bumble bees, which were made out of wool and when they got wet, geez, they got heavy.’’
He said legendary YCW coaches Laurie McMahon and Josh Kendall were visionaries.
“You didn’t want to argue with him or upset him,’’ he said of McMahon, “because he was way ahead of his time as a coach.
“Josh Kendall...another one way ahead of his time.”
As for the greatest Stonecats to lace up boots, Rossetto remembered the “brilliant” full forward of the 1970s Paul “Whistle” Willis, champion Brendan Long (they used to tag him at half back), Mark Berenger (“I taught him how to kick”)…and the list goes on.
Rossetto coached Frankston YCW junior sides, helping hundreds of youngsters progress to senior ranks, including his nephew, current YCW senior coach Paul Goonan.
“He was a skinny kid in under 14s,’’ Midge said of Goonan.
“I used to play him on the half back flank. Pre season came around the next year and he’d grown four inches. So I turned around and said, ‘guess what son, you’re now in the ruck’.’’
Goonan said his uncle was “part of the fabric of the club’’.
“I’ve known Midgy basically forever,’’ Goonan said.
“It’s an amazing story. The commitment he’s given...we joke about it but when you look around the room there’s that premiership era, and he’s pretty much in every premiership photo as a player or a trainer. His face is in 90 percent of the premiership photos.
“He’s a bit of a character.
“Because he used to coach me as a kid...l’Il be talking to the group and he can’t help himself, he’ll chuck in something about how we’re playing or what we need to do...l think a few of the boys look at him and say, ‘Midgy, just get back to strapping the ankles’, but he’s loved by them. That’s for sure.’’
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