Past players rally to keep Fish Creek reserves on the ground

Without its Melbourne-based players available, Fish Creek faced having to forfeit in the seconds. But players came out retirement to keep the Kangaroos on the ground.

Mark Standfield, 51, came out of retirement to play with son Rory and help out the Fish Creek reserves.

The Fish Creek reserves team scored only one behind and lost by 139 points on Saturday.

But everyone associated with the club regarded it as a win just to get a side on the ground.

When the Mid Gippsland league resumed from a third Covid interruption, it did so without the clubs’ Melbourne-based players.

For Fish Creek, it meant going into the senior matches against Yinnar with more than 20 players unavailable.

Thirteen were from the seniors, and they were replaced by players from the reserves and Under 18s.

That left the seconds depleted.

Darren Bowman with son Lane.

“I think the coach (Anthony Wilson) had five players left,’’ Fish Creek co-president Ray Stefani said.

It would have been perfectly understandable if the Kangaroos had decided to forfeit.

“Well at the beginning we had our hands up in the air wondering what we were going to do,’’ co-president Nick Shaw said.

But club officials understand Fishy have never forfeited a match at senior level – certainly living legend Andy Kerr cannot recall it happening – and coaches John Danckert and Wilson decided they weren’t about to do it now.

“The coaches were like, ‘Nah, we’re not going to lay down, we’re going to play, let’s get a team together’,’’ Shaw said.

They hit the phones – “It was like a call centre,’’ Shaw said – and past players pledged to jump in and help.

They included Mark Stanfield, 51, who hadn’t pulled on the boots in 13 years. He ran out with his 16-year-old son Rory, who had also played in the Under 18s game earlier in the day.

Darren Bowman did the same, playing with his son Lane.

The players tune in to coach Anthony Wilson.

Fishy rounded up a team of 20, including a sprinkling of 2000 and 2001 premiership players. Trent Allen, Jamie Seuren, Andrew Hamilton, Lachie Moon, Patrick Morgan and Jake Francis all came out of retirement to make up the numbers.

Both Standfields were named in the best players, which has happened many times over the years. The family is Fish Creek football royalty.

Lest anyone regard Fishy as a club of imports, Stefani pointed out most of the Melbourne players were locals who had gone to “town’’ to work or study.

“You’ve only got to look at the points for the senior team,’’ he said.

“We have 43 available and we sit at about 26. All homegrown kids are one point because they played junior footy here. So we’re definitely not full of imports. It just happens that a lot of them are in Melbourne working or studying.’’

Coach Anthony Wilson at the huddle.

Shaw added: “I’ve got two girls in A grade netball. They’re both nurses. They couldn’t come back. My son is a builder in town. He couldn’t come back either.’’

All Mid Gippsland clubs were strong about not selecting Melbourne-based players.

“The league had been very clear about that,’’ Stefani said.

“They sent out an email yesterday reminding everyone of the penalties if you do the wrong thing. And the worst thing that could happen is we might not be able to keep playing.’’

Despite being depleted, the senior team pulled off a stunning, stirring five-point victory over Yinnar.

Shaw was saying before the game that officials had no great expectations for a “thrown-together team’’, but the Creek won 14.8 (92) to 12. 15 (87). Darcy Berryman booted five goals, including one late in the last quarter, and Sam McGannon sealed it after hauling in a terrific pack mark.

Stefani called it “unbelievable, phenomenal’’.

“It’s the best win I’ve seen in my time at Fish Creek, in terms of backs against the wall,’’ he said.

Four players were on debut: Under 18s Lachie Gale, Tyler Cocksedge and Archie Brewer, and Brock Stefani (son of the president).

Fish Creek did have to forfeit the A grade netball, because every player was in Melbourne.

Fishy had been a mainstay of the Alberton league, whose clubs joined Mid Gippsland last year.

It was a momentous step to wind up such a historic competition, but Alberton was down to six clubs and Stefani said change had to come.

He said the switch had created interest and produced bigger crowds.

“We needed to do something to revitalise the teams left in Alberton, and coming over there has definitely done that,’’ he said.

“Crowds are up and people have come back to the footy. We’re playing clubs we’ve never played before. We played Mirboo North there and the senior game went down to the wire and it was like a final with the roar of the crowd. The players said it was fantastic. We haven’t had that for a number of years, with what was left of Alberton.’’

Mid Gippsland is now a 13-club competition.

Shaw said the Mid Gippy clubs had made Fish Creek, Foster, Toora, MDU, Tarwin and Stony Creek most welcome.