VSDCA: Brunswick’s last premiership captain John Mulligan ready to hand his mantle over after 30 years
JOHN Mulligan has waited 30 years to hand over the mantle of Brunswick’s last premiership captain.
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JOHN Mulligan has waited 30 years to hand over the mantle of Brunswick’s last premiership captain.
The now 63-year-old led the Wicks to glory as captain-coach in 1987-88, the club charging through Sub-District Cricket finals with victories against Malvern, Box Hill and Altona after finishing the regular season in fourth spot.
It was a year when Home and Away first aired, Allan Border was captain of the Australian Test side and Bob Hawke was Australian Prime Minister.
Hawke has skolled more beers during SCG Test matches than Brunswick has won First XI premierships since Michael Drinkall’s five-wicket haul and John Swanson’s hundred secured the club its fifth title in 12 seasons.
Mulligan said he was ready for current coach Karl Mayne and captain David McKay to enjoy the same success he was able to.
“Nothing would please me more, because it has been too long,” he said.
Club legend Swanson, who played 23 seasons at Brunswick, shared a decisive 143-run partnership with Geoff Turner in the decider.
The Wicks climbed from 4-75 to 5-218, Turner compiling 56 before Swanson went on to reach triple figures.
However, Brunswick squandered a golden opportunity to post a total in excess of 300, losing 6-25 to be all out for 243.
Altona’s reply mirrored the Wicks’ innings, stumbling to 5-130 before a 78-run sixth-wicket stand put the championship within its reach.
A run out changed the course of the contest before Drinkall ripped through Altona’s lower-order.
Only an hour or so after resigning himself to defeat, Mulligan was celebrating a famous victory.
The As lost 5-20 and were skittled for 228, Drinkall finishing with 5-59 from 23.1 overs which included eight maidens.
“We were resigned to getting done because they only needed another 20 runs and then they collapsed,” Mulligan said.
“They just couldn’t get over the line and they lost their last four wickets for not many.”
The unforgettable stories from Brunswick’s most recent premiership will be remembered at the club’s past players day on Saturday.
Mulligan, who still serves as the Wicks’ club umpire, said he was confident Brunswick was close to ending its long wait for success.
“It’s not rocket science,” he said.
“You need enough good players, you need a certain amount of talent, and they look like they have got that.
“There’s no reason why over the next couple of years they can’t do the same thing.”
Brunswick is in a strong position to mount a tilt at premiership glory this summer, sitting fourth in the North-West group.
Mayne has assembled a First XI squad which boasts Val Holten Medal winner Liam Murphy, an impressive bowling attack led by McKay and experienced quick Leigh Brennan and an improving batting line-up with talents such as Charles Aitken and Englishman Dane Williams.
“We have been working for a number of years to try and have finals success,” Mayne said. “We are all working pretty hard to try and end that drought and return a flag to Brunswick.”
Mayne has drilled the importance of understanding the club’s rich history into his players, many of whom were not born or were too young to be playing when the club last tasted the ultimate success.
“Since taking over I have had a real focus on connecting with our past,” he said.
“We have got a very proud history and a group of players from that golden generation are still around the club.
“We have them talking at selection nights about what the club was like in those years and some of the rivalries they had.
“The championships, when you faced off and had to beat the winner from the other conference, things like that.
“It’s really important that those people that are legends of the club remain involved with the current-day players.
“We try and learn as much as we can from them and it is certainly a big focus for us.”
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