How people power helped Parrots defy the odds
Bridgenorth is celebrating its centenary this year. Not bad for the ‘club with no town’, which some believed was too remote to survive. We reminisce with club legends as they name their greatest-ever team. SEE IT HERE.
Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Legend has it when Bridgenorth was granted entry into the West Tamar Football Association, an official remarked “we’d better give them a chance, they probably won’t last long.”
The Parrots have had the last laugh by reaching their 100th birthday this year. And they haven’t just crawled to the line, they’re thriving.
Affectionately dubbed the ‘club with no town’, Bridgenorth is the great survivor of the Tamar region.
One of the centrepieces of their centenary celebrations was the naming of their team of the century at a gala function on Saturday night.
“It (club) has done well seeing as there no speed limit signs and it’s in the middle of a paddock,” 2010 premiership coach and 1996 premiership player Paul Beechey said.
“All the towns around it, their football clubs fell over. Exeter and Beauty Point, Beaconsfield and all those with quite a considerable town didn’t stand up, but Bridgenorth stood the test of time and continues to be stronger than ever.”
Beechey also won the Clarrie Boon medal as best on ground in the 1996 grand final win over Rocherlea.
“In 1996 it came together as the year went on. We weren’t tracking that well early and some quality players came in through the year as it progressed, and we got better,” Beechey said.
“In 2010 (against Scottsdale) we were favourites and it would have taken something catastrophic for us not to win that one.
“And the reserves won (the flag) as well. That bus ride back from York Park to Bridgenorth with 50-odd blokes, and walking into a packed club rooms with ‘We Are The Champions’ playing is something I’ll never forget.”
While the premierships are cherished, the overwhelming sentiment of current and former Bridgenorth leaders interviewed by this masthead is it’s the clubs’ sense of community behind its longevity.
“I look back on the club and it’s the culture and family environment that keeps people there and makes it feel like home,” Beechey said.
“The club doesn’t only make good footballers, they make better people as well. It’s shaped a lot of my life and I think it does that for quite a few people.
“The committee has been stable for such a long time and the product they’re putting out there is something people are enjoying. Without committees and volunteers in the background a club doesn’t survive. I think they’ve done that extremely well and they should be proud of that.
CLEMENTS ENTRENCHED IN CLUB HISTORY
Joel Clements, a four-time best and fairest and 2010 premiership captain, played 296 games for Bridgenorth.
He’s generally regarded by most as in the conversation for the Parrots’ best-ever player.
Beechey handed Clements his debut when he was 16 in 2000, the start of a glittering 20-year career.
“He’s definitely one of the best. Very good above his head and below his knees, kicked left and right, courageous and selfless, the list goes on,” Beechey said.
“I debuted him as a 16 year old in 2000 when I did my first three year coaching stint (2009-11), and he never looked back from that point on.”
The eras have gone full circle with Clements’ son, Nate, now playing under-18s at the Parrots.
He was less than a year old when his old man won the flag in 2010, the club’s most recent senior men’s premiership.
“We won quite comfortably on the day, but having seniors and reserves winning was pretty special,” Clements said.
“That was the highlight, both sides winning and partying on for a few days. It’s what you play for, the mateship and the social side of things.
“My young fella must have only been ten months old I think (on grand final day), there’s a few photos of him in the paper crawling over to the premiership cup.
“(Current president) Bobby Beams got myself and my brother Nick out there. And once they go there they tend to stay there, it’s a pretty good culture at the club.”
Clements said the addition of a women’s team the past seven years, including winning the 2024 flag, has been a huge boost.
“The women’s program has been unbelievable for the club. I wish it was around when I was playing, to be honest,” Clements said.
It would have added a lot more to the club as it does now.”
BEAMING WITH PRIDE
Beechey likens club president Bobby Beams to “salt and pepper - he’s just in everything.”
Beams captained the 2010 reserve grade premiership side, and guided their strong women’s team to a maiden flag last year.
“Bobby has driven that (women’s program) really well. He’s like salt and pepper, he’s just in everything, but he’s got some good lieutenants as well,” Beechey said.
But ask Beams about what makes the club not just survive, but thrive, and he barely talks about football.
“We believe it was famously said by an administrator that we’d better give them a go, they won’t last long,” Beams said.
“They just thought we were too remote, and would bring a poor class of football into the comp.
“As it turned out we’ve outlasted them all, and have reached 100 years thriving really.
“We certainly are unique and it’s been the strength of our people, and care for our people, that’s kept us going for 100 years.
“Everyone who’s been here has a story, whether it’s playing in a premiership, or someone or something at the club has had an impact on their life.
“That’s the main thing. We haven’t focused on just the wins or the greats of the club, it’s more than football.
“It’s about people and community and that’s why people come, and keep coming back. Our dinner this week, originally we had 300 tickets and we sold out, and have had to increase that to 350.
“It doesn’t matter what walk of life you come from, people feel accepted and valued, and in a lot of cases it’s been life changing for people.
“That’s probably a reflection of ticket sales for this event. Not only current players, we have played back to the 1940s that will be there.”
Beams said picking a team across a century and multiple eras is an incredibly difficult task.
Some will have different opinions and many are stiff to miss out, but that also adds to its prestige.
“These things certainly aren’t easy, they always create conversation around them,” he said.
“We were lucky the club in 1999 had selected the best teams of 1929-1970 and 1971-99 and also teams of the decades for the last two decades.
“We have people at the club in their nineties who are still very sharp, and who’ve watched a lot of football now. We certainly tapped into their understanding and knowledge.”
Beams said the women’s side had significantly helped the club grow.
“It’s been huge for our club. We’re in our seventh season and that’s brought hundreds of people to the club, either as players, sponsors or supporters.
“There’s been so many people who played years ago at our club, and have come back and said where the club is at now has moved forward in leaps and bounds, and a lot of that is attributed to the women's program.
“It’s not measured in just wins, it’s the impact on people’s lives.
“It’s a huge thing to be going after 100 years and to be going successfully. We’ve been planning this celebration for several years because we wanted to celebrate how we should.”
BRIDGENORTH’S TEAM OF THE CENTURY
B: Alan Pearson, Alvyn Scolyer, Anthony Gibbons
HB: Joel Clements, Kevin Lack, Greg Bowkett
C: Wayne Cuthbertson, Ron McLennan, Darryl Wing
HF: Matthew Zanetto, Paul Beechey (vc), Michael Peck
FF: Michael Squires, Craig McIntyre, Josh Murfet
Foll: Tom Barwick (captain, ruck), Tim Blair, Luke Duncan
Int: Bruce Bell, Pat Carey, Graham Peck, Jason Savage, Ben Scolyer, Lindsay Scolyer, Wim Vaessen
Coach: Ellis Scolyer
BRIDGENORTH SENIOR FLAGS
Men
West Tamar Football Association: 1929, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1956, 1959, 1960, 1963, 1967
Tamar Football Association: 1983, 1984
NTFA: 1996, 2010
Women
NTFA premier division: 2024
Watch replays: Hawks soar into TNL grand finals
Northern Hawks have proven form is temporary and class is permanent, clawing their way into the Tasmanian Netball League grand final. Watch the REPLAYS of the prelim finals.
Replays: Tasmania Devils v GWV Rebels, Coates League
A torrential downpour has greeted the Tassie Devils on their road trip to Ballarat and from there things have are only deteriorated against Greater Western Victoria Rebels. Watch both REPLAYS.