Sport

Hoppers 1983 premiership remembered

By Yarrawonga Chronicle

Jun 21, 2023

Players of the 1985 Rennie seniors, reserves and thirds teams came together to celebrate the premiership year at Bull Plain Road recently. Photo by Les_Garbutt

Rennie Football Netball Club celebrated their 1983 premiership on May 27 with a roll-up of many players who represented them in that history making season.

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The Hoppers won the senior and reserves football, came runners up in the thirds football and won the A Grade netball final in what was known as the Coreen and District Football Netball League.

Ex Yarrawonga ruckman Robert Tait coached the seniors to a record 109-point victory against Coreen at Hopefield Burraja in front of a record crowd.

Ron Payne coached the reserves to the flag with local legend Daryl Bruton in charge of the thirds.

In addition to the above, Rennie’s 1983 premiers came together to celebrate a very successful part of history in what was 50 years of football for the club.

In their proud history, which is now 90 years, Rennie have won a total of 16 premierships in both the Coreen and District and Picola and District Football Leagues.

The 1983 team that day that won Rennie's 10th senior flag were:

B- T Rhodes, M Bruce, D Woodward

HB- D Rhodes, R Ferguson, B Larcombe

C -P Thomas, W Ferguson, G Cook

HF- N Tait, M O'Dwyer, I Woods

F- R Payne, G Tobias, C Gorman

Foll -R Tait, A Stephens, W Rhodes

I/C- G Foster, J Robinson.

President was Bob Lewis and Robert Tait was the captain/coach.

This game was dominated by the Hoppers leading by 17 points at quarter time, 60 points at half time, and 83 points at three-quarter time, ending up with a 109-point victory.

Final score Rennie 26.24.180 to Coreen 10.11.71.

George Tobias kicked 10 goals for the Hoppers and Neville Tait kicked 5 and was named best on the ground.

Earlier in the Rennie day, the Rennie reserves 13.13.91 defeated Wahgunyah 8.9.57 with Stephen Smith booting 6 goals.

The under-16s were defeated 8.7.55 to Corowa Rutherglen 11.13.79