By Russell Bennett
While the Emerald Cricket Club’s first XI is having a season its players would likely rather forget, on Saturday night at The Hangar at Chandler Reserve the Bombers marked a celebration that’ll long live on in their memory.
Time and time again since 1893 the red and black faithful have made a habit of picking themselves up after getting knocked down, and Saturday night’s function – marking their 125-year celebration – delivered a timely reminder of just what this club means to so many people.
The night was a credit to the likes of life members Brad Wynd, Rod Smith, and Gary Santini and their crew of diehards who organised favourite sons and daughters of the red and black from all over Australia to attend.
One such attendee was Ian Hart, who is now based on the Gold Coast. Ian, a former player at Emerald in the 1960s, is loving life up north. His son Shaun, a Norm Smith medalist and three-time AFL premiership winner with the Brisbane Lions, has returned to the Gold Coast Suns after having originally joined as an assistant in 2008. He spent the past four seasons with Port Adelaide and has retuned to the Suns as Head of Development.
Ian, meanwhile, is also heavily involved at the Suns as the scoreboard attendant at their home ground, Metricon Stadium.
But on Saturday night there’s nowhere he’d rather be.
The club has gone into remission a number of times throughout the generations and faced plenty more battles – both on-field and off – but they’ve all served to help make the club what it is today; a rock-solid testament to its champions.
Chandler Reserve in Avonsleigh isn’t just named after one of Emerald’s most revered sporting figures. It sits on his land.
Allan Chandler, along with the likes of Smith, Santini and club president Kris Strong stood proudly on Saturday night as Wynd announced the latest life member of the Bombers – former club champion Geoff Worrell.
A favourite son of the club whose surname is synonymous with it was visibly taken aback when another red and black legend, Terry Lucas, pinned his medallion on his chest.
“To be awarded life membership of this great club means a lot to me,” Geoff said. “My family has been involved with this club for so long, and this means the world to me – it’s better than premierships, and to be awarded this in front of you all tonight is just amazing.
“Words can’t describe it. It’s just an absolute honour, and it’s very special. Thanks to the club – I love this place.”
The Bombers’ new facility – The Hangar – was packed for Saturday’s function, which simply wouldn’t have been done justice by the former, undersized outdated rooms.
Over 20 years worth of club champions were in attendance, as well as over two decades worth of former club captains and more than 15 years of past presidents, too.
Mark Missen, who was named Emerald club captain at just 18 and was also there on Saturday night, still holds the record for the youngest person to ever assume that role in Yarra Valley cricket.
But for all those who were there to support the club, there was a message with former president Wynd delivering a kind of call to arms – for past players and committee people to jump back on board and to continue to drive the club forward.
Earlier in the day on Saturday, the Bombers were soundly beaten by their local rivals from Upper Beaconsfield, who’ll mark their own 125-year milestone later this season on February 24. The Gazette will also cover that event.
