DARKEST NIGHT
WELLMAN CALLS POLLARD'S OUSTING AS GVFL CHAIRMAN "LOWEST ACT" OF HIS TIME WITH LEAGUE
By OLIVER CAFFREY
This year’s Goulburn Valley Football League annual meeting will go down as one of the darkest nights in Keith Wellman’s life. The meeting on November 26 had Trevor Pollard ousted as chairman and lose his place on the league board after 16 years. Wellman said it was a low act and questioned the motives of club delegates that voted in favour of the dismissal. ‘‘The biggest disappointment in my 26 years occurred at the annual general meeting where Trevor Pollard was voted out,’’ Wellman said. ‘‘I thought it was one of the lowest acts I’ve seen happen in the league. ‘‘I’m wondering if it wasn’t done as a secret vote if those club delegates still would have showed their hands.’’ The legendary country football administrator completed his last day as GVFL general manager yesterday before going into retirement. Wellman will assist where he can with the league’s transition from its Dunkirk Ave office to the AFL Goulburn Murray Regional Administration Centre, but will not be involved in an official capacity. He said his career had been full of highs, but the annual meeting stood out for the wrong reasons. ‘‘That was undoubtedly a very low point in my life and in Trevor Pollard’s life given the incredible service he has given to the league over a long period of time,’’ Wellman said. Pollard had been vocal in the club delegates’ historic decision to switch to the AFL Goulburn Murray RAC, but made it clear at the meeting he wanted to work with the new arrangement. Wellman said he had no doubt Pollard would have been important towards the transition and would not have hindered the process. ‘‘Trevor was certainly outspoken about not going down there, but he certainly had the league’s best interests at heart and I’ll let you know I’m very disappointed in those clubs,’’ Wellman said. ‘‘Trevor fought for the league and he was in favour of staying with the status quo. ‘‘But he would’ve fallen into line when they eventually went down to AFL Goulburn Murray after the decision was made. ‘‘It was extremely disappointing that at least six clubs voted in favour of having him out.’’
An extended feature on Keith Wellman’s extraordinary career in Goulburn Valley footbalL will appear in The News next week.
The above article appeared in the Shepp NEWS on Saturday 13th December 2014 the day after Keith spent his last day as General Manager of the Goulburn Valley Football League at the GFVL office in Dunkirk Avenue in Shepparton.
The following article appeared in the Shepp NEWS the following Wednesday 17th December - again we give thinks and credit to writer Oliver CAFFREY at the Shepparton NEWS -----
Final siren blows for Keith
AFTER YEARS OF KICKING GOALS WELLMAN'S DISTRINGUISHED CAREER IN ADMINISTRATION COMES TO A CLOSE
By Oliver Caffrey
It was a standout year for Keith Wellman and Goulburn Valley Football League in 1994. This aricle was with a terrific black and white photo taken in the stands at the famous M.C.G. at the end of the 1994 footy season for the presentation of the V.C.F.L's Media Awards. In the photo were Ern MEHARRY from Radio station 98.5 FM who won the best radio coverage of country footy - Ern was accompanied by then caller and ex Shepparton Swans President George GILBY - also in the photo were former Shepparton NEWS Editor Rob McCLEAN with Shepp NEWS Sporting Editor Noel HUSSEY who accepted the best newspaper awards - in the forefront of this photo were Keith with the late and great Mtr Barry CONNOLLY who was back then the Chairman of the G.V.F.L. Certainly wonderful days with wonderful happy memories.
Keith Wellman closed the door at the GVFL’s Dunkirk Ave office on Friday for the final time. There was little fuss for Keith Wellman on his last day before retirement. Not that he wanted it any other way. Aside for some extra media commitments — something he usually shied away from — it was a low-key final few hours at Goulburn Valley Football League’s Dunkirk Ave headquarters on Friday. Instead of going out and celebrating the end of a decorated career, Wellman locked up the office and went home to his wife of 59 years, Jean. ‘‘I used to have a few beers early on in my life, but I haven’t had a decent skinful for a long time now,’’ Wellman said. ‘‘I was invited to have a few tonight (Friday), but I’d rather spend my last day on the job with her than go to a hotel and have a lot of guys coming up to you saying what a good fella you are. ‘‘It might have been appealing once, but priorities change as you get older.’’
He could have been forgiven for having a quiet ale or two after the outstanding service he has given the league for more than 40 years. Wellman was general manager of the GVFL for 21 years before stepping down in 1997. During the decade he was away, the league fell on hard times under his successor-predecessor Eric Bott. When Wellman was persuaded to return to the role in late 2007 by former board members John Coghlan and Ian McDonald, one of country football’s biggest leagues was on the brink, more than $100 000 in debt. As the competition approaches the transition to the AFL Goulburn Murray Regional Administration Centre at Kialla Park next year, the GVFL has $136 000 in the bank with assets of more than $500 000.
But behind one of country football’s respected administrators is a dedicated family man. While Wellman will go down in history as one of Goulburn Valley football’s most instrumental people, Jean Wellman paved the way for the netball scene. The Goulburn Valley Netball League’s senior best-and-fairest each year is awarded the Wellman Family Medal thanks to Jean’s efforts in helping establish the competition. However, Jean has required ongoing treatment during the past decade. ‘‘My wife has been on dialysis treatment for 14 years and she’s doing pretty good, but everyone knows dialysis doesn’t last forever,’’ Wellman said. ‘‘She has lost some pretty close friends recently, which has knocked her around a bit. ‘‘But I’ve never heard her complain in all that time she’s been sick, she never complains because she knows there’s someone worse off than herself.’’ Wellman has taken Jean for treatment every morning before arriving at work. ‘‘I’ll take her to dialysis at 7 am and then come straight here to the office to get a head start on work before anyone annoys me — I can get a lot of work done before 9 am, which is nice,’’ Wellman said.
The Wellmans have four children, Kerrie, Joyce, Grahame and Susan. Wellman would happily work forever, but his retirement will allow him to spend more time with Jean. He took his job seriously from day one, but it always came second to his family. ‘‘A few years ago I had some blood pressure trouble, so you’ve really got to look after your diet as you get older and make sure you eat the right food,’’ Wellman said. ‘‘I’m 81 in January, but I want to be here next week and next year. ‘‘A lot of people drink themselves silly and don’t worry about the future, but I want to be around for my wife.’’
Wellman knows it will be a weird feeling when the next GVFL season starts and he does not have an official role, but he is growing to accept it. ‘‘I’ll find it a bit strange, but the really strange part about it is I’m 80 years old and for every day of my life I’ve been working and then all of a sudden, I’ll be not working,’’ Wellman said. ‘‘It’s a bit hard to take, but I understand it’s all got to come to an end sooner or later, I do realise I couldn’t go on forever.’’
When next winter comes, Wellman’s Saturdays will be spent following Picola District Football League south-east club Katandra. Wellman’s grandson, former Kats coach Peter Ralph, will play in the senior side. After being tied down with GVFL commitments, Wellman said he was looking forward to watching Ralph take to the field in the twilight of his career. ‘‘He’s only 34, but he’s had knee and ankle operations the last few years that have stopped him doing a pre-season. He’s raring to go now, so I’d be surprised if he doesn’t kick 60 or 70 goals next year,’’ Wellman said. ‘‘He's my only grandson, so that’s where I’ll be heading on the weekends now, but I won’t lose interest in the GVFL interleague next year. ‘‘I believe the interleague team can regain the position of number one league in Victoria by defeating Geelong with a crackerjack side.’’
Where does the GVFL go from here? Along with Wellman’s retirement, the GVFL has lost 16 years of board experience in Trevor Pollard. Pollard was sensationally ousted as chairman and lost his place on the board at the league’s annual meeting last month. He had been vocally against the club delegates’ historic vote to switch the league’s daily operations to the AFL Goulburn Murray Regional Administration Centre during an ongoing saga this year. Although he wanted the league to remain autonomous, Pollard made it clear at the annual meeting he was keen to work with the new arrangement. Wellman told The News last week Pollard’s removal from the board was the ‘‘lowest act’’ he had seen during his association with the league. He said the transition to AFL Goulburn Murray presented a major challenge for the league.
Mansfield Shire Council chief executive David Roff, who has been on the board since 2011, was elected chairman earlier this month. Mick Williams was announced as deputy chairman after incumbent Freddo McMahon chose not to nominate for the top job after assuming the role temporarily following Pollard’s departure. ‘‘I am worried about the board losing that experience,’’ Wellman said. ‘‘I feel if IanMcDonald had have still been on this board, it would’ve been a different scenario to now. ‘‘But I’m glad I’m not going to be dealing with the issues that are going to come up next year because I’ve reached the age where it’s probably going to start worrying me, where it hasn’t as much in the past.’’
While he wishes the new guard the best of luck, Wellman said he felt for those involved in the league who have been forced out of their positions. ‘‘I suppose one of themost disappointing parts in the situation is it doesn’t just evolve around me continuing in my job,’’ Wellman said. ‘‘I’ve been lucky to have Melissa Wells with me at the office, Noel Hussey, Norm Gillespie prior to that, our finance manager Michelle Adams has done a good job and photographer Bailey Opie‘. ‘What we’ve built here is probably fairly unique here in country Victoria in that we own our building and all the clubs are going well financially and don’t owe the league money.’’ Wellman will assist where he can with the league’s transition to the RAC, but will not be involved in an official capacity. The changeover began last week as AFL Goulburn Murray general manager Martin Gleeson visited the office. ‘‘We’ve gone through a few things, there’s still a lot more to go through yet, but I won’t be knocking back any assistance I can give them,’’ Wellman said.
Outside the GVFL
What often gets forgotten about Wellman is he played more than 400 games at Kyabram District Football League level. His career as an administrator began in the early 1960s when hewas share farming at Ardmona and switched from playing at Undera to the Cats, going on to serve in every position in the club. During his decade away from the GVFL general manager position, Wellman was football manager at Rumbalara during a premiership year, served as secretary of the now-defunct Central Goulburn Football League and had a football administration role at Shepparton United in 2006.
His legacy
Wellman has received significant praise for his work in lifting the GVFL out of the doldrums, but that attention has never sat well with him. ‘‘I get embarrassed when they say I’m the best administrator going around and all this sort of stuff, there are younger blokes more advanced than I am,’’ Wellman said. However, local media stalwart and former league publicity officer Noel Hussey said there was no better administrator in country football. ‘‘It’s no coincidence most of the success the GVFL has had has been while he’s been general manager,’’ Hussey said. ‘‘All the way through he’s done a great job, he had already provedhimself at the KDFL, but the tough little nut from Ardmona has done so much for the league and he deserves all the credit that comes his way.’’
Last Modified on 28/03/2015 18:22