Otway Rovers History
With the disbanding of the Otway Football Association, the ex president of the association, Mr. Jack Daffy, had attended a Colac District Football League annual with the motion, that if that league would accept a team from Gellibrand and one from the “Ridge”, the clearance for Gellibrand would be granted and the Otway Association would go into recess.
This would be accepted by the CDFL and a public meeting was called on March 22nd, 1957, at the Lavers Hill hall to form a new club on the ridge. Mr. Daffy presided at the meeting and reported that Gellibrand and the new club would be accepted on the condition that the new club used Gellibrand as their home ground.
Mr. Daffy was offered the presidency but declined, and called for nominations for office bearers. T. J. Fry was elected president; R. C. (Corker) Brown was elected secretary-treasurer. A motion that “Otway Rovers” be the name of the new club was accepted as were the colors; a green jumper with gold V, cuffs and collar. The committee comprised of three from each of the disbanded clubs: Beech Forest, D. Towers. F. Vesey, W. McCallum. Lavers Hill, D.A. Brown, D.J. Evans, M. Woods. Johanna, K. Speight, M. Sutcliffe, J. Ryan. Vice-presidents: J. Hobson, F. Sennitt. Ass. Secretary, W. Beale.
Various officials were appointed at the meeting and a regular committee meeting was to be held the second Wednesday of every month at Corker and Pat Brown’s houses. This was to be the same for the next 19 years. When Corker retired from the committee in 1975, the venue was shifted to Nev and Jean Flannagan's house.
Our first match was to be against Irrewillipe at Gellibrand which was to be the start for three premierships, 1956, 1957 and 1961, seven winners up and two preliminary finals. It also won the 1958 Centenary Lightning premiership. The under-17 team was very successful and won consecutive premierships in 1971 and 1972.
The law was relaxed to allow Otway Rovers to use the Beech Forest ground. When the weather and ground deteriorated as the season progressed, the home matches would be shifted to Gellibrand or Carlisle.
1975 saw Carlisle amalgamate with Otway Rovers. Their club had been in recess and became part of the “Rovers” in name and colors while they provided the ground and facilities for the club until 1981.
This year, 1981 has seen the amalgamation of Gellibrand and Otway Rovers. The new club will be known as Otway Districts, and wear a purple jumper with an OD monogram.
Life members – 1962 R.C. Brown, 1965 D.J. Evans, 1967 J.P. Evans, 1969, D.A. Brown, 1972 K.J. Speight, 1975 Mrs. L.J. Evans, 1975 Mrs. M. M. Speight, 1979 A.G. Dow.
10 years service: 1974 W.D. Winchcomb, D.L. Dow, A.G. Dow, A.G. Dow, C.F. Brown, R.L. Allen, O.L. Smith, 1977 W.G. Evans, D.C. Brown, 1979 T.J. Evans, 1980 Mrs. J.T. Brauer.
400 games: 1980 D. Vesey.
200 games: 1967 C. McKenzie, 1968 D. Vesey, 1969 D. C. Brown, 1969 K.J. Speight, 1970 J.K. Hider, 1971 D.J. Herring, 1972 N.E. Flannigan.
300 games: 1974 D. Vesey, 1980 C. McKenzie.
1962: K/ Speight, 80 goals, leading goal kicker CDFL.
1964: G. Evans, best under 21; H. Box, Memorial Trophy and runner-up for CDFL B & F.
1967: J. Hider, 101 goals, leading goal kicker CDFL. G. Evans equal runner-up CDFL B & F.
1979: M. Lucas, runner-up CDFL B & F.
Otway Rover: Premiers 1971 UNDER-17 COMPETITION
