Avoca’s last year in the Learmonth and District Association was memorable, in that Avoca caused the upset of the season beating Learmonth, who were previously undefeated.
The occasion gave birth to one of Avoca’s most celebrated yarns, which involved Gordon “Goldy” Drummond.
Groomed for local stardom, it was “Goldy” who saved the day at Learmonth.
If you believe this story, :Goldy:, who had been playing in the ruck, decided to take the kick out in the closing seconds of play, with Avoca trailing by a point.
“Goldy’s” kick caught the notorious wind rising of Lake Learmonth, catapulting the ball from one end of the ground to the other and through the goals for a five point victory.
The story is told in more detail in chapter three, but the match details are:
Avoca 10.9.69 to Learmonth 9.10.64
Avoca’s Goals: harry Crocker 3, Norm Gleeson 3, Bill Harris 2, Bob Pritchard 1, Goldy Drummond 1.
Avoca’s Best: Goldy Drummond, and the rest of the team.
The Senior playing list were:
Charlie Polinelli (Captain and Coach), Bob Watts, Bill, Allan and Clem Hill, George Harrison, Bill Whitley, Robert Watts, Roy Romey, Norm and Ted Field, John Coghlan, Alex Studd, Roy Hellings, Paddy Ryan Junior, Eddie and Leon Redpatch, Hec Harrison, Len Harbour, Harry Powers, Keith Astbury, Bill Harris, Paddy Ryan, Jack Gordon, Richard McFarlane, Bill and Arthur Gane, Harry Crocker, Charlie McCallum, F.J. Watson, Norm Gleeson, Alex Stuart, Tim Healy, Con Grant, Bob & J Pritchard, Erroll Howell, Goldy Drummond and G Condon, a former South Melbourne player.
Just prior to Avoca’s first semi final match against Burumbeet, the following poem appeared in the Avoca Mail:
Come listen you sports, I’ll tell you a tale,
Of a football team famous and fast;
In the annals of history’s pace,
Avoca’s deed have never been surpassed.
You will meet those who enthuse the name,
Of Grant, Avoca’s young rover;
Who works like a brick to get his kick,
And shows that he’s just in clover.
The Harrison brothers always were fast,
And show that they always get there;
While Gleeson the forward goes up for the mark,
A veritable king in the air.
There’s Bob Watts, the back man, who never yet missed,
Clearing the ball from his goal;
While Whitley the ruckman follows right through,
And gives his opponents a role.
McFarlane and Grant are a couple who work,
The opposition they give a pain;
While Drummond and Crocker when on the ball,
Revel in wind, mud, and rain.
Now Charlie Pollineli, the captain and coach,
Who gives his time and his work;
To cheer up the team as they labour along,
And never his duty he’d shirk.
Now this is the team that beat old Learmonth,
Who never had known defeat;
Until Avoca they happened to find,
Their old Waterloo to meet.
Keep going Avoca, we’re sure you will win,
Although Burrumbeet will be hard;
Keep playing the game, live up to your name,
And the Premiership’s right on the card.
The verse helped inspire Avoca to a thrilling six point victory over Burrumbeet in the first semi final.
However, Learmonth gained revenge, beating Avoca by 36 points in the preliminary final.
Learmonth then beat Waubra in the grand final, with M McIntyre kicking an amazing 15 goals out of his team’s tally of 18.
Avoca’s Best & Fairest award was won by Bob Watts, who received a gold medal donated by Mr Jock Lee.
Go to 1933
