It is with much sadness that the Yeoman Football Club has to advise its members and supporters of the passing of club Legend of Loyalty Russell Wynwood.
Yeoman President Shaun O'Neill posted this tribute on the club's Facebook page.
It is not without great sadness a heavy heart and a tear in my eye that I write this.
This morning at 6:00am I received a phone call from Gregory “Tom” Wynwood to advise me that his older brother Russell Wynwood had passed away throughout the night with a suspected heart attack.
Russell, has been part of the Yeoman Football Club since 1968, this season would have been his 53rd year of service with the club.
Russell or Hooks (a nick name he earnt from dancing and singing along to the band Skyhooks) as he was known to some, was one of those people who was always there and would always be willing to help. Russell would complete many tasks around the club that would go unnoticed. I would find myself asking the question, “who’s put the goal post pads up?” the response would be “Russell has done it”, “Who going to lock the gates at this week’s home game” which came with the response “dont worry Russell will do that”.
If Yeoman were playing a game of football on the weekend, you would know where Russell would be, if he was not preforming one of tasks he had set out to do that day for the club or organising one of the players to sell the meat raffle on a home game, you would find him somewhere comfortable with a clear view of the game and most of the time in the company his brothers Tom and Peter, his father Ronald (better known as Jack), his good friend Terry Lamprey and some others whose names escape me at this moment. Russell and company would always be sharing a laugh and passionately sharing their opinions on how the game was going and who was playing well and critiquing who wasn’t. I liked to join them from time to time and hear the stories of their playing days. One story I remember vaguely is one where Russell was playing full forward on a particular day. The coach on the day sent the runner out with a message for Russell to start leading for the midfielders to kick him the ball however, Russell sent a message back with the runner for the coach, “I’m staying in the goal square, your going to have to tell them to kick it further!” – Russell was never shy to give his opinion when he felt it was required.
Russell signed with the Yeoman Football Club after he returned to Tasmanian from an 18 month stay with his parents, who had gone to live in Queensland at the time. As fate would have it, on the very day of his return, he met a couple of friends at the Burnie bookmaker’s outlet who invited him to Yeoman’s match that afternoon at Elliott. He played his first game for the Robins the following Saturday.
Over the decade and a half, Russell notched up another 195 games for Yeoman. Add the 4 he played for Sprent when they were short in the Reserves and you have a neat double century. I am unsure if this story is true or not however, a search of the Sprent Football Club Archives could reveal whether or not Russell won Sprent’s Reserves top leading goal kicking award one year after booting 4 in one match! – Russell and the company love to share this story while having their usual banter between one another.
After Russell hung up his boots and retired from taking the field he stayed on at Yeoman and changed his focus to doing what he could behind the sense of running the club. Russell served many years on the Club Committee on and off however, his dislikes for meetings was widely know. Russell’s greatest contribution to the Yeoman Football Club was his drive to raise much needed funds for the club that he loved, we could only guess the amount of money they would have been raised for the club through his involvement in wood chopping, raffles and other activities.
Russell was a founding member of the Platinum Club and along with his brothers Tom, Peter and the late Garry Pearce, was the inaugural part of the wood chopping fundraising that has helped the club for countless amounts of years. Now, I have not actually seen Russell swing an axe during my time joining in on the wood cutting and it might be said that Russell was a master of delegation but he was always there making sure we were all on track, helping his brother Tom putting wood through the wood splitter and was always quick to start cooking the BBQ and making sure everyone had a cold refreshment once the work was done.
I’m reminded of a story that I was told about Russell and Tom when I first joined the Yeoman Football Club. Russell and Tom were working tirelessly cutting wood with the wood splitter to deliver that day. Russell was handing the logs to Tom who was guiding them through the splitter when Tom missed placed his hand causing one of his finders to go in between the axe blade and the log he was splitting cutting it off. Russell, who I’m sure was very eager to meet that days deadline requested that his little brother put a band aid on the wound and said “She’ll be right Tom”. True Russell form.
Russell’s length of service to the Yeoman Football Club earns him many accolades, including but not limited to Best Clubman and George Mason Perpetual Award. Russell also earnt himself a life membership of the club and more recently was inducted in the Legends Of Loyalty, this honour is reserved for the club members who have given decades of service after receiving a life membership. Russell who on the night of his induction could only put together a few words and I’m sure it would have been an emotional acceptance as both Tom and his father Jack were also inducted at the same time. A memory I’m sure they will cherish forever.
Russell’s recognition extended beyond the Yeoman Football Club earning himself a life membership of the Darwin Football Association in 2017. Russell was always someone who would put his hand up to assist the Association particularly during the finals and also served as a club delegate for 4 years, despite his dislike for meetings.
Oh behalf of the Yeoman Football Club I would like to pass on my condolences to Russell’s wife Sue and children Mark and Lori, his brother Tom and Peter and Father Jack and their extended families.
Rest in peace my friend; there is a club in our town that will now cherish the memories of you.
Shaun O’Neill – President, Yeoman Football Club
Last Modified on 05/02/2022 15:14