TAKE a bow Rockingham City! The WA State League club has made history by celebrating the considerable achievements of many of its former players and coaches...and in doing so has set an example that other WA clubs might follow.
At a ceremony at their impressive Lark Hill multi-sports complex, the Rockingham club unveiled a special Honour Board that establishes an historic link with the Football Hall of Fame WA.
The Honour Board salutes and pays tribute to 12 former Rocky players and coaches who have been inducted into the Football Hall of Fame WA since 1996.
Rockingham is the first West Australian club to officially recognise the achievements of their own Hall of Fame inductees.
Hall of Fame chairman Louis Prospero, who attended the Rockingham presentation, said that it's to be hoped that other WA clubs will follow this example with similar Honour Boards.
"So many clubs in WA have players and others who have been inducted - and the clubs need to preserve and maintain the history of the sport in this State by recognising the link to the Football Hall of Fame WA.
"Rockingham are to be commended for their achievement. Their effort highlights and underlines some of the great talent that the club have boasted down through the years."
The Rocky Dozen are:
Steve Bourne, Geoff Cole, Robbie Dunn, Ernie Hannigan, Ray Ilott, Dave Kamasz, Stuart Kamasz, Hugh Miller, Peter Rickers, Mike Smith, Steve Stacey and Mike Tetlow.
Birmingham-born midfielder Steve Bourne, who began his WA career with Rockingham and went on to be an influential figure with the State team and the Perth Kangaroos, was inducted into the Hall of Merit for Players in 2016.
Classy defender Geoff Cole, who played over 600 games with a variety of clubs, including Rockingham, was inducted into the Hall of Merit in 2008, while Robbie Dunn was an international defender with the Socceroos and is a member of the Hall of Fame's exclusive Hall of Legends.
The late Ernie Hannigan, who died in 2015, was included in the Hall of Merit in 2012, while the late Ray Ilott, who died in 2016, was inducted into the Hall of Champions in 1996. Ray was Rocky's most expensive signing, being transferred from Ascot for $5,500 in 1977. It was a State record fee at the time.
Dave Kamasz was a flying winger who was inducted into the Hall of Merit in 2008, while his brother Stuart Kamasz coached Rockingham for a successful spell and he was honoured with a place in the Hall of Recognition in 2008.
Scottish-born Hugh Miller made a huge impact with many clubs in a 17-year career, which he ended by playing Masters for Rocky Rovers. He was inducted into the Hall of Champions in 1996.
Peter Rickers has been an influential coach at several levels and established the highly-rated Soccer Scholarship scheme at John Curtin Senior High School. He is now President of School Sport WA. He was inducted into the Hall of Recognition in 2008.
Mike Smith, a Hall of Merit inductee in 2012, was a talented left-sided winger and played in seven D'Orsogna Cup finals, while Steve Stacey was State team captain when WA won the Marah Halim Cup in Indonesia in 1975. He joined Rockingham in 1978 and was inducted into the Hall of Merit in 2012.
Mike Tetlow, whose fine coaching achievements were recognised by induction into the Hall of Recognition in 2016, is a former senior coach with Rockingham and is still heavily involved with the club.
He said: "It's an honour to be recognised by the Hall of Fame and Rockingham and it was a great day with so many of the recipients turning up for the ceremony.
"One of the highlights was that Jennie Hannigan, wife of the late and great Ernie Hannigan, attended with her family and stayed till the end."

PIC ONE: The Honour Board. PIC TWO: Hall of Fame poster celebrating Rockingham inductees. PIC THREE: From left: Peter Rickers, Steve Bourne, Mike Smith at the presentation. PIC FOUR: From left: Mike Tetlow, Dave Kamasz, Stuart Kamasz, Geoff Cole.