Q: Where & when did you start playing Football?
I commenced my Football career with the Wayback Football Club in the Junior Colts (Under 15) from 1965-1968, then progressed on to Senior Colts (Under 17) from 1969-1971. 

Midway through 1971 I commenced my League football career and continued playing until my retirement at the end of 1994 – a total of 24 years playing League football. 

My football career for Wayback Football Club spanned 30 years. 

 Q: How many games did you play & who did you play for? 

My entire career was spent playing for the Wayback Football Club;
League games = 407
Reserve games= 1 game (In a wedding at 4pm)
lnterleague games= 18 games
Mortlock Shield games = 36 games Total games = 462 games 

 Q: How many Mortlock Shield Shields have you been involved in & in what capacity? 

Lincoln City player in 18 Mortlock Shield Carnivals Runner in 1974 as was out injured (Broken finger) 

Captain of Lincoln City 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, Vice Captain 1986 

EP Selector 1988-1991 (4 yrs) (unable to play due to some archaic rule, enforced by Great Flinders. Interesting as it was Ron Koch (GF) who asked me to be a selector!!) 

Umpire in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000 (4 yrs)

Q: How many A Grade Grand Finals have been involved in & in what capacity? 

Played in 13 PLFL Grand Finals. Won 8 

Played in 10 consecutive A Grade Grand Finals from 1971-1980. The only Wayback player during that era to do so. Won 7 flags. 

Captain of 1984 Premiership team. 

Q: Where and when did you start Umpiring? 

Commenced Umpiring in the PLFL in 1995.

Involved in umpiring from 1995-2013 Spent 10 years as SANFL Western Zone Regional Umpiring Manager 

Q: What got you to start Umpiring? 

 

Didn’t have any inkling to Coach, so after continued requests from my back neighbour Garrie Jones (a member of the PLFL Umpiring Panel) I decided to have a try at it. I did, and I enjoyed it immensely. 

Ended up Umpiring 266 games + playing 462 games = 728 games involvement as player/umpire 

Q: Best Umpire(s) you have officiated with? 

Both Michael Blewit & David Tiller. Very good umpires. Easy to umpire with & their support throughout the games was excellent. 

Did 2 PLFL A Grade Grand Finals with Michael Blewit & 1 with David Tiller. 

Q: Best player(s) you played with? 

Probably the best (Local) footballer I played with was Geoff Whitehead. He had all the skills required to be a key position player & a great leader as Captain in the ?O’s. 

Other great team mates throughout my career have been Laurie Richardson, Crock Porter, Peter McKenzie, Graham Fargher, Fr Bob Paech, Craig Cock, Barry Hodges, Rex Bichard, Dennis Sampson, Andrew Goodwin, Tony Hobby, Steve Konitzka, Clive Palmer, Graham McConnell, Stephen Orchard, Neil & Michael Reynolds, Michael Tozer, Sid Trenowden, Kim Waters, Colin Whitehead, David Wray 

Q: Best player(s) you played against? 

Both Jeff Edwards & Freeman Puckridge from Marble Range come to mind immediately. Very good opponents & we had some great battles. 

Stephen Horne from Lincoln South was a very good player 

Q: What is your most memorable game(s) as an Umpire? 

The 5 A Grade Grand Finals were great. 3 in Pt Lincoln & 2 in Far West. Umpiring Mortlock Shield & lnterleague games was very rewarding. 

Q: What is your most memorable game(s) as a player? 

Playing with my son Brett in the 1994 A Grade Grand Final was very special & something I am very proud of. 

In 1971 I had possession of the ball running down the grandstand wing when the siren went to end the Grand Final which we won. A very excited 17 year old I was. It was the Clubs 4th Grand Final win for the day. 

The 1980 Grand Final which we won was different for all the wrong reasons. 

I kicked 7 goals 13 points in a game at Tumby Bay in 1973. Needless to say I had some very helpful tuition from great Wayback forward Max Reidy the next week at training. 

The day I kicked 14 goals against Lincoln South in the first match of the year in the 1990’s was very memorable. 

Q: What advice would you give to the next generation of footballers? 

Listen to your coaches & enjoy the game. Work on your skills, especially being able to kick & handball on your unpreferred side. I see so many players getting caught trying to get back on to their preferred side. It bugs me. 

Leave the umpiring to the Umpires. You telling them what to do isn’t going to help. Just get on with it. 

Q: Are there any game rules you would like to see changed? 

Get rid of the “Stand” rule. It is bloody ludicrous. 

Q: Are you still involved in Football? 

Yes, I am currently on the PLFL Tribunal Panel as a Commissioner.  

I continue to support the Wayback FC at their weekly matches.