Not sure whether this topic has been covered previously or not , but who remembers the rivalry created in the town when Garry Voss left the Orbost Football Club to start the Snowy Rovers Club. Orbost had a super team when I came to work in the town ( 1969 ) and after one training run I figured I was going to battle to get a regular senior game there. A couple of guys ( Garry Reeves , Teddy Towns and a few others whom I cant recall ) were travelling over to Buchan on Saturdays and playing seniors there , so I joined them. We trained by ourselves on the top ground. The following year Vossy started the Rovers club up and I played the first year with them ( 1970 I think ? ) before I was transferred to Bairnsdale in my employment. The two team concept was a fantastic move ,for not only did it give the chance for many more players in the area to participate , it created an incredible rivalry within the town. I can remember a large article appearing in the Melbourne Herald/Sun about it , such was the enthusiasm and interest it created. It pitted player against player , supporter against supporter ( they were the worst :-) , )family member against family member and town business against town business in some cases. I can remember a painter friend of mine telling me that another painter in the town had lost a long running painting contract in the town because he was a turncoat Rovers supporter , I think was the terminology used at the time. The surprising thing for me was that BOTH teams went on to dominate the local League , winning premiership after premiership , many times coming up against each other in the Grand Finals. Testement to the great footballing talent that this small town could produce.
Posted on: Sat, 08 Nov 2014 23:23:35 +0000
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