PLAYERS from across Australia will return to Tyntynder Football Club this weekend to celebrate the 50-year anniversary of the club’s 1973 grand final win.
Half a century since the side defeated Woorinen to break their 14-year premiership drought, players will come together before and after this week’s match.
The reunion will kick off on Friday evening, with a meet-and-greet from 6pm upstairs at the club, before festivities continue on the Saturday.
Attendees will be provided with a lunch between noon and 2pm, before they get the chance to watch the seniors game.
Organiser Rod Carroll said those invited were excited to have the chance to catch up with old mates.
“All the people I’ve spoken to have been pretty chuffed about the day, particularly with the amount of people who are available to come,” he said.
“We’ve invited anyone who played a senior game in the year, not just the 20 premiership players.
“We are all pretty ecstatic about the whole concept at this stage. “We have people travelling from all across Australia. After 50 years people spread out pretty far and wide.”
Carroll said that while the details may be lost to time, Tyntynder’s path to their eighth Mid Murray Football League premiership sticks with him.
“We played Woorinen in the second semi-final and got beaten,” he said.
“With it only being the final four then, we were faced with Lalbert in the preliminary final and beat them.
“This set up a rematch against Woorinen in the grand final, which we ended up winning by just four points.
“We hadn’t won a flag since 1959, but this premiership led us into a very successful 1980s, where we played in nine consecutive grand finals and won five of them.”
Following the senior game, from 6pm the reunion attendees will enjoy a casserole tea provided by the club, before a presentation at 7.30pm.
The premiership players in attendance will be presented by 1973 captain-coach Noel Wenzlau, who Carroll described as a great football identity.
“He was our coach for four years during the ’70s,” Carroll said.
“He led us to pretty immediate success, winning the chocolates in just his second season.
“He’s a great football identity, I’m not sure how many games he would’ve ended up accumulating.
“While he was playing here, he played in his 200th consecutive game, that’s something that will very likely never happen again.”
With Tyntynder’s senior side yet to claim another premiership since their late ’90s threepeat, Carroll said he hoped the reunion could help inspire a win.
“We pushed Kerang right to the end the other week, which I think should give us a bit of a lift,” he said.
“If we can claim the points this weekend, it’ll really help with our momentum.”
