IN a small community like Lalbert, a strong and sustainable football team can mean the difference between local people thriving and the soul of a community being lost.
For over a century, the colours blue and gold have provided a sense of togetherness for the small Mallee town – whether that be as the Mallee Eagles or the Lalbert Eagles.
As a town with a population of less than 200, Lalbert has punched above its weight – winning six senior football premierships between 1952 and 1996.
The Eagles are yet to claim a senior flag as part of the Central Murray football league but are making a strong push this year and currently sit in third spot.
When the Eagles host Woorinen this weekend, faces from the many eras of Lalbert football and netball will cheer on their team as they celebrate their 120th anniversary.
Eagles senior football coach Harry Allen described the chance to celebrate his club’s proud history as “very humbling and exciting”.
“We went through a pretty tough period before my time in the senior ranks, back in the 2000s it was nearly breaking point during that time in the club’s history,” he said.
“To get through that period and be consistent enough over the past 10 years, putting up a sustainable brand and sustainable culture off field, will hopefully see us around for another 120 years.
“Although we’ve got a few travellers now, they’ve bought in to the club and brought their families here, but we still have plenty of Lalbert names.
“The O’Mearas, McGregors, Bennetts, myself – it’s still the same family names that have been around since the start of the club, that’s what is special.
“It’s more of a celebration of the whole club, be it the netballers or footballers, the old past players coming back and catching up with everyone again.”
Allen said while Lalbert was not the same town it once was, the football and netball teams continued to receive strong support.
“We have some great supporters and members that come back throughout the years, even if they spend some time away,” he said.
“There’s no pub, no school anymore, and while we still have the golf course, the footy club brings the community together, much like all clubs do.
“We’ve been close a couple of times to bringing home some silverware in recent years, but we’re pretty excited about what this team is doing at the moment and where we can get too.
“I suppose win, lose or draw, it will be a great celebration, but it will mean a little bit more if we can get the four points as well.”
The Lalbert Eagles found their new identity as the Mallee Eagles over a decade ago, when the club merged with Swan Hill junior club St Mary’s.
Former committee member Tony Holloway said in the late ’00s, Lalbert football club “was pretty much down and out”, but hard work kept the club together.
“Every club has highs and lows, and that was certainly a big low for us when we were really struggling,” he said.
“They decided that they needed to make a change if they wanted the club to survive.
“Joining up with the St Mary’s juniors club allowed us to keep a string of juniors coming into the club – if you don’t have juniors, then the death knell of the club is really close.
“A lot of work went into strengthening the club, even around sponsorships – we moved away from just relying on farming, as it wasn’t working anymore.
Holloway said the Eagles held strong meaning to those in the small community, whether they remained in town or travelled abroad.
“With the decline of rural communities right across Australia, footy clubs really become the community – that’s what brings everyone together.
“We just have to have a look around us – Quambatook closed a few years ago, Nullawil are joining up with Wycheproof-Narraport next year. Nandaly, Culgoa and Berriwillock are all gone. That’s just reality.
“While there’s that sadness around it, there’s also a touch of pride for us to still be going when all these towns with a larger population than us have folded or amalgamated.
“For anyone who was born and bred in Lalbert, I think it adds that little bit more meaning to the club.
“Anyone who has been at the club, and even some of our new recruits who travel up, they’re amazed to see that we are still going strong after 120 years.”
Holloway said he hoped the celebrations would give the Eagles the edge over their old foes.
“It’ll be a big crowd out here at Lalbert this weekend – we should well and truly have the upper hand with our supporters,” he said.
“When we saw the draw earlier in the year and were looking for a weekend for this, we thought this was the perfect one to pick.
“It’s about halfway through the year, and Woorinen are one of those old Mid-Murray Football League club who we’ve had plenty of great matches against over the many decades.
“It doesn’t matter what period of the club you were here for, having everyone here and seeing some familiar faces is going to be very special.”
