Kinglake and Whittlesea rise from the ashes
Roar Guru
By Michael C, 10 Sep 2009 Michael C is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- AFL, KinglakeFC, Whittlesea
Back in February, Kinglake and surrounds were ravaged by the Black Saturday fires. Whittlesea was to become an important staging ground and the local footy oval was converted to a multitude of uses.
Sports and the footy season was the furthest thing from peoples’ minds.
Communities were decimated through deaths on a scale not seen before in Australia from wildfire.
Heading into a cold winter, there were still people living out of tents, people slowly rebuilding or re-evaluating their futures, with perhaps a caravan and a shed beside the cleared house site.
But communities band together and rebuild – often with strengthened bonds. And so, last weekend, in Div 2 Northern Footy league, Whittlesea, 14.14.98 got over Diamond Creek 6.12.48 to book a place in the Grand Final this week against Macleod this Saturday at the Preston City Oval.
Back in April, 2500 crammed into the Kinglake Oval to see the Lakers win the first match of the season. Early days, there were questions whether to attempt to take the field but, with that decision made, the community and club embarked on the season.
KinglakeFC had been on the verge of folding for most of this decade, struggling in the old DVFL. They were in recess back in 2001.
However, upon moving to the Yarra Valley Mountain District FL, they made the finals last year (2008), contesting only their 9th ever finals series.
Last Sunday at Gembrook, the Seniors got over Seville by 10 goals to book a place in this weeks grand final, against Olinda at Woori Yallock.
The Ressies lost the preliminary final last week, but that was the best ever result by the Lakers twos.
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Vicki said | September 10th 2009 @ 9:10am | Report comment
This is awesome news. I used to live in Hurstbridge and my family owned and ran it post office for 18 years until 1998. We knew a lot of people in Kinglake and even lost friends. While sports isn’t that bigger deal in the grand scheme of things it will help the people of Kinglake and Whittlesea heal. They’ve done well to make the grand final. Let’s hope the story has a happy ending and I’m not just talking about footy.
Michael C said | September 11th 2009 @ 6:13am | Report comment
Vicki -
I had in the original article (which made it too long), included some (lifted from Herald Sun report) references to the netballers as well back in ’round 1′, and how the team included about 6 ladies who’d lost their homes, but, still, they were there playing and running the canteen etc etc – - – just to stress that it is just about the footballers, it’s about the community. As it is, the footballers are in the GF’s and hopefully it comes as a little ‘reward’ amongst all the heartbreak.
I remember back in 2001, my local footy club had it’s club rooms burn down – - the club could’ve folded, but, instead, adversity brought out the best in people and we won both 1s and 2s flags. The best, most focussed season I’ve been part of. It’s a strange thing when people suggest that sports and premierships isn’t as important as some people seem to believe – - however, try telling that to communities who use it as a rallying point. Sports isn’t that important….but it can be.
Pippinu said | September 11th 2009 @ 8:57am | Report comment
MC
Terrific article, and another reminder of how important footy clubs are to small communities.
Michael C said | September 12th 2009 @ 10:54pm | Report comment
Alas -
Whittlesea were beaten – MacLeod off to a flyer (with the wind) with 8.12 in the first term to 1 point. Too much to make up in the last.
Kinglake and Ferny Creek-Olinda were neck and neck until FCO managed the last 2 goals in the final minutes to win by 12 points.