YALLOURN FOOTBALL CLUB 1945-65
60 YEARS AGO ~ 1953 IN REVIEW
& KEVIN FANNING
1953 was a momentous season for the Blues. It started with the tragic death of Simon Shaw. The news of Simon’s death, in February that year, reverberated far and wide and had a dramatic effect on all in the district (see the Virtual Yallourn story regarding Simon Shaw). It was only eight years after the end of World War II . The Latrobe Valley was a region in rapid transition and Yallourn was at the centre of that industrial and social change.
Prue McGoldrick wrote…
“Yallourn blossomed in the fifties….The great influx of migrants coupled with the tremendous expansion in the electric power industry brought boom conditions to Yallourn”.
Yallourn was a dynamic and vibrant town in that era. The changes occurring in the township were reflected in the events of the football club and other local organisations. It would be easy to write a book about the Yallourn Football Club in 1953. More than likely the story would turn out to be a ‘gripping thriller with plenty of suspense, intrigue, action and surprises’. Some of the chapters of ‘The 1953 YFC Year Book’ might go something like this….
YALLOURN STUMBLES AT THE LAST HURDLE
Yallourn Football Club lost the 1953 Grand Final Replay by five points. It was said to be one of the greatest football matches in the history of the CGFL …
“…a high class exhibition of the code…perhaps never to be surpassed.” The final scores were: Morwell 10.16. (76) defeated Yallourn 10.11.(71).
Goals for Yallourn: Nairn 4, Crawley 3, D Knight 2, Handley 1. Best for Yallourn: Shaw, Brown, Fanning, Nairn, D Knight, Jackson, Crawley.
A story about the CGFL Grand Final Replay has been prepared for the Virtual Yallourn website and will be posted in the future.
FRANK KELLY STEPS DOWN
1953 was the last year that Frank Kelly coached Yallourn and early in 1954, Jack Aitken (ex-Morwell) was appointed as the coach of YFC. Frank (born in 1912) was an unforgettable character in VFL, VFA and country football. His playing career, which spanned more than twenty years, included 116 games of VFL football at four clubs (Collingwood, Melbourne, Essendon and St Kilda). Frank was a colourful, talented and highly competitive sportsman. Frank died on the 6th July 1982. There is a story of Frank on the Virtual Yallourn website.
JOHN LEEDHAM DECLINES AN OFFER
Prior to Jack Aitken securing the coaching position at the club, an attempt to lure one of Tasmania’s greatest footballers to Yallourn was given wide publicity. In ‘The Examiner’ (10th December1953) it was reported that John Leedham had been made a substantial offer to transfer and coach Yallourn FC. Leedham was regarded as ‘a champion of Tasmanian football’. He was selected in the All-Australian team after he starred at the National Carnival in 1952. It was said... “John Leedham was the greatest Tasmanian footballer NEVER to play VFL.”
JIMMY SHAW WINS THE RODDA MEDAL
In 1953, Yallourn’s brilliant rover Jimmy Shaw won the Rodda Medal for the Best and Fairest player in the CGFL. Jimmy (20 votes) won the prestigious award from Noel Ross (Mirboo North FC) by one vote. Jimmy also won the YFC Best & Fairest Trophy.
The Virtual Yallourn website has a story posted in 2012 of Jimmy’s narrow but historic win.
THE CURTAIN FALLS ON THE CGFL.
1953 was the final season of the CGFL. The decision to disband the league was controversial and the cause of strong and, at times, bitter debate. The new football league, based on the ‘main railway line towns’ between Warragul and Sale was to be known as ‘The Latrobe Valley Football League.’ The crucial and deciding vote to form the LVFL was taken on the 6th March 1954.
Yallourn FC was a foundation member of the LVFL and Yallourn FC’s President, Mr Vic Johns, had been forthright and persuasive in his advocacy of the new competition. The eight new clubs that formed the LVFL were: Yallourn, Warragul, Trafalgar, Traralgon, Moe, Yarragon, Morwell and Sale. Three former members of the CGFL (Mirboo North, Korumburra and Leongatha) were forced to ‘seek other arrangements to play football’ in 1954. See Jack Huxtable’s story on Virtual Yallourn for his memories of the formation of the new football league.
JIMMY SHAW WINS CLUB TROPHY
The Senior XVIII trophy winners for YFC that year were:
Best & Fairest Trophy: Jimmy Shaw.
Runner -Up B&F: Bernie Nairn.
Most Umpires’ Votes: Jimmy Shaw.
Most Consistent: Stan Brown.
Goal-kicking Award: George Bates.
Most Improved: Bruce Knight.
Most Determined Player: Bill Harkins.
Most Unselfish: Ken McColl.
Best Clubman: George Botten.
Most Serviceable Player: Kevin Fanning.
Best Utility Player: Alan McIntyre.
Bud Williams Trophy: Stan Brown.
Best Junior Player: Bruce Crawley.
Special YFC awards were also presented to:-
Bill Jackson, Des Madden, Gordon Cooper, Rod Bennett, John Paice, Ron Allen, Daryl Knight, Dallas Purton, John Mann, Claude Whitbourne, George Handley and Bill White.
The Reserve XVIII awards winners :-
Best & Fairest Trophy: Ken Passey.
Runner-Up B&F: Tom Oswald.
Most Consistent: Cliff Williamson
Most Improved: Bill Jackson.
Third XVIII awards winners:-
Best & Fairest Trophy: Barry Gust.
Most Consistent: Ivan Harris.
Note: It is interesting to read that in 1953, the total cost of the trophies was £150 (pounds).
FOOTNOTES ~KEVIN FANNING
1. Kevin Fanning (born 1926) came from Charlton (Victoria) to work for the SECV in 1951. Kevin worked at the SECV for 36 years and retired in1987.
2. Kevin was a member of the 1950 Charlton FC premiership team (NCFL). On that day, Charlton 18.10. (118) defeated Watchem Corack 11.15. (81). Kevin’s brother (Con) was the ‘power forward’ for Charlton FC and won the ‘Alf Richmond Medal’ in 1949 (70 goals) and again in 1950 (92 goals).
3. Kevin played his first game for Yallourn in 1951. He played about 80 games for YFC before being cleared to Newborough FC at the start of the 1956 season. During his outstanding career at YFC, Kevin’s trophies and awards included:-
1. Runner Up YFC Best and Fairest ~1951.
2. Best & Fairest ~1952.
3. Bud Williams Memorial Trophy~1952.
4. Most Serviceable Player ~1953.
5. Most Determined Player ~1954.
6. Grand Final Captain of YFC ~1953.
4. If a poll was conducted regarding the ‘best Gippsland back man’ of that era, Kevin Fanning would rank in the top three players. Kevin was a brilliant defender, respected club captain and one of the ‘real stars’ of the early years of the LVFL. From reading the reports of the newspapers at that time, Kevin was a ‘blue ribbon player’ of Gippsland football.
On July 15th 1954, ‘The Morwell Advertiser’ stated …
“In key positions, Fanning at full back has no peer in this position in the League…”
In another article he was described as… ‘a bright and purposeful football captain’.
5. Kevin was a skilled, tough and steadfast footballer who displayed the ability to ‘rise to the occasion.’ He produced his greatest football in tough contests and was a most consistent contributor in all final series. Kevin’s performances in the Grand Finals of 1953 and 1955 were commendable and said much about his character and temperament. Often the match reports mentioned his ‘spectacular’ high marking and ‘brilliant’ defensive skills.
6. It is said that ‘great football teams are built on defence’ and it is well known that Kevin was the cornerstone of the ‘Great Wall of Yallourn’. Stan Brown, John Paice (Carlton~1955), Rod Bennett, Ken McColl, Des Madden and Kevin made a formidable defensive combination’. (Note: Keith Gibson was an emerging full back and was to become a strong defender in later years.)
In the review of the 1953 Grand Final Replay, ‘The Morwell Advertiser’ wrote…
“…a feature of the match was the stubborn, yet brilliant defences of both teams…Brown, Fanning and Paice for Yallourn”.
7. One of Kevin’s greatest honours was to be selected at centre half back in the inaugural inter-league match of the LVFL. In June 1954, the LVFL played the GFL at Maffra and much was at stake including prestige and ‘bragging rights.’ Kevin, Laurie Shipp (ex-North Melbourne), Jimmy Shaw, George Bates and Pat Wheeler (ex-Essendon/Brunswick) were the Yallourn players selected for the match. The interest generated by the match was extraordinary. A crowd in excess of 5,000 (with gate receipts of £560) attended the match. The LVFL 13.15. (93) defeated the GFL 8.16.(64).
8. Kevin coached Newborough FC in 1957 and 1958. He played a leading role in establishing Newborough FC. Kevin’s sons and daughter have also been an important part of the club’s history over the years. See the story of the Bruce Knight also for further details regarding the establishment of the NFC.
9. Kevin won the Best & Fairest in the MGFL in 1957 and 1958.
10. While playing at Newborough, Kevin won two club Best & Fairest trophies. A perpetual trophy ‘The Fanning-Byrne Cup’ is named in Kevin’s honour. It is presented to the winner of the Newborough v Hill End clash each season in the MGFL.
11. It is believed that Kevin received invitations to train with Fitzroy FC and Richmond FC but he declined the offers.
12. Kevin and Ivy had three sons (Laurie, Barry and Peter) and a daughter (Kerry). Laurie and Barry played in an Under: 16 premiership team for YFC and then went on to play 50 games (approx.) for Newborough FC.
13. Peter started football at the age of eight and played with NFC for twenty years. Peter has also been heavily involved in coaching at club level.
14. In 2010 Peter was part of the MGFL coaching panel in the VCFL Championships. Kerry was a prominent netballer for NFC for many years.
15. A fantastic photograph of Kevin rising to take a ‘saving mark’ in the 1955 Grand Final was published in ‘The Argus’ on the 12th September in 1955. The photo has been posted on the Virtual Yallourn website with this story.
16. Kevin Fanning died on 16.7.2010.
17. Kevin’s great friend and co-defender, Stan Brown, died at Traralgon in March 2013 at the age of 85 years. Stan won a reputation as a dependable and disciplined back pocket for the Blues over many years. Stan played his 150th senior game for Yallourn FC against Traralgon in June in 1954. On that day, Traralgon 10.11.71 defeated Yallourn 9.12.54. Kevin Fanning (full back) was named the best player for Yallourn in that match.
18. Stan won the ‘Most Improved Player Trophy’ in 1948 (the YFC Premiership season). He also won the ‘Most Consistent Player Trophy’(1951) and the ‘Bud Williams Trophy’ in 1953. Stan played in the LVFL Grand Final team against Sale in 1955.
Sincere thanks to Ivy and Peter Fanning for their kind assistance in providing some of the above information regarding the football career of Kevin.
Written by Roger Spaull for Virtual Yallourn ~March 2013.
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