By Adam McNicol
The past nine seasons were a tough slog for the Geelong West-St Peters Football Club. Without a finals appearance since 1997, the Roosters regularly found themselves on the lower rungs of the Geelong league ladder. Last year, they won just two games.
But a promise made by one of its favourite sons kept the club’s loyal supporters believing things would eventually turn around.
As a teenager, Peter Riccardi had a brief career with Geelong West-St Peters before he headed to Kardinia Park and became one of Geelong’s most decorated AFL players. He ran up and down the wing for 288 games, kicked almost as many goals, was part of three losing grand finals, and was the Cats’ best and fairest in 1998.
However, he never forgot where he came from.
When his career at the top level came to an end 10 months ago, Riccardi made good his pledge to return to the Roosters. Since then, he has been appointed assistant coach and has helped resurrect a club that appeared on the verge of extinction.
Last weekend, Geelong West-St Peters demonstrated its spectacular improvement by defeating reigning premiers South Barwon and snatching top spot on the ladder.
“I always said I’d come back and play,” said Riccardi, who has shaken off the soft tissue injuries that blighted the end of his AFL career. “Whether it’s a year or two years I’m not sure. You’re on the other side of the fence for the rest of your life. As long as my body’s fine and I’m up to the standard I’ll keep going.”
The affable 34-year-old says he would like to be a senior coach but only once he has finished playing. For the moment he’s enjoying being involved in local footy again.
“The great thing about it is you do selection on a Thursday night and have a meal and a beer. That’s gold. It’s fantastic. I really enjoy the social part of the game.”
No-one is talking flags down at the West Oval yet. But the supporters are hoping they will soon have some silverware to put in the trophy cabinet that has remained empty since Geelong West and St Peters merged in late 1988.
Geelong West was one of Victoria’s oldest football clubs. It was founded in 1878 and won a swag of premierships in the Geelong and District Football Association, before heading north in 1946 for a 16-year stint in the Ballarat league. During that time it confirmed its reputation as a bush powerhouse, by winning four flags in a row from 1956.
In 1963, Geelong West moved to the VFA. Crippling debts brought the club to its knees in the late 1980s.
St Peters was a far different organisation, having been founded as recently as 1957. Throughout its short history, the club faced constant battles to stay afloat in the Geelong league.
Since it first took to the field in 1989, Geelong West-St Peters has been trying to create a new history of success. But other than a grand final appearance in 1996, it has been hard work.
“We had to start winning games or it was time to close the doors,” said former player and long-serving committeeman Lane Kelly.
So far, 2007 has been a fairytale season. And while Riccardi has clearly been a driving force behind the success, new senior coach Chris Gilham has also played a huge role in dragging the one-time battlers up the ladder.
Gilham joined the Roosters from Werribee Centrals, where he gained a reputation as an excellent leader and mentor. An impressive orator, he has brought ‘process’ and ‘structures’ to Geelong West-St Peters, along with around 20 new players.
Among them are former Western Bulldogs and North Ballarat forward Nathan Saunders and brothers Dale and Paul Carson, who had played at Werribee in the VFL. Most of the recruits have signed two-year contracts.
The Roosters went into the match against South Barwon with an impressive 7-3 record. A big crowd gathered for what Kelly described as “our biggest game since the ’96 grand final”.
The players responded by booting the first three goals of the game. Riccardi started on the half-forward-flank and had plenty of the ball in the opening exchanges.
“Go Ricco,” yelled the Roosters’ faithful, both young and old.
Always sure with his disposal, he brought the crowd to its feet with a superb pass to spring-heeled full-forward Dale Carson.
With long, dark hair, held back by a thin headband, Carson looks more like a Spanish soccer striker than an Aussie Rules full-forward. And thanks to an overflowing bag of tricks, the slightly-built sharp-shooter has become a cult-hero. Every time he led for the ball, the supporters would yell out “Daaaaaaaaaale!”
As good on the ground as in the air, Carson had the crowd in raptures when he snapped a miraculous left-foot goal early in the third quarter. It put the Roosters six goals up and from there they cruised to an impressive win.
The supporters could not contain their excitement. While Gilham was praising his mud-spattered troops out on the ground, people of all ages, both male and female, crammed into the changerooms and gave the players a standing ovation when they entered. Although the boys stank of mud, everyone crowded around to sing the club song. It was an inspiring scene.
“That’s what makes the job for me and Pete such a pleasure,” said Gilham. “The older people who’ve been around the club for so many years are just wrapt. Even when we get rolled they’re wrapt because they’re getting honest performances.
“It’s a real family based club. They’re a really tight community and that’s why they’re loving it so much now. For years and years they’ve supported the club and now they’re getting the success.”
Suddenly, Geelong West-St Peters has its sights set on an unlikely flag. But with the GFL very even, a point illustrated by South Barwon’s fall from first to fourth last week, there is no shortage of work to be done in the weeks ahead.
And although Geelong is on top of the AFL ladder, the Roosters’ resurgence means Riccardi isn’t missing the big time at all.
“I went along to the first NAB Cup game. When they ran out I was a bit toey and wishing I was still there. But after I had my first beer at that game it was all gone.”
(ENDS)
GEELONG WEST-ST PETERS FOOTBALL CLUB
FOUNDED: 1988
COMPETITION: Geelong Football League
NICKNAME: The Roosters
GUERNSEY: Red, white and blue vertical panels with stylised rooster
HOME GROUND: West Oval
SENIOR COACH: Chris Gilham
PREMIERSHIPS: Nil
WEBSITE: www.gwspsc.org
EX-AFL PLAYERS IN THE GEELONG FL
PETER RICCARDI (GWSP)
AFL club: Geelong (1992-2006)
Games: 288
Goals: 285
Geelong best & fairest: 1998
DAVID MENSCH (Grovedale)
AFL club: Geelong (1992-2002)
Games: 158
Goals: 173
PAUL CORRIGAN (South Barwon)
AFL club: Geelong (1997-2000)
Games: 53
Goals: 6
CRAIG BIDDISCOMBE (South Barwon)
AFL clubs: Geelong (1995-98), Richmond (1999-2003)
Games: 78
Goals: 13
PAUL LYNCH (Leopold)
AFL club: Geelong (1993-2000)
Games: 62
Goals: 55
GEELONG FOOTBALL LEAGUE LADDER AFTER ROUND 11
CLUB W-L-D %
GW-ST PETERS 8-3 131.5
COLAC 8-3 131.2
ST JOSEPH’S 8-3 116.6
SOUTH BARWON 7-3-1 160.6
NEWTOWN & CHILWELL 7-4 120.0
Grovedale 6-4-1 113.0
Bell Park 6-5 113.6
St Mary’s 6-5 106.7
North Shore 5-6 82.2
Leopold 2-9 72.0
St Albans 2-9 57.7
Lara 0-11 58.8
GEELONG FL PREMIERSHIP ODDS
South Barwon $2.75
Colac $5.50
GW-St Peters $5.50
St Joseph’s $6
Newtown & Chilwell $10
Bell Park $13
St Mary’s $13
Grovedale $13
North Shore $26
www.sportsbet.com.au
RECENT GFL PREMIERS
2006: South Barwon
2005: South Barwon
2004: St Mary’s
2003: Bell Park
2002: Lara
2001: South Barwon
2000: North Shore
1999: North Shore
1998: North Shore
1997: North Shore
Article first appeared: The Age July 29 2007
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