COROWA’S 1968 premiership team will hold a reunion to coincide with the Roos’ round 13 clash against Wodonga at the John Foord Oval on July12.
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The Spiders, as Corowa was known before merging with Rutherglen in 1979, had slumped to the wooden-spoon in 1967 and went into the ’68 season tipped to be the big improvers.
But no one knew just how far the Spiders would come.
The biggest factor in the revival was the recruitment of Richmond’s ’67 premiership captain Fred Swift to coach the Spiders.
Other players to make an instant impression for the Spiders in 1968 were Ike Illsley, John Clancy and Lindsay Jacob.
One of the stars on grand final day for the Spiders in their seven-point win over Wodonga was Fred Longmire, the father of former North Melbourne ace and now Sydney Swans assistant coach John Longmire.
“To compare Fred Swift coming to coach the club is like Tom Harley or Brett Kirk deciding to join the O and M now,” Longmire said.
He said the bulk of the ’68 team will be in attendance for the reunion which will culminate with a black tie function next Saturday night. Tickets are available from Spencer’s Mensland Corowa for $50.
