Corowa Spiders enforcer John Lane died last Friday with his death coming soon after his wife Margaret’s passing late last year.

They are both life members of Corowa-Rutherglen Football-Netball Club.

Lane played in the ruck in the Corowa Spiders’ 1968 premiership win against Wodonga after they claimed the wooden-spoon the previous season with only two wins.

The Spiders had to beat Wangaratta in the final round to qualify for finals and duly snatched fourth spot on percentage before beating North Albury and Myrtleford to earn a shot at the Bulldogs in the grand final.

Corowa came from behind at three quarter time to win the grand final at the W.J. Findlay Oval by seven points under the coaching of Fred Swift, who had captained Richmond to the VFL premiership the previous season.

Team-mate and O and M Hall of Famer Jack Clancy said Lane was a feared foe for ruck rivals of his era.

“I was 5’8 and 11 stone ringing wet, but when I was next to Johnny I was 6’1, 14 stone and couldn’t be hurt,” Clancy said.

“There was no one braver than me when he was near me, but take him away, I went back to 5’8, 11 stone and frightened.

“He was very protective of his younger players at all stages.”

Corowa’s premiership team included 16-year-old back-up ruckman Bert Tait and other youngsters including Fred Longmire, Geoff McLean, Lindsay Jacob, Terry Phibbs, George Tobias and Peter Chisnall with the latter going onto play in a VFL premiership for North Melbourne.

The only other O and M clubs to fight back from a wooden spoon the previous year and claim a premiership 12 months later are Lake Moodemere 1904-05, Rutherglen 1906-07, Wangaratta 1937-38 and Albury 1984-85.

Plans for a 50-year reunion of the 1968 premiership win are still to be confirmed.

Lane waged great battles against the other fine O and M ruckmen of his era including Ken Boyd (Wangaratta Rovers), Gary Williamson (Wodonga) and Trevor Steer (Wangaratta).

Lane grew up in Melbourne before heading bush where he played in back-to-back flags for Wahgunyah in the now defunct Chiltern and District league in 1954-55.

He had a short stint at Footscray before joining Corowa in the late 1950s where he played under the coaching of O and M legend Jim Sandral, Frank Tuck and John Hoiles before Swift was appointed at the end of 1967.

Lane played 254 matches for Corowa, coached in 1970-71, won the best and fairest in 1966 and represented the O and M.

He was also selected in the Corowa-Rutherglen Team of the Century.

His funeral will be held at John  Foord Oval on Friday at 2pm.