IAN Rowland didn’t have to be asked twice when invited to St Kilda’s 1966 premiership reunion in Tasmania last weekend.
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Although Rowland was dropped from the team that beat Collingwood by one point in the grand final after being 20th man in the preliminary final, the tight-knit Saints wanted everyone who had made significant contributions that season to fly to the Apple Isle.
He had been a regular player that season after playing in the losing 1965 grand final side against Essendon.
“It was a fantastic weekend,” Rowland said.
“There were lots of laughs and it was great to catch up for the first time since we had the 40-year reunion of the premiership in 2006.
“Everyone still gets along very well.”
Along with Rowland, Carl Ditterich, Ross Oakley, Ray Cross and Kevin Roberts also missed the premiership side and were invited along to celebrate the occasion.
Former Wangaratta Rovers reserve grade coach Bob Murray, who took a match-saving mark in the premiership decider, also attended the function which included a dinner on Friday night, the St Kilda and Hawthorn match on Saturday and a fund-raiser at the East Devonport Football Club on Sunday.