With Walla hitting the front with 11 seconds left in the 1987 grand final against Jindera following a goal to David Schirmer, teammate David McNeil won the clearance and kicked as long as he could.

“I led out and remember ‘Crackers’ kicking it as hard as he could to the boundary,” Wegener said.

“Then the siren went.”

Wegener, who was best afield, said it was sheer relief as the Hoppers kicked 12.21 to 13.10.

“We almost blew it,” the Hume league general manager said.

“It was a young side with a couple of older blokes like Doug Norton-Smith, David Coulston and Trevor Barber.”

Rand-Walbundrie-Walla will hold premiership reunions at Walla on Saturday for the Hoppers’ 1987 senior side, 1997 reserve grade side, 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1998 under 17 teams and 1967 A grade netball side.

All former players and supporters are invited.