Dave Hunter reflects on his time at Kiewa, Albury, Walbundrie, Brocklesby and Walla

BRENT GODDE: Did you have a nickname throughout your career?

DAVE HUNTER: Not really, I got called a few names on the field that weren't that complimentary but nothing that stuck.

BG: You made your senior debut for Kiewa?

DH: There were no juniors back in that era and I was a big, gangly, 17-year-old when I made my senior debut. Roy Schliebs was the coach who also had a stint at North Albury.

BG: You had a chance to boot a goal with your first kick in senior football?

DH: I found a bit of space in the pocket and Neville Hadley hit me with a nice pass. I was as nervous as hell as I lined up for goal and made a goose of myself when I went to have a shot and missed the ball completely.

BG: You were the victim of an unsavoury incident early on in your career?

DH: We were playing Lavington who were in the Tallangatta league back in that era and their coach and I got involved in a bit of a scuffle.

BG: What happened next literally brought tears to your eyes?

DH: Before I knew it the Lavington coach got me in a squirrel grip and gave them a bit of a twist which left me dumbfounded.

BG: The facilities were fairly ordinary at Kiewa during that era?

DH: We used to play on the old Kiewa ground which is now the cricket ground. We would get changed in the tennis pavilion which wasn't ideal.

BG: What about the opposition?

DH: The opposition had to get changed in the old stables at the back of the hotel.

BG: I'm guessing there were no shower facilities?

DH: After the match it was a matter of scraping off the mud, getting changed and then heading across to the pub.

BG: You suffered a broken leg playing against Mitta United in your second season of senior football?

DH: I got kicked which resulted in a broken leg. It happened late in the season and we lost the grand final against Mitta United but I was still on the sidelines injured and had to watch.

BG: You roughly played 100 matches for Kiewa before playing Ovens and Murray?

DH: I had five seasons at Kiewa before heading into town when I was 21.

BG: You were on the recruiting radar of quite a few O&M clubs including Albury, North Albury and Wodonga.

DH: A lot of umpires back in that era were former O&M players and if they saw any players that caught their eye they would tell their former clubs that they might be worth having a chat to.

BG: You decided to head to Albury?

DH: I had a look at the ladder from the previous year and Albury had finished the lowest of the three clubs. I thought if I went to Albury I would have more of a chance of getting a game in the seniors.

BG: The Tigers were coached by Ken Bennett?

DH: Ken was a fabulous footballer and won the Morris medal in 1963. He was a very strict coach and big on discipline.

BG: You were ferreting up in the Kiewa hills when Albury first approached you?

DH: I was on holiday from the butter factory and was ferreting and three blokes approached me. It turned out that it was Ken Bennett and two of the Albury committeemen at the time.

BG: You were a bit shocked?

DH: I was because I was only a boy from the bush.

BG: You used to do a bit of ferreting to earn some extra cash?

DH: If I ran short of money I would catch and sell a few rabbits so I could buy a few beers.

BG: What position did you predominantly play at the sportsground?

DH: Mainly in the ruck and swap in a back pocket.

BG: Bennett was a hard task master?

DH: Ken was a school teacher in Wodonga and was big on discipline but we only had an ordinary side.

BG: The players were dreading going to training one Tuesday night after copping a flogging the previous weekend?

DH: It was the middle of July and we had had plenty of rain and the sportsground was basically flooded. Ken made us do sprints up and down the ground for more than 20 minutes until we were stuffed.

BG: Bennett wasn't finished?

DH: We then had to get into single file and run laps of the ground and then he yelled out 'head down to Noreuil Park.'

BG: The players thought that was a good result?

DH: We thought at least the Noreuil Park Oval might be a bit drier.

BG: Bennett had something different up his sleeve?

DH: He told us to run past the oval and keep going until we got to the edge of the river.

BG: What happened next?

DH: Ken ordered everybody to jump in the river and make sure that you put your head under the water.

BG: Did any of the players jack?

DH: A few of the players had a bit to say and Ken said 'anyone who doesn't do it, won't be getting picked this week.'

BG: So all the players jumped in the river?

DH: We jumped in with our boots and training gear still on and then ran back to the sportsground where we had to complete a few more laps.

BG: Two of your smarter teammates missed out on the dip in the river?

DH: I won't name who they were but two of my teammates hid behind the scoreboard. When we jogged laps afterwards they decided to join in then.

BG: Collingwood legend Murray Weideman was appointed coach of Albury in 1965?

DH: Murray was a champion footballer and one of the biggest signings in O&M history. A dual premiership player, triple Copeland trophy winner and has since been inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.

BG: You played predominantly centre half-back under Weideman?

DH: Probably the three best players I saw during my time in the O&M were Weideman, Sam Kekovich and Sam Donovan from North Albury.

BG: Donovan took one of the best marks you have ever seen?

DH: There was a pack of four players competing for a mark and Donovan just plucked the ball with one hand. Graham Hulm was one of his team-mates and still talks about it.

BG: Donovan wasn't the most dedicated footballer?

DH: Hulm tells the story that he picked Donovan up to play at Myrtleford one day from Brady's Railway Hotel and he had already had eight pots. Graham made him have a shower before the game to freshen him up and he got best on ground.

BG: Weideman landed some high-profile recruits when he was appointed coach?

DH: Albury signed Bernie Dowling and Bill Harrington who both had previously played VFL/AFL with Footscray.

BG: It was a thrilling second semi-final in 1966 when Albury played Wangaratta in the second semi-final?

DH: I remember we were in front by less than a kick in the dying stages and I took a mark in defence and played on. As I went to clear the ball Magpie coach Ron Critchley smothered the ball.

BG: It resulted in a turnover?

DH: Critchley swooped on the ball and had a shot. As he kicked it the siren sounded and the ball sailed through for a goal. So the goal didn't count and we won by less than a kick.

BG: Albury went straight through to the decider while Wangaratta had to face fierce rival Wangaratta Rovers in the preliminary final?

DH: We were laughing because being the two Wangaratta sides playing each other it was a highly physical preliminary final which took a lot out of the Magpies who won.

BG: History says the Tigers won the decider convincingly and you were named in the best players alongside Weideman and Harrington?

DH: We had a huge advantage with the grand final at the sportsground and we won by almost 10 goals. I had to play on Critchley but luckily there was only one umpire and you could get away with a lot more back then without getting pinged by the umpire.

BG: The following season in 1968 you decided to head bush and join Walbundrie as coach?

DH: I was having a cleansing ale at the Walla Hotel with Bevan Odewahn who I played alongside in the premiership with at Albury. The late, great Des Kennedy walked in.

BG: You got talking with Kennedy?

DH: Kennedy asked what I was doing next season and I told him that I was thinking of applying for the coaching job at Howlong.

BG: Kennedy had other ideas for you?

DH: Des told me that Walbundrie were looking for a coach as well but applications had recently closed but to leave it with him.

BG: Kennedy grabbed your details?

DH: Des pulled out a matchbox and wrote down my age, height, weight and address.

BG: You got a surprise in the mailbox a couple of days later?

DH: Des had posted me a copy of the application that he had filled in for the Walbundrie job which included that I was willing to coach for $40 a week.

BG: Walbundrie got in contact with you shortly afterwards?

DH: I had a meeting with Tiger officials and was appointed coach not long after. $40 a week was fairly good coin and they had played off in the grand final the previous season.

BG: You landed some high-profile recruits?

DH: John 'Ollie' Prentice and Kelvin Roberts followed me from Albury.

BG: You wondered if you had made the right decision after arriving at Walbundrie one night for pre-season training?

DH: 1967 was a drought year but for whatever reason the club decided to plough up the oval early in the new year and we couldn't train on it for most of the pre-season which I thought was strange at the time.

BG: You were involved in a bizarre pre-season practice match against Howlong?

DH: We had arranged to play Howlong at Howlong and I lived opposite Bob 'Boola' Mannering. Anyhow I gave 'Boola' a lift because I thought he was meant to umpire.

BG: 'Boola' ended up playing in the practice match?

DH: Howlong had already organised an umpire and we were a bit short, so 'Boola' had a run.

BG: 'Boola' had a few ledgers to square with some of the Howlong players?

DH: 'Boola' had previously played for Balldale when they were in the Hume league and unbeknown to me had a vendetta against quite a few of the Howlong players.

BG: It got ugly?

DH: 'Boola' ended up belting a few of the Howlong players and we decided to call the match off at half-time because you could see things were going to get out of hand if we kept playing.

BG: 'Boola' ended up getting suspended from umpiring?

DH: From memory he wasn't allowed to umpire for 12 months.

BG: You also played a practice match at Coreen?

DH: We went back to the pub for a few and by the time we left most of us were starving.

BG: Bruce Trethowan came to the rescue?

DH: Unbeknown to us, Bruce has ducked out into the kitchen and stuck a cooked leg of lamb up his jumper so we all tucked into that on the way home back to Walbundrie.

BG: You scraped into fourth in your first season in charge with the competition a top-four back in that era?

DH: History says it's always an uphill battle to win the flag from the elimination final.

BG: You faced Jindera in the decider who were favourites?

DH: I remember during the first-half 'Ollie' was taking a lot of set shots from the boundary instead of centering the ball.

BG: You gave him a bake at the main break?

DH: 'Ollie' kept having shots from the boundary in the second half to finish with six goals and we ended up winning the grand final.

BG: You later found out why 'Ollie' wasn't passing the ball off?

DH: During the celebrations that night I went to the toilet and saw one of our most financial supporters, Max, handing 'Ollie' over a wad of cash.

BG: It pricked your interest?

DH: I quizzed Max later in the night what was going on and he told me 'Ollie' had approached him at training on the Thursday night before the grand final and asked him would he pay him for every goal he kicked in the decider.

BG: 'Ollie' was a bit of a pretty boy?

DH: That's probably a fair comment. After matches he would put on his leopard skin jocks, whack the Brylcreem in the hair and splash on way too much Old Spice. For some reason he would always bring a coat hanger to hang his clothes on as well.

BG: John Fowler played under you at Walbundrie at rates you highly as a motivational coach who could deliver some inspiring addresses?

DH: I tried to motivate the players as best I could I guess.

BG: One of your more memorable addresses was before the 1967 grand final?

DH: The write up in The Border Mail in the lead-up was Jindera would be too slick for Walbundrie who were old and slow.

BG: Des Kennedy used to do the Hume league write-ups during that era?

DH: Des did but he used to have an alias in the paper of Jack Walker but we knew at the time that it was actually Des writing the stories.

BG: You had a copy of the article tucked in your footy sock as you made your pre-match address?

DH: I was addressing the players and one of the last things I said was 'remember guys, actions speak louder than words' as I pulled the article out of my sock and ripped it up as we were about to run out.

BG: You had a scuffle with Eddie Bowtell who was one of your best mates who you played alongside at Albury but went out to Walla?

DH: Eddie and I were great mates and before we played Walla one season I helped him move house during the week.

BG: Bowtell tried to clean up Barry Gibbons?

DH: Gibbons was a star in the Hume league and could have walked into any O&M side if had wanted to. Anyhow Eddie tried to clean Barry up which I wasn't happy about.

BG: You confronted your mate Eddie?

DH: We ended up exchanging blows and we both got reported and had to front the tribunal.

BG: Des Kennedy told you before the tribunal hearing that you would only get a suspended sentence?

DH: Des called me before the tribunal hearing to tell me that he had looked after me and that I would only get a suspended sentence and that's exactly what happened.

BG: You also got reported when you were playing for Albury?

DH: I tangled with Bob Crisp who was playing for Myrtleford who is the grandfather of Jack who plays for Collingwood.

BG: What happened?

DH: I got reported for striking Bob and then he got reported for retaliating. I got off at the tribunal and he got four weeks.

BG: Sounds like you were lucky?

DH: We had a star witness in the local copper Tom Holland who was a spectator at the match. Tom went to the tribunal to give his version of events.

BG: Your good mate Ray Thomas also used to be the trainer at Walbundrie during the finals?

DH: Ray used to come out and give us a hand and we were good mates and worked together for a while as well.

BG: You had some memorable footy trips with Walbundrie?

DH: One trip to Sydney was particularly memorable.

BG: You left the Walbundrie Pub on the bus at 11pm on the Friday night?

DH: We all had had a big lick at the pub before we even got on the bus.

BG: You worked for Peter's Ice Cream at the time and came prepared for the trip with an empty 10 gallon ice cream container for everybody to urinate in?

DH: We whacked it in the stairwell of the bus so we didn't have to stop for toilet breaks all the time.

BG: It was full by the time you arrived in Sydney?

DH: Yeah and a few blokes had spewed in there as well, so as you can imagine there was a fair bit of stench in the bus so when we pulled up at a set of traffic lights and 'Ollie' kicked the container out of the bus. There was a stream of yellow urine running down the footpath.

BG: You made it back-to-back flags after also winning the grand final in 1968?

DH: We had to do it the hard way again and come from the elimination final and beat Jindera for the second year in a row.

BG: You coached the Tigers for five seasons?

DH: We also played in the grand final in 1970 and 1971. In 1970 we got beat by a point by Walla and Howlong were too good for us in 1971.

BG: You also played inter-league?

DH: We had a cracking side with blokes the calibre of Kenny Kilpatrick, Geoff Doubleday, Ken Schmidt, John Fowler, Bill Barton, Dick Grimmond and Les Waldron.

BG: After five years at the helm of Walbundrie you decided it was time for a change and signed as coach of Brocklesby. You must be proud of your coaching record with the Tigers?

DH: It might sound simple but good players make a good coach and I was lucky to coach such a talented side at Walbundrie.

BG: You were going to remain at Walbundrie as a player?

DH: That was my intention originally but I suppose Brocklesby made me an offer that I couldn't refuse.

BG: What was it like playing against Walbundrie?

DH: It was tough, especially in the early days. One particular Tiger recruit had a bit to say to me but I cleaned him up and broke his collarbone and he never played again.

BG: You crossed paths with the Tiger years later?

DH: He worked for Telecom and came around home to do some work. He asked if I remembered him and I said 'not really.' He said you should because 'you broke my shoulder.'

BG: After three years as coach of Brocklesby you joined Walla as coach in 1975?

DH: Des Kennedy was instrumental in me coaching Walla. We got beat in the grand final by Jindera.

BG: You retired after the grand final loss?

DH: I had 12 months off before the late Ian Schilg lured me out of retirement and I had another season with Brocklesby.

BG: You won the Roos' best and fairest?

DH: I'm not too sure how, considering I was 36. Jock Lappin was coach that season.

BG: What would you consider your career highlight?

DH: Winning a flag with Albury and leading Walbundrie to the flag in 1967 because they hadn't won one previously since 1952.

BG: How many matches would you have played?

DH: No idea really but it must have been more than 300.