Panthers turn it on for ‘S Man’

By Sally Bird
THE life of Scott Walton was celebrated with an emphatic 80-point win by the Pearcedale Football Club on Saturday.
At the club’s first home game of the season against Red Hill, the closely knit football community gathered to pay tribute to Scott, a player who died suddenly while out for a jog earlier this year.
A minute’s silence was observed before the match, and the day ended with a tribute night for Scott or ‘S Man’ as he was affectionately known.
Scott, who would have turned 21 just weeks after his death, had played more than 150 junior games and 68 senior games for the Panthers.
Club president Steve Green addressed the large crowd before Saturday’s match and described Scott as a passionate Pearcedale man.
“He played 54 reserves games and 14 senior matches,” he said.
“His big brother Jason now wears his jumper, number 41, with pride.”
Mr Green also recognised the recent passing of two other proud clubmen, Chris Macdermid and Allen Pearson.
Scott’s mother, Wendy Walton said she and her family, husband Andy, Jason and daughter Sharni were all very moved by the day.
“It was a really great day and a really nice tribute to Scott. It was lovely of the club to do it,” she said.
“It shows what a special son and mate he was. And then to have a really great win by the boys – it set up a great night to remember ‘S Man’,” Mrs Walton said.
On the field, the Pearcedale side bounced back from a near 100-point defeat against Dromana last week to thrash the higher placed Red Hill 126 to 46.
Senior captain Shane Urbans said he was extremely satisfied with the win.
“It was great to win for my mate, because I know how much he loved the joint,” he said.
“He loved the village.”
Coach Jason Chapple, who joined the club this year after departing Hampton Park, said he was moved by the day.
“To come into the culture and to not know Scott Walton, it was pretty humbling to be part of the day,” he said. “I could see the passion in the players and it couldn’t be more fitting the way they played.”
Jason Walton said his brother would have been happy with the day.
“It was really good to have Scott remembered like that and to have everyone come down. A lot of people from Pearcedale, who haven’t been to the club for a while, came down.
“That was really nice to see,” he said.
Jason said the day had helped to bond the team.
“It’s been a really difficult pre-season with the club losing three people, so it was really great for the team to pull together on the day and unite as a team,” he said. “When Jason (Chapple) joined the club he brought players with him, so the day has been a really good bonding session for the whole team. Scott would have been stoked with how it turned out,” Jason said.
The day ended with an ‘S Man’ themed night, where everyone dressed up in something beginning with ‘S’.
Steve Irwin impersonators, schoolgirls, smurfs, scarecrows and even Sandy from Grease all contributed to the night.