By Jonty Ralphsmith
Long time local footy powerhouse Doveton celebrated a golden era of success on Saturday in a reunion of its 1982-1984 premiership threepeat.
Playing in the now defunct South West Gippsland Football League, the 1980s was a decade of Doves dominance, with five grand finals in the 10 years between 1979-1988.
As multiple past players referenced at Saturday’s gathering, any non-premiership year was viewed as a failed season.
“They had a massive will to win,” said 1983 recruit Brian Tibballs.
Imagine then the frustration following the 1981 season, one where Doveton didn’t qualify for finals.
The youth of ’81 was complemented the following year by an injection of experience, including several Doves returning to their home clubs from other leagues.
Led by coach Frank ‘Rocky’ Clifford, the Doves responded in an enormous way across the next three seasons, restoring their fearsome reputation.
“It was us against them and Doveton played it up,” said 1983-84 premiership player Doug Henwood.
“People would come here and call Doveton a ‘concrete jungle’ because of the homes.
“It was a lower-middle class area and the club had a huge following: it was the hub of the community.”
The Pakenham Gazette at the time reported that the 1983 side had “a confidence bordering on arrogance” going into their 88-point grand final win over Dingley.
The Doves only loss of that season, coached by club great Steve Henwood, came to Dingley in the first month of the season.
“We would have won most games by about 10 goals,” Doug Henwood recalled.
They inflicted that sort of pain on Dingley to qualify directly for the grand final, with the coach’s biggest challenge of that finals series being to prevent complacency during the two week build up.
“We were up and about that day,” ruck Mick Jolly recalled.
Gun on-baller Barry Frazer kicked six goals in a brutal affair where there were seven reports, but a four goal first quarter set up a lead which Doveton built on all day.
The premierships either side of that were much trickier.
The 1982 grand final was labelled one of the great grand finals of the generation by the Gazette at the time.
There were 47 goals kicked with Doveton winning 25.15 165 against Beaconsfield’s 22.10 152.
Jolly won some crucial hitouts to advantage and clearances when the game was on the line to stave off one of Beaconsfield’s many flurries of momentum in the last quarter.
Clifford was strong in the midfield while Jack McGougan and Trevor Boorar were courageous in defence.
“All I remember was the ball going down the middle both ways – I felt like a spectator,” said Graham Downe, one of only two players – alongside Jolly – to line up in all three premierships.
“Mick Wilson kicked a torpedo from the wing and Mick (Jolly) took a speccy in the goal square in time on in the last quarter which was crucial.”
The telling storyline of the 1984 premiership was that of the enigmatic Darren Mullarvey, an inclusion for the grand final who was named best afield in a tense win over Keysborough, despite the margin blowing out ate to 33 points.
“He was not only a good player with his athleticism and skills, he was a very good mark and terrific tackler – he crunched a lot of Keysborough blokes and took the confidence out of them,” coach Steve Henwood said.
“There was nothing in it and Darren was probably the difference between the sides.”
Doveton went into that grand final as underdogs, having lost its two home and away meetings against the Burras, but a brilliant midfield effort was crucial.
Of course, 1984 wasn’t the end of the golden years: Doveton would exact revenge on Cranbourne by winning the 1988 premiership after losing the previous three grand finals to the same opposition.
While the threepeat was the focal point of the day, the club extended an invite to all past players, who shared in memories of a bygone era.
One where change rooms were the size of a garage; where cold showers were the best available cleansing agent of players, muddied and brutalised week after week; where players took as much joy in representing their home club as in playing VFL.
“People loved us,” said Downe.
“You came into the rooms after a game of footy and you couldn’t move.
“You’d walk in and there would be supporters waiting to give you a beer.”
The tight culture and playing success was set up by Doveton’s feed of junior players, from both Doveton Lions and Doveton Junior Football Club by the club representing the most populous suburb in the region.
“I couldn’t believe how many people were here; I had come from a country club where there 30 people on the track, to 70 some nights here – that was the strength of the club,” said Tibballs.
“There was a lot happening all the time.”
It’s a long throw from the present-day struggles Doveton face, lacking an aligned junior club and playing against teams in much more populated areas.
Kevin Sheedy, who himself experienced great success through the 1980s, was a guest speaker on the day, sharing memories of his playing and coaching days at Richmond and Essendon.
The reunion was deliberately scheduled during a clash with traditional rivals Hampton Park, with the present-day Doves well supported by the old brigade in its 23-point victory over the Redbacks.
1982: Doveton 25.15 165 defeated Beaconsfield 22.10 152
1983: Doveton 21.14 140 defeated Dingley 7.10 52
1984: Doveton 15.26 116 defeated Keysborough 12.11 83
