Reflections on West Torrens

I remember having a car door slammed on my finger
I wanted desperately to play football that weekend
The finger swelled up and was a mini baloonish sight
Through a friend of a friend I was taken down to the West Torrens football club
The club doctor in those days was Rick Montiadis
He had a look at my finger, and said this wont take long
He got a drill and drilled a hole through my finger nail
A loud anguished yelp, a gushing of blood, and it was all over in a matter of seconds

That was in the later part of the 1970s
The finger nail was split from the door jamming
To this day the nail still grows with a split
And the memory of Rick Montiadis is always with me

I'm not a Torrens supporter, but I do miss them. Same with Woodville.

Rocky
Neville Rocky Roberts captained West Torrens in 1980
During the season he played 16 games
In all 16 games Roberts lost the toss
If this is true, I find this freakishly unbelievable

The odds of losing 16 tosses in a row is an astronomical 65,536 to one chance

Been a West Torrens supporter for some 35 years now gee we had so many hopes and dissapointments over the years. Have to say I really enjoyed the days at Thebby and the smell of the Football Budget (smell of chewy gum), and the dencorub when the players ran out the race. We had so many characters on and off the field which was probaly more exiting then the result at the end of the game. We really havent experienced success until Woodville West Torrens merger and now we can enjoy being a finals team year out year in and enjoy the winning feeling.

Welcome, Rapha, look forward to your contributions.

Scrappy wrote:The club doctor in those days was Rick Montiadis

Ricky Montiadis learnt his trade at Norwood and got his chance as head trainer with West Torrens. He also did good work in the basketball world. Added to this, Ricky was a singer in my brother's band, and he had a great voice ... a bit of trivia for you Scrappy.

2013 is 60 year anniversary of the last West Torrens premiership.

I did my Level 1 Trainers' Course with Rick Montiadis as lecturer.

Interesting.

I think Rick is still around.. spotted his name on FaceBook a few times...

Maybe the club can organise a 60 year anniversary gala night or match day activities to remember West Torren's last premiership.

Rapha 64 wrote:Maybe the club can organise a 60 year anniversary gala night or match day activities to remember West Torren's last premiership.

I agree .I of course wasnt born when they one that one

mickyj wrote:

Rapha 64 wrote:Maybe the club can organise a 60 year anniversary gala night or match day activities to remember West Torren's last premiership.

I agree .I of course wasnt born when they one that one

I have been trying to encourage the club to do that since about 2010. Bob Hank is no longer with us, but Lindsay Head and Ray Hank certainly still are as I am sure are a number of other players from that triumph.

In 2009 the NAFC history committee organised a 60 year celebration for North's 1949 premiership triumph over Torrens. It was simply the best footy function I have ever been to. There were about 10 living North players there and to add a certain dignity to the whole occasion five Torrens players including Bob and Ray Hank attended and players from both clubs seemed to have a great time. The awe that Bob Hank was held in by everyone at the function had to be seen to be believed and to top it off there was about 3 minutes of actual film from the game. North also wrote a book of that season and all players from both sides who were at the function were presented with a book by Gordon Schwartz who was held in almost as much esteem as Bob Hank.

Sorry to digress. I know that North are lucky to have such an active history committee, but I think that premiership players of the past deserve to be honoured similarly to the way North did for the players of 1949.

Mike Sexton of ABC TV is always keen to promote any function that highlights the wonderful history of the SANFL.

robranisgod wrote:

mickyj wrote:

Rapha 64 wrote:Maybe the club can organise a 60 year anniversary gala night or match day activities to remember West Torren's last premiership.

I agree .I of course wasnt born when they one that one

I have been trying to encourage the club to do that since about 2010. Bob Hank is no longer with us, but Lindsay Head and Ray Hank certainly still are as I am sure are a number of other players from that triumph.

In 2009 the NAFC history committee organised a 60 year celebration for North's 1949 premiership triumph over Torrens. It was simply the best footy function I have ever been to. There were about 10 living North players there and to add a certain dignity to the whole occasion five Torrens players including Bob and Ray Hank attended and players from both clubs seemed to have a great time. The awe that Bob Hank was held in by everyone at the function had to be seen to be believed and to top it off there was about 3 minutes of actual film from the game. North also wrote a book of that season and all players from both sides who were at the function were presented with a book by Gordon Schwartz who was held in almost as much esteem as Bob Hank.

Sorry to digress. I know that North are lucky to have such an active history committee, but I think that premiership players of the past deserve to be honoured similarly to the way North did for the players of 1949.

Mike Sexton of ABC TV is always keen to promote any function that highlights the wonderful history of the SANFL.

And this is the link to what Mike Sexton came up with as his tribute to the 1949 Grand finalists

http://australianfootball.com/articles/view/1949%2BN.%2BAdelaide%2BSANFL%2Bpremiers%2Breunion/222

As I said, I digress but the 1953 premiers deserve similar recognition.

Wouldnt it be nice to have the families of the players attend the 60 year anniversary if the actual players cant attend.. I know if my Grandpa was a member of a significant era I would love to attend on his behalf..

I liked that jumper Rapha. Was the one I associated most with Torrens.
Simple, proud, definitive.

An old style footy jumper when today many are only useful adorning walls.
footy marketing has lost its way in what a footy jumper means. And it ain't the $$ kids pay to buy one.

Certainly not in the sanfl.

Encounter Bay wear a similar jumper if you want to see it live on a footy field again. Not the same I know, but it looks great.

Yep, I have seen Encounter Bays Jumper, they do look great... I actually have a couple of their old jumpers which my kids wear at their football training..

I wonder if there is a market for these old style jumpers.
IE The old lace ups. Until recently you could still buy replica Double Blues lace ups.

But having an original one, do they have value?