END OF SEASON TRIPS

According to a record from Arch Fowler 4 EOS’s were held at Nagambie, the last after fire bell rung. This was an attempt by Captain Fearon to start lacrosse being played in Nagambie and other regional towns and Captain Fearon was their inaugural president.

In 1929 the EOS was to Rushworth, nothing further is noted, Maryborough perhaps a year or so later. The first visit to Launceston, while really was not really an EOS, held during the season in August 1932, was made possible and hosted by the “Skipper”, where he took the team by boat, the S.S. Naraina (Which saw service in WW1 and became a passenger ship between Melbourne and Launceston) which was named as a Victorian team. The team included Fred Ray (Captain), Alan Deacon (Manager), Berry Newgreen, Keith O’Brien, “Pud Martin” and “Tich” Hogarth, who was voted best and fairest.

In1934 the team was again skippered by President James Fearon to Launceston, all expenses paid, where Arch Fowler was captain and manager.

Arch Fowler also recalled that the team went by boat to Adelaide around Xmas 1935.

Captain Fearon again skippered a boat load of players in1936 to Port Pirie for a game and the team returned the next year.

Most, if not all of these trips, were due to Captain Fearon’s generosity.

In 1962, following the Australian Championships in Adelaide, the Williamstown/ Brighton EOS games commenced and were played annually throughout the 60’s. They were pretty much an Australian Championship game as both Brighton in South Australia, and Williamstown in Victoria, were the premiership teams for most of the years of the EOS trips. While the EOS trips had a break for a couple of years during the 70s, Williamstown made the final EOS trip to Brighton about the mid 70’s.

The following photo was taken at Spencer Street Station in 1961 as the Willy team was about to embark on its first end of season trip to Perth, hosted by and billeted by Nedlands-Subiaco. As Peter Hogg stated “It was an outstanding trip, one we were incapable of replicating”. No air travel in those days for teams! The trip was organized by Mal Taylor. While the games were supposed to be “Friendlies”, and Williamstown was asked to take it easy as Nedlands-Subiaco was playing in a final the following week, however it didn’t turn out that friendly as Eddie Toomey was flattened and Keith Hogg had his nose broken and had to be taken to hospital! Peter Hogg was the MVP for the first trip to Perth.

The touring party: back row; Peter Hogg, Gary Calvert, Ray Dickins, Russell Brown (Footscray) & Graham Hill. Second row: (Partially hidden) Judith Hogg, Shirley Hogg, Mrs Hogarth, Robin Lourensz (Footscray), Alan Chiron, David Thompson & John Pepper

Third row; Frank “Tich” Hogarth, John Morrish, Ken Read, David Ferris, Murray Jones, David Wood, Brian Greer & Warren Renton Front row: Keith Hogg, Mal Taylor, Eddie Toomey, and hidden was Mrs Olga Taylor.

A further EOS trip was undertaken to Perth in 1964 with Ken Read winning the MVP trophy. This was the last EOS trip to Perth and Nedlands-Subiaco never travelled to Melbourne for an EOS.