Buninyong FNC reflects on 150 years

BUNINYONG Football Netball Club past and present players, coaches, committee members, sponsors and supporters gathered at the club rooms last weekend to celebrate 150 years of the organisation.

The celebrations began with nibbles and drinks on Friday 11 April before guest speakers, a barbecue and presentations on Saturday 12 April.

One of the speakers at half-time of the senior football game was 1970 premiership coach John Abraham.

Mr Abraham played over 100 senior games for the club and was a player-coach between 1969 and 1971.

In his first year as coach, the team lost the grand final by two points.

“That was pretty bitter, and we came back and played a very good season in 1970,” he said.

“There were a lot of people who played in the losing grand final the year before that felt that 1970 really just redeemed themselves.

“We were a top-level club doing very well.”

Mr Abraham, who came to Buninyong from Ballarat, said the club was vibrant and welcoming.

“I came out to Buninyong as a 25/26-year-old, new to coaching and really discovered that Buninyong was a very, very vibrant, independent community,” he said.

“I was taken in very much.”

The celebrations included displays of memorabilia, and Mr Abraham said it is important to showcase the club’s rich history.

“You walk around this club rooms and there are historic photographs everywhere, there is history wherever you look,” he said.

“It’s one of the results of a good club that you can both reflect on what’s happened in the past and look forward to what’s going to happen in the future.”