Merv Wegener reflects on his time in football

BRENT GODDE: You were born and bred in Walla?

MERV WEGENER: I was one of the last locals that was born in the Walla hospital.

BG: You were also a farmer?

MW: I spent my whole life on the land before moving into town.

BG: After playing juniors for Walla you made your senior debut in 1953?

MW: I was 16 and Dick Smith was coach of the Hoppers. Dick had crossed from Culcairn and was terrific for my development as a teenager.

BG: For people who didn't see you play, how would you describe yourself as a footballer?

MW: I didn't consider myself the most talented player but I prided myself on my work rate. I played predominantly in the ruck and would just get to as many contests as possible.

BG: You were an athletic tall?

MW: My leap was probably one of my biggest assets and believe it or not I wasn't a bad exponent of the drop kick which a lot of players still used frequently during that era.

BG: Did you ruck in your debut season under Smith?

MW: I played predominantly on a forward flank but Dick also played me at full forward on occasions because of my height.

BG: You were fortunate enough to win a flag in your first year of senior football?

MW: We were the best side during the home and away but struggled to play our best during the finals.

BG: The Hoppers got out of jail in the preliminary final?

MW: We came back from being 30 points down. But we dominated the decider and beat Brocklesby fairly comfortably.

BG: Amazingly, Walla didn't have a club theme song until 1958?

MW: Tom McNeil was the coach and he introduced our first theme song.

BG: You weren't a huge fan of McNeil's choice of theme song?

MW: Tom decided on the Collingwood theme song. Good old Walla forever, they know how to play the game...

BG: That was the Hoppers' theme song until the merger with Rand-Walbundrie in 2016?

MW: It stuck for all that time.

BG: After a few lean years after 1953 and missing finals, Smith returned to coach the Hoppers in 1956-57.

MW: We made another grand final in 1957 but got flogged by Jindera. Jindera had a combined side with Lavington and were simply a class above and went through undefeated.

BG: Jindera was coached by Culcairn legend Harry Gardiner?

MW: Harry Gardiner, Don Ross and Bill Barton are the three players that I rated the best of their era.

BG: The following season in 1958 you played in another grand final under McNeil?

MW: We played Brocklesby but got rolled.

BG: In 1959 the Hoppers made amends under coach Hayden Hensel?

MW: It was a thriller and we got up by a point against Walbundrie.

BG: In 1961 you enjoyed one of the best seasons of your career to claim the Azzi medal?

MW: It was a huge shock at the time.

BG: There was no function for the Azzi medal during that era?

MW: The league had a meeting on the Sunday night and I was sitting out on my farm on the Culcairn-Walbundrie road.

BG: You received a phone call?

MW: Geoff Wegener was president and Keith Churches was secretary who were at the meeting. They called to tell me that I had won the Azzi medal and they were on their way out to my farm to celebrate.

BG: Did you put some champagne on ice?

MW: We had a couple of beers to celebrate. It wasn't a medal back then and it was a silver tray which I have still got.

BG: The following season in 1962 you joined North Albury late in the season and played four matches under Don Ross.

MW: Back in that era there were only eight sides in the Hume league. So once the season finished Geoff Wenke and I played four matches on permit for North Albury which was a great experience.

BG: You also started off at Bunton Park in 1963?

MW: I played about half the season until Harry Gardiner, Dick Smith and Jim Stockton came and saw me about crossing to Culcairn mid-season.

BG: You wanted a bit of coin?

MW: I was getting four pounds and 10 pence at North Albury and wanted Culcairn to at least match the deal.

BG: The Lions threw in a sweetener to get you over the line?

MW: They matched the money but also offered me some share farming opportunities which sealed the deal.

BG: Culcairn were firmly in the premiership window?

MW: The Lions had some talented players in Gardiner, Smith, Stockton, 'Splinter' Liston and Pat Adams.

BG: The Farrer league was a good standard of football during that era?

MW: There were a few former VFL players running around in the competition. Bob Delanty was coach of The Rock and had previously played for Collingwood.

BG: You ended up playing in another grand final.

MW: We met Wagga in the decider but for some reason the match was played on their home ground. We beat them easily in the second semi-final at Lockhart in the dry. But it was a wet grand final and on their home ground and Wagga were too good.

BG: You made amends the following season in 1963?

MW: We finished minor premiers but got beat by Temora in the second semi-final at Holbrook. We beat Henty in the preliminary final when Bill Box was at the Swampies.

BG: You rolled Temora in the decider?

MW: It was a good grand final to be part of with a stack of talent on both sides.

BG: You rated representing the Farrer league under coach Brian Prior as one of the highlights of your career?

MW: We played the South West league at Narrandera and there was a huge finals like crowd in attendance. We were underdogs but were able to land an upset.

BG: You have always been a huge advocate for interleague football?

MW: I loved the challenge of playing with the best against the best and the standard of football certainly went up a few notches.

BG: In 1964 you returned to Walla and became the first player in league history to capture two Azzi medals?

MW: Similar to 1961 there was no vote count and the votes were counted at a league meeting. I remember I won a silver kettle but I have no idea where it is now.

BG: The following season you won another flag under coach Pat Adams?

MW: Getting Pat from Culcairn was a huge coup. We beat Jindera in the grand final.

BG: Osborne offered you the coaching job in 1966?

MW: I was thinking about it but it was Pat who convinced me to take the job.

BG: Was Garry O'Connell involved in trying to lure you to Osborne?

MW: No, Bert Clarke was president and his three boys were playing for Osborne.

BG: Why were you hesitant to take the Osborne job?

MW: Because Walla was having so much success and I didn't want to miss out on that. Osborne wasn't in the Hume league at that stage.

BG: You took the Osborne job but was shocked to find out that the club didn't have any lights for training?

MW: We only used to train one night a week and would always start training at 4pm so there was still a bit of daylight.

BG: Osborne's change rooms were also being built that season?

MW: The facilities weren't real flash and the old change rooms were behind where the existing ones are today.

BG: Did other clubs have lights during that era?

MW: Most clubs did, that's why it was such a huge shock to me at Osborne when I found out.

BG: The ground was also fairly ordinary?

MW: It was a dry winter and the surface was as hard as a rock.

BG: Your old FJ Holden racked up plenty of kilometres?

MW: I used to have to go through Pleasant Hills to pick up a school teacher on the way to training. But the travel on the Saturday's was a killer to places like Junee, Cootamundra and Marrar.

BG: Did you have any memorable road trips back home during your time at Osborne?

MW: Not really because my wife Judy would also come to the football each week with our daughter. Judy was also pregnant with our son Mark.

BG: Osborne made it to the preliminary final?

MW: We got beat in the preliminary final but I was nervous as hell during the finals series because Judy was heavily pregnant and due to have the baby at any time.

BG: Your worst fears were realised when Walla won the flag in 1966 to make it back-to-back flags?

MW: I probably robbed myself of a flag but I justified it by winning a flag at Culcairn in 1963 so it sort of evened out.

BG: The following season in 1967 you returned to Walla?

MW: I enjoyed my time at Osborne and the challenge of coaching but the travel was too much for me in the end.

BG: In 1970 you won another flag, this time under coach Ken Kilpatrick?

MW: It was another thriller and we rolled Walbundrie by one point.

BG: You played in another grand final in 1972?

MW: Balldale were favourites but we went close to landing an upset after getting beat by less than a kick. I got concussed early in the third quarter and we copped a few other injuries which proved costly.

BG: You were also able to win another two flags in the twilight of your career and were part of the Hoppers' back-to-back flags in 1973-74.

MW: Bill Barton was coach and in 1973 I was a bit lucky in that I dislocated my shoulder late in the season but I was fortunate enough to get back in time for the finals. We beat Burrumbuttock by one point.

BG: Garry Mickan was a prolific goalkicker for the Hoppers during the 1970s?

MW: I would rate Garry alongside North Albury's Stan Sargeant as two of the most prolific kicks of the football I have seen. They both had an uncanny knack to boot torpedo punts that would go for miles.

BG: In 1973 you also took on the job of president of Walla?

MW: Des Kennedy and I targeted Bill Barton as coach and got the deal done which was a huge coup at the time.

BG: In 1974 you had a convincing victory in the grand final?

MW: It was against Jindera and we won by eight goals.

BG: You were almost done and dusted as a player?

MW: I played again in 1975 under coach Dave Hunter but the club carried me through so I could get to 300. I only played half-a-dozen games and ended up finishing with 302 matches at Walla.

BG: You held the games record at Walla for 31 years until Derek Kohlhagen was able to go past you in 2006?

MW: I was happy to see Derek break my record and to his credit he was very loyal and played all of his career at Walla. I always thought he should have had a crack in the O&M.

BG: You won three best and fairests at Walla?

MW: Derek won four, so he got me there as well. The Kohlhagen name features heavily on the Walla honour board with Derek's older brother, Brett, a dual best and fairest and his younger brother, Luke, also a four-time winner.

BG: Ten best and fairests is an impressive feat. Grant played senior football for Walla as well?

MW: Grant was a handy player and he was a bit of a twinkle toes and certainly the quickest of all the brothers but just seemed to be injury prone for whatever reason.

BG: After retiring mid-season in 1975 you decided to focus your attention on administration?

MW: I was initially president of Walla in 1973 while I was still playing but remained president after I retired. I had six-years in the job.

BG: Des Kennedy was a talent scout for a few of the VFL clubs?

MW: Des would let South Melbourne and Essendon know of any players running around in the Hume league that he thought could make it in the VFL/AFL and would talk to Kevin Sheedy on a regular basis.

BG: No doubt you would have been shocked by the sudden passing of your good mate Kennedy in 1992?

MW: It was a massive shock to everyone and Des still had so much to offer and he was only in his 50s. We had been mates since school and it was a sad time when he passed away.

BG: You were instrumental in getting the BOG in the grand final medal named in honour of Kennedy?

MW: I don't think anyone could argue that it was the least the league could have done and a fitting tribute to Des who was a tireless worker for the Hume league.

BG: You attribute Des' influence for getting you involved in football administration?

MW: Des was the postmaster at Walla and we would spend hours yakking what we could do for the league to make it better.

BG: Did you ever meet Sheedy?

MW: Sheedy presented me with my life membership of the of NSW-AFL at a function at Walbundrie which I appreciated.

BG: You have got the award framed?

MW: Kevin signed the frame To Merv the great... which I found funny at the time.

BG: No doubt you would also be proud of all your other life memberships which include the Hume league, VCFL, Walla Walla Football Club and Walla-North Walla Tennis Club?

MW: I just cherish all the friendships I have made throughout my life with sport being a big part of that.

BG: You first became vice president of the Hume league in 1978?

MW: Max Johnston was the first president I worked with.

BG: Johnston was replaced as president by Garry O'Connell in 1983?

MW: I was vice president under Garry for seventeen years and we had a great relationship. Barry Malone was also a tireless worker as secretary for the league after Des passed away.

BG: Were there ever any heated arguments between you?

MW: We never had one argument. We would discuss things and if we didn't agree, we would agree to disagree but would work to find a solution and move forward.

BG: There have been some vocal presidents that you have had to deal with over the years?

MW: Confrontation is inevitable but I always prided myself in being cool in a crisis. I would always listen to an irate president then make an informed decision after the dust had settled.

BG: Did you ever go close to losing your temper?

MW: Probably on one occasion when I first became president when the league had Rand, Walbundrie, Brocklesby, Burrumbuttock and Urana all struggling to survive and didn't have juniors.

BG: What happened?

MW: Mergers were a hot topic during that era and clubs were hesitant to merge.

BG: You were a big advocate for mergers?

MW: I was but I couldn't say it publicly at the time because it wasn't my decision if clubs merged or not. You can't force clubs to merge, the clubs involved have got to want to do it otherwise it will be doomed from the start.

BG: Fast forward and the mergers in the Hume league have been a success?

MW: History tells us that they have been successful. Brock-Burrum have got juniors and so have Rand-Walbundrie-Walla.

BG: You are adamant that all finals should be played at Walbundrie?

MW: There has been a lot of time and effort gone into getting the Walbundrie surface into such good condition. Walbundrie is also central and the parking facilities are unrivalled.

BG: A lot of work has also been done to the infrastructure?

MW: The catering facilities are of a high standard and the old change rooms have been renovated with showering facilities for the netballers. The big shed is also a good vantage point to watch the football from.

BG: Playing finals at Walbundrie has been a long-time tradition?

MW: We started playing at Walbundrie in 1972 so it has almost been five decades. Country people love driving into the ground and that's another reason not to take the grand final away from Walbundrie.

BG: In 2008 it was tough from an administrative perspective when Billabong Crows, Coleambally, CDHBU and Rennie joined the Hume league?

MW: After Murray Magpies joined the previous season, the league suddenly went from 10 sides to 15.

BG: It was a logistical nightmare?

MW: The problem was we only found out on the eve of the season which is not ideal when you have to redo the fixture on such late notice.

BG: It coincided with the introduction of the final six for finals?

MW: I know a lot of clubs want to go back to the traditional top-five now but I'm against it. I'm a fan of the top-six because it gives 40 more footballers and 60 more netballers within the league the opportunity to play finals.

BG: What do you feel the secret is to being a good administrator?

MW: You have to base your decisions on what is good for the league in general and not what is going to benefit individual clubs.

BG: You would get to at least one home match of each club every season while president?

MW: I felt that was important because it gave club volunteers an opportunity to talk to me face to face.

BG: You felt administration was a full-time job?

MW: I would find myself always thinking about how we could improve the league. I've only probably realised how big a job it actually was since I retired from the position.

BG: You consider yourself fortunate to have had some outstanding support during your time as an administrator?

MW: I was lucky to have blokes like Barry Malone, Dalton Wegener, Bert Haynes, Graham Harper, Garry Mickan and Brendan I'Anson who all provided fantastic support along the journey.