A day to remember as Sea Eagles celebrate six historic premierships
Inverloch-Kongwak Football Netball Club (IKFNC) gathered to celebrate six premiership reunions the 1966 senior football premiership, 1966 reserves, 1986 seniors, 2016 thirds, 2006 B Grade netball and 2016 Under-13 netball.
THE Inverloch-Kongwak Football Netball Club (IKFNC) roared with nostalgia over the weekend as past champions, loyal supporters, and club legends gathered to celebrate six monumental premiership reunions.
Spanning five decades of sporting excellence, the event paid tribute to the grit and glory of the 1966 senior football, 1966 reserves football, 1986 senior football, 2016 thirds football, 2006 B Grade netball, and 2016 Under-13 netball premierships.
Club stalwart Peter McCaughan led the heartfelt tributes, expressing deep gratitude to Adrian Banks for his monumental efforts in organising the massive reunion. He also praised Club President Peter Butcher for maintaining the strong culture that binds the IKFNC community across generations.
In one of the day's most touching moments, McCaughan extended a special thank you to the Granite Hill Residential Aged Care facility in Euroa. Staff there helped orchestrate a FaceTime call with Peter Gleeson, the legendary centre half-back for the ’66 and ’68 IK premiership sides, allowing him to share jokes and memories with former teammates.
The room echoed with laughter as memories and photographs were shared.
‘IK too competent for Rovers’ was the September 1966 Sentinel Times headline.
The 1966 senior decider saw Inverloch-Kongwak face a hard-fighting Rovers outfit in heavy, mud-soaked conditions at Wonthaggi to claim the Bass Valley-Wonthaggi League premiership flag. Play began in a heavy, freezing drizzle, but IK adapted instantly. Goal kicker Logan slotted a major early to steady the side, while Gleeson began using his trademark vigour down back, perhaps excessively so according to the original Sentinel Times reporter at the ground. The archive report noted that at one stage Gleeson appeared to take on the whole Rovers side singlehandedly.
The backbone of that ’66 triumph was the absolute dominance of the IK rucks and rovers. The towering height of Ray Beaton and Les Caughey allowed them to dominate the air, feeding the ball directly to Bolding and star centreman Parker. With Ray Beaton swinging deep into the forward pocket, the Rovers had few answers.
Down back the IK defence was an impenetrable wall. Led by Noel Beaton, Les Caughey, and Jacobean, the backline stood too tall for the Rovers’ attack, consistently out-marking them whenever the ball was delivered high into the dangerous heavy air.
When the final siren sounded, IK stood victorious, 9.9 (63) to Rovers 5.3 (33). Twenty years later, the class of 1986 created their own slice of history by securing back-to-back premierships, defeating arch-rivals Korumburra by a solid 12 points.
According to the archives, Korumburra snatched an early lead, testing the resolve of the reigning premiers. However, IK turned the match on its head with a devastating third-quarter blitz, effectively wiping out Burra’s ultimate chances of victory.
The fiery clash is still remembered for a massive, old-school brawl that erupted on the grandstand wing, with almost every single man on the ground joining in. Once order was restored by the umpires, the goals came thick and fast. Korumburra launched a desperate late charge to edge back into the lead, but the foundations laid by IK earlier in the match held firm under immense pressure, securing another famous flag.
The day of reunions shone a bright light on the club's netball prowess and emerging youth, celebrating the dominant 2006 B Grade netballers alongside the dual 2016 triumphs of the thirds football and Under-13 netball teams, proof that the club’s culture of success still runs deep across all eras and ages.
