History

A complete history of Bayswater Junior Football Club

In 1933 Charles Riebie established and was the FOUNDER of the Bayswater Morley Junior Football Club.

The origin of the Bayswater Morley Junior Football Club has been traced back to the late Charles Reibe who founded the club in 1933. In those times the Club was known simply as the “Bayswater Junior Football Club”, with its home ground being Bayswater Oval, affectionately known as “The Rec”.

During the early years of the Club, long before the advent of League based Junior Councils, Bayswater competed in the Temperance League and the Metropolitan Juniors.

These competitions extended throughout the Metropolitan area, but were structured into District Zones. The conduct of the Temperance League was supervised by the legendary Mr. W.H. (Billy) Rose, well known for his post match warnings to the boys on the evils of alcohol.

The Temperance League was divided into two divisions, Cobbers competition or the young players up to twelve years and “Temps” for under fourteen year olds. Metropolitan Juniors “Mets” was for the older players under eighteen years of age.

Over many years Charles worked tirelessly providing the local youth of Bayswater and surrounding districts with opportunities to play junior football. His contribution and dedication in those early years laid the foundation that today underpins this junior football Club’s proud history and tradition.

The following quote is a testament to the character, dedication and contribution by Charles Riebie to this junior football club: “Mr Riebie never missed our games. He often acted as goal umpire. Despite our difficulty in gaining a great place on the ladder, he was always a great supporter and inspiration to the side” (Source: anonymous player – 1940 season)

Facilities at Bayswater Oval in the early years were fairly primitive. The change room consisted of a small wooden shed without showers or conveniences, and if players wanted to wash they did so in the drainage channel which passed through the side of the oval. No where near the magnificent facilities available today which players take for granted.

In 1946 the decision was made to change the colour of the “Baysie” jumpers from Blue and Red (the colours of the Bayswater Amateurs) to the present colours of Green with a Red slash. Whilst no Club records exist prior to 1970 many people are known to have made significant contributions to the Club and Junior Football over our seventy year history.

In 1961 a history of the Bayswater Junior Football Club was published in the “Swan Express” a newspaper covering the period 1951 to 1961. Included is an extract of the article which appeared in that newspaper on Wednesday July 19th 1961.

SWAN EXPRESS WEDNESDAY JULY 19, 1961.

The Bayswater Junior Football Club has submitted a record of its history and is No 1 in a series in which we hope to include all clubs and the Junior Controlling Body itself. The Bayswater Junior Football Club has been in existence since the beginning of the present century. Owing to this, and the fact that the records and minutes dating back to that period have been destroyed, many names of foundation members and such like will naturally not be in this history. Four names which readily come to mind are those of our life members, Messrs W.A. Dunne, A.E. Morgan, D Burton and CJ Wotzko. These men truly deserve special mention among all the people who have established the club to what it is today.

In 1951 a Mr. Waters became associated with the junior team of the club and through his efforts the Bayswater Junior Football Club sent a team of Under 16s to play in the Swan Districts Junior football Council Association. Thus Bayswater commenced their first year under the jurisdiction of the Swan Districts National Football Club.

On March 11, 1952, a further motion was moved and seconded by Mr.J Carter and Mr. D Darcy, that a vote be taken to decide as to which Junior Council, Bayswater Junior Football Club should join. By majority Swan Districts Junior Football Council was selected.

At this stage mention is made of the committee of 1952 who were actually the foundation workers of the new Bayswater Junior Football Club. The President, Mr. R Frost, Secretary Mr. E Henley, Assistant Secretary, Mr. J McMahon, Committee men Messrs. K Gell, C Wotzko, R Patterson, W Dunne, A Morgan, R Morgan, C Atkins, R Chapple, F Walters, H McGregor and C Lockhardt. Coaches Mr Robin Reid, Under 16, and Mr Tom Manning under 18.

Through the efforts of these men the club gradually built itself a reputation of having two good teams that had to be well reckoned with by any other opposing team. One outstanding name that comes to mind is Mr E Henley, who handled the administration of the club through the medium of secretary for five years. He gave everything to the club financially and otherwise.

To close 1952 the club suffered a great loss in Mr R.C “Happy” Gordon, who lost his life in Korea.

In 1953, the membership of the club rose to 54 members existing of 25 seniors and 29 juniors. So the club continued through the years. At the present time, the membership stands at 220 approximately.

In March 1956, the club held its Annual General Meeting the financial report of the club was read that night, and it was found that fifty pound was owing to our creditors. Also other setbacks of that evening were the resignation of Mr E Henley, who through ill health forfeited his position as secretary and the resignation of Mr C Wotzko as president. This did not stop the club from going ahead. Election of officers was taken among the players themselves, when Messrs. Jack Moffat, J Prendegast and A Nesbit were elected to the positions of secretary, treasurer and vice president respectively the only adult member present, Mr N Garie was elected to the position of president. Through his experience hard work and leadership, and the determination of the players themselves, the club flourished to take the biggest turnover ever in the history of the club to that time. Since this time the club has grown bigger in both finance and membership.

At this stage mention should be made of some of the many hard working officials from 1956 until the present time and these are Messrs N Garie, J Moffat, A Nesbit, J Prendegast, K Cox, N Wirth, T Miller, B Werndley, J McManus, N Dorrington, T Manning, F Ward, C Walker, B Ward, A Bristow, G Garbett, L Bailey, D Hough, K Wotzko, C Gell, A Waghorn, S Garie and T Prendegast. Mainly through the efforts of these men the teams’ football ability rose to such a height that in 1958, under the supervision of Mr K Cox as coach, the Under 16 side won the premiership to bring home the first pennant ever for the club in the Junior Council competition. To follow this up, in 1959, unde the supervision of Mr A “Tony” Nesbit as coach, the Under 19 team won the knock-out competition pennant, also the premiership, to bring the team the first double for any club in the competition.

The present committee is very proud of the record of the number of footballers that the club has helped to graduate to the league ranks. A number of these are Messrs P Seal, J Watts, W Brown, H Fullgrabe, A Nesbit, J Moffat, G Outridge , H Morgan, C Morgan, Cyril Walsh, R Reid (dec), T Coulter, F Drew, K “Kegs” Coulson, W Sidebottom, C Sainsbury, M Nesbit, B Werndley, A Laidler, D Manning, A Leckie and G Thornton. To add to these the present coach of the under 19 team, Mr R Drew gained selection in the All Australian Amateur Team of 1958 that played in the junior carnival.

To close this brief history, it is fitting to mention that the ladies concerned with the club have always excelled themselves when providing for the players such items as teas, social nights, annual dinners, picnics, and all the other functions which are most essential to the running of any club. (Swan Express, July 19, 1961)

In November, 1964 the Club moved to Hillcrest Oval and experienced its first name change to that of Bayswater Embleton Junior Football Club. The change reflected the need to recognise the fast developing new suburb of Embleton. Bayswater was still playing in the Swan Districts Junior Football Council at this time, and continued in this competition until 1970.

With significant West Australian National Football League (WANFL) Boundary changes in 1970 the Club commenced the 1971 season with the “Royals” in the East Perth Junior Football Council, an association which has continued and prospered to this day.

In 1970 Bayswater—Embleton experienced a further move to Emberson Reserve, Morley. This ground served as headquarters for a further six years up to and including the 1976 season. In 1975 the Club realised that Emberson Reserve was inadequate for its need and applied to the Shire of Bayswater to be allocated the new ground being developed in the vicinity of Purley, Babington, Bedford and Alderhurst Streets in Bayswater. In 1977 the Bayswater Shire approved the Club’s relocation to the new ground—Houghton Park (named after the late Bill Houghton, Senior Health Inspector and Building Surveyor with the Bayswater Shire).

The name of the club was again changed in 1980 to the Bayswater—Morley Junior Football Club.

On September 15th, 1981 the decision was made at a Club General Meeting to amalgamate with Morley Districts Youth Club. Under a new constitution drawn up in 1982 it became identified as the Bayswater Morley Youth Club Football Section. This amalgamation has proven to be successful with strong links developed with the other sporting sections of the Youth Club. We now enjoy accommodation and facilities second to none, achieved through mutual co-operation.

Over the years Bayswater has been a very successful Club winning numerous premierships in various grades in both the Swan Districts and East Perth Junior Football Councils.

Many fine footballers have graduated through the ranks, some going on to play league football and others carrying on as coaches and administrators of the Club. Since the beginning of the 1960’s some of the better known ones being: – John. K. Watts, Paul Seal, Frank Coulson, Wally Brown, Tilly Limana, Peter Manning, Ken McAuley, Robin Reid, Tony Nesbit, Graham Smith, Tom Bell, Greg Frost, Clyde Lockhart, Grant Dorrington.

Former players to reach league ranks:-
Trevor Malcolm, David Morgan, Alex Rattray, Jamie Ninyett, Mark Blakely, Darren Best, Mark Cartier, Graham Hampson and Wade Starr.

Players to have gone one step further and play in the Australian Football League (AFL) are: Matt Clape (Carlton) (West Coast Eagles), Gavin Rose (Sydney Swans).

Over recent years there has been a general decline in the playing numbers of all Clubs but despite this trend, Bayswater still have around 100 players registered.

Extract from the end of 1992 year report by JOHN CHERRY PRESIDENT 1990 – 1992