Trentham Trumpet ‘TRENTHAM LADIES’ FOOTBALL TEAM OF 1957’
The TDHS has regularly been contributing articles to the The Trentham Trumpet in recent years. This story, written by Elizabeth Toomey was published in the Trumpet in October 2021.
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TRENTHAM LADIES’ FOOTBALL TEAM OF 1957
Written by Elizabeth Toomey
While we still have football on our minds, lets turn the clock back to Saturday, July 20, 1957 when the Trentham Ladies team, the Grasshoppers, drew a crowd of approximately 1000 to watch their match against arch-rivals Kyneton. Gate takings of £300 were noted to be well in excess of the usual £20 for a men’s match; however, the heavy hail storm just as the teams were to take the field was one consistency with the regular men’s matches!
Despite the saturated playing surface, the game featured some outstanding performances – Cath Kelly (O’Connell) was noted to be doing a lot of useful work in the ruck, Shirley Hammond’s fine hit-outs lead to the first of several goals for the match. Glenys Moore, ably assisted by the two forwards Marge Bell and Maureen Kelly, kicked three goals while Marge was also noted as being ‘into everything including the mud’. But even by ‘Puff-o’ – half time in todays parlance, the Grasshoppers were coping better with the conditions (fancy that!).
Highlights of the game was the inspirational leadership by captain Phyllis Gamble (Acott), the brilliant kicking of the respective fullbacks, the solid defence work by Ethel Robson and Beverley Flenley in the back line and winger Marlene Dunn showing a lot of pace around the ground. Perhaps not surprising that her granddaughter, Jess Cameron, went on to become a successful sportswoman as part of Collingwood’s AFL Women’s team in 2017 and Australia Women’s Cricketer of the Year in 2013.
Despite the cold and wet, the team trained seriously throughout the season under coach Jim McKnight (father of Bill) and local mounted constable Tom Rowe, with hot pies supplied by local baker Jack Groves followed Friday night training. While doing all this at their own expense – no generous support from organizations like the Community Bank in those days, Phyllis maintained they did it all for fun, laughs and comradeship and to raise funds for the hospital and Fire Brigade but they also “provided the best entertainment seen at the Trentham Oval in years” according to the Trentham Gazette of 25 July 1957.
Thanks goes to Ina Bertrand for her informative interviews with Phyllis Acott and Tom Rowe and access to the T&DHS for archival material.
GO GIRLS