THE Kangaroo Flat Football-Netball Club will pay homage to its past this weekend when it holds its marquee event as part of its 150th anniversary year.
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It promises to be a weekend of reminiscing and nostalgia as the Roos celebrate their 150th with three days of festivities that start on Friday night and will continue through until Sunday.
While premiership reunions come and go for footy clubs, this weekend is unique in that it’s not a flag being celebrated, but the entire history of the Roos that dates back to when they were originally known as Yankee Boot Flat – a bit of trivia for you.
Celebrating a 150th places the Roos as not only one of the oldest footy clubs in the region, but throughout the country and that’s a testament to every person who has played a role, big or small, on or off the field, in keeping the club alive for a century and a half.
However, while the Roos boast longevity, premiership successes have been few and far between for the club.
In their 150 years, the Roos are credited with just seven senior flags – 1923, 1926, 1948, 1955, 1960, 1981 and their sole BFL flag in 1996, coached by Simon Jorgensen and skippered by Chris Harrington.
That equates to one flag about every two decades and less than 150 premiership players in the history of the club.
How the Roos must crave some of the success of their neighbours Golden Square, who in the past five years alone have won five flags.
Those seven flags in 150 years represent the past for the Roos and what it does do is further reinforce just how cherished that next premiership at Dower Park must be and provide a timely piece of inspiration for the current playing group to work hard for it.
For a club that has struggled for much of its time since joining the BFL in 1983 with a winning strike rate of less than 40 per cent, this young Roos group (pictured last weekend) that first-year coach Jason Stevens has put together for 2014 has taken the initial steps on what Kangaroo Flat plans will be a long-awaited climb to the top.
From wooden-spooners last year and then the much publicised departure of their three best players in ex-coach Tyrone Downie, former skipper Tyson Mihocek and experienced onballer Mitch Hough, the Roos have exceeded expectations this year to be the BFL’s big improvers.
With four rounds remaining, the Roos are right in the mix to become the first BFL team since Kyneton in 2003 to leap from wooden-spooners to finalists in just 12 months.
They are only percentage outside the top five and close enough, if good enough, to reach September for the first time since 2009, only the second time since 2001, and just the 10th time since joining the BFL.
Whatever happens from here over the next month, the Roos have made significant inroads this year, earned back respect and with a youthful playing list with an average age of just 21, the foundation is being laid to make their move in the coming years if they stick together and stay the course, because it won’t happen overnight.
With the Roos having craved that elusive eighth flag since that glorious September day against Kyneton in 1996, boy, it will be sweet for the club and 22 blokes when it does happen.
And judging by the club’s re-signings announced already, there appears to be a feeling among the group that the signs are there for a positive ride ahead.