THE WEMBLEY LACROSSE CLUB 1938 – 2016

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Grand Final action against East Fremantle at Perry Lakes Stadium c.1980. Gary Downsborough (12) shoots while Mark Bowman (7) hovers at the ready . Photo Bob Hyde.

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THE WEMBLEY LACROSSE CLUB 1938 – 2016

This document – imperfect and incomplete – is just a starting point in the chronicling of the history of the Wembley Lacrosse Club. It has been compiled by a number of senior members, men and women, drawing on a range of resources including personal recollection. It is a work in progress. Well supported corrections, contributions and suggestions for future editions are encouraged from all members, past and present. Please email: [email protected].

Published by the Wembley Lacrosse Club (Inc.), Wembley, Western Australia. © November 2016. Material may be reproduced with acknowledgement of this source. Enquiries to [email protected].

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‘Wembley ground Henderson Park. Catch Floreat Park trolley bus. Alight at Jersey Street and proceed South.’ (Fixture Card, 1950)

PHOTOS

ABOVE: Wembley C-Grade 1941, just three years after the club’s foundation. The team won minor and major premierships. Back row: Gerald Glynn, Alaric Tindal, Ted Liddlow, Gotch Clarke, Keith Weaver, Darryl Noack, Alan Weaver, Bob Rudkin; Front row: Joe Carden (Vice President), Bill Brown, Bill O’Leary, Harold Clifton (Founder and President), Marsden Banks, Bob Ramsay, Tom Banks (Vice President)

COVER: Top – Wembley win the State League premiership over Bayswater 9-6 in 2008, the first flag for 22 years. They also won the minor premiership. Back row L-R : Nathan Rainey, David Bullen, Sam Williams, Blair Bentley, Ian Berry, Adrian White, Ben Reiger; Front row L-R: Matt Diver, Sam Ramsay, Chris D’Annunzio, Stuart Bentley, Morgan Bentley, Jaxon Hall, Alex Brown, John Casey, Lucas Wood

Bottom – After a tight season, Wembley A-Grade take the flag over East Fremantle 16-7 in 2012. Back row L-R: Shendelle Oliver, Elizabeth Hinkes, Sarah Forbes, Hannah Barnsley, Steph McRae, Emily Hall, Chris Adams, Dennis Banyard; Front row L-R: Sally Banyard, Amanda Plummer, Hayley Simpson, Claire Ferguson, Rebecca Banyard, Aimee Bowman.

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THE WEMBLEY LACROSSE CLUB 1938 – 2016

CONTENTS

PAGE SECTION 1 HISTORIES & RECOLLECTIONS ...... 7 Section 1A Men’s History 1938 – 2016 ...... 7

Section 1A(i) Men’s History 1938 – 1969 ...... 7

Section 1A(ii) Men’s History 1970 – 2016 ...... 12

Section 1B Women’s History 1966 – 2016 ...... 18

SECTION 2 A FEW MORE PHOTOGRAPHS ...... 25

SECTION 3 LIFE MEMBERS ...... 28 Section 3A Club ...... 28

Section 3B State – WALA, WAWLA/Lacrosse West, Lacrosse WA 32

Section 3C Australia – ALC/Lacrosse Australia, WLA, ALA ...... 33

Section 2C(i) Certificates of Merit ...... 33

Section 2C(ii) Life Members ...... 33

PLEASE NOTE: Certificates of Merit for Club and State to be included at a later date.

SECTION 4 CLUB HONOURS ...... 34 Section 4A Men’s Honours ...... 34

Section 4A(i) Premierships – A-Grade/Division One/State League ...... 34 5

Section 4A(ii) Fairest & Best – A-Grade/Division One/State League ...... 35

Section 4A(iii) Association Fairest & Best – A-Grade/Division One/State League ...... 36

Section 4A(iv) Australian Allstars ...... 36

Section 4A(v) Australian Representation ...... 37

Section 4B Women’s Honours ...... 38

Section 4B(i) Premierships – All grades ...... 38

Section 4B(ii) Fairest & Best – A-Grade ...... 39

Section 4B(iii) Association Fairest & Best – All grades ...... 40

Section 4B(iv) Australian Allstars ...... 40

Section 4B(v) Australian Representation ...... 41

SECTION 5 OFFICE BEARERS ...... 42 Section 5A Club ...... 42

Section 5A(i) Wembley Lacrosse Club Office Bearers ...... 42

Section 5A(ii) Wembley Women’s Lacrosse Club Office Bearers ...... 44

Section 5B State ...... 45

Section 5B (i) WALA Office Bearers ...... 45

Section 5B (ii) WAWLA/Lacrosse West Office Bearers ...... 45

Section 5B(iii) Lacrosse WA Office Bearers ...... 46

Section 5C Australia ...... 46

ALC/Lacrosse Australia, WLA, ALA Office Bearers ...... 46

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...... 47

Abbreviations, explanatory notes ASPACS Asia Pacific Lacrosse Union [Games] ALA Australian Lacrosse Association (current governing body following the 2008 merger of Lacrosse Australia and Women’s Lacrosse Australia) ALC Australian Lacrosse Council (later Lacrosse Australia) WALA Western Australian Lacrosse Association WAWLA Western Australian Women’s Lacrosse Association (later Lacrosse West) WLA Women’s Lacrosse Australia

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SECTION 1: HISTORIES AND RECOLLECTIONS

SECTION 1A(i): Men’s History 1938 – 1969 [As few club records were available for this period, this section is based largely on the personal recollections of senior members.]

In 1938, Harold Clifton, a Wembley shopkeeper who had played lacrosse in England, established the Wembley Lacrosse Club. It was an offshoot of the North Perth–Wembley Club, an alliance formed in 1934. As the decade neared its end, the senior team of North Perth began to dwindle. Harold saw advantages in Wembley becoming an entity in its own right and took the necessary steps. In its first year, Wembley fielded a single team – a D-Grade – in the West Australian Lacrosse Association (WALA) competition. He was helped significantly by Joe Carden, a prominent official of the North Perth club, which continued for a couple of seasons before folding. The new Wembley club was part of a busy lacrosse scene that would in a few short years be decimated by World War II. Other clubs around at the time included Fremantle, East Fremantle, Perth, South Perth, Midland Junction, Nedlands (later to be Nedlands–Subiaco, then Subiaco), Mt Lawley and University, with Bayswater forming in 1939, the following year. Wembley’s young foundation team lined up for its first match on the 30 April 1938. The original players were mostly recruited from the Wembley 227th scout troop, of which Harold Clifton’s stepson, Keith Kimber, was a member. The team comprised Marsden Banks, Bill Brown, Gerald Glynn, Keith Kimber, Les Moore, Darryl Noack, Bob Ramsay, Bob Rudkin, Alaric Tindal, Alan Weaver and Keith Weaver. Bill O’Leary was included from 9th May the same year. (Nearly six decades later, Bill Brown would be elected a Fellow of the Australian Lacrosse Council – the country’s highest lacrosse honour.) In its first season, the team were premiership runners-up. Harold Clifton purchased the new team’s first hickory lacrosse sticks. The cost of the sticks (seven shillings and sixpence – about 75c – each) was repaid by the players at threepence (about 3c) a week. Annual fees were initially one shilling (about 10c), and game fees were threepence a match. The club’s first uniforms were plain white shirts, on the front of which the mothers sewed a ‘V’ with green and gold ribbon (provided by Mrs Clifton). On the back of the shirts the mums sewed the players’ registered numbers. Henderson Park in Wembley was the club’s first home ground. There were no change rooms available so players mostly went to the match dressed ready to play. When necessary, visitors had to change in the toilets. During the early days, whenever Henderson Park was unavailable because the local football club was using it, our home ground instead was Wellington Square in Perth. On these occasions players would all meet at Harold Clifton’s shop, load the goal posts and nets on their bikes and ride to Wellington Square to play a game. On wet days this was some task. Back then, very few people owned cars particularly those young enough to play competitive physical sport. The public transport system was how most people travelled. A 1950 WALA fixture card stated: ‘Wembley ground Henderson Park. Catch Floreat Park trolley bus. Alight at Jersey Street and proceed South.’ Most lacrosse clubs had change rooms of some description, but hot showers were unheard of. In the middle of winter, the water was very cold. Most of the players after a game just dashed in and out of the showers in one motion. The coldest water by far was in the showers on the Perth Esplanade.

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At this stage, the club had trouble securing a permanent home ground. It was shunted from Henderson Park to McLean Park followed by Alderbury Reserve before finally settling at our present day Floreat Oval. The football always had first choice of grounds and lacrosse got the leftovers. At times the football and lacrosse grounds would overlap, causing a lot of problems. During WWII the local senior competition was abandoned as most seniors were serving their country in the armed services. In place, a strong junior competition was conducted, mostly eight-a- side. The young Wembley Lacrosse Club was growing fast in numbers and skills. They dominated this period, winning numerous premierships. Throughout this difficult period two members of the club in Neville Monkhouse (Secretary) and Bill O’Leary (Treasurer) gave outstanding service. They kept the club alive and contributed greatly at WALA level. They laid the foundations for a future powerful club and Wembley was able to field its first A-Grade side in 1946. An excerpt from the club’s 1948 ‘Annual Dinner and Presentation of Trophies’ programme summarised the first ten years: The club as it is at present constituted was formed in 1938, mainly through the efforts of Messrs H. G. Clifton and J. L. Carden, and was the “D” Grade of the North Perth–Wembley Club. In 1938 that team was runners-up in the “D” Grade. In 1940 the team graduated to “C” Grade, and as the Senior team of North Perth–Wembley had disbanded, changed the name of the club to the Wembley Lacrosse Club, and also formed a “D” Grade. In 1941 the “C” Grade team went Premiers, while the “D” Grade was runners-up. In 1942 a Junior Grade Competition was instituted to keep lacrosse alive during the war years, Wembley being Premiers and Minor Premiers. In 1943 an 8-a-side and 12-a-side competition were conducted simultaneously, Wembley having (1) 12-a-side and (2) 8-a-side teams, one being known as Floreat Park. The 12-a-side team came out Premiers and Minor Premiers, whilst the Floreat Park team gained Premier and Minor Premiership honours in the 8-a-side competition. In 1944 our two teams in the 8-a-side gained no honours, but the combined 12-a-side team came through Premiers, Minor Premiers and Champions. In 1945 the two 8-a-side teams again failed in the semis, while the 12-a-side was Minor Premiers and Runners-up. In 1946 lacrosse was back to normal and Wembley was able to field an “A” Grade team, its first for many years. In 1947 we entered two new teams into the W.A.L.A. competitions, making our club strength: “A” “B” and “C” Grades. In 1948 we again fielded a new team, giving us “A” “B” “C” and “D” Grades, all of which reached the Final Four, the “A’ Grade being Minor Premiers. The major problem during WWII and for a lengthy period afterwards was the unavailability of Canadian hickory lacrosse sticks. No hickory lacrosse sticks were shipped to Australia during this period, for the Federal Government had an embargo on imports of non-essential goods from American dollar countries, due to Australia’s extreme dollar shortage. During this period, clubs acquired some old lacrosse sticks from chasing up past players, and in desperation tried out English, Pakistan and South Australian made lacrosse sticks. But none had the resilience of the Canadian hickory sticks and they lasted only a short time. The Wembley club also experimented with a cane lacrosse stick made at the Maylands Blind School and a tubular metal lacrosse stick. Both were unsatisfactory and were not allowed in competition. When WWII ended, most local lacrosse clubs again fielded teams (12-a-side) in all divisions and local lacrosse grew rapidly. Around this time, the WALA had ten clubs with close on 500 lacrosse players. Midland Junction Lacrosse Club was the benchmark club for a long period, and lacrosse was the strongest sport in that area for some time. Unfortunately a number of clubs, including Midland Junction, have folded or amalgamated over the years. Others were North Perth, Mt Lawley, Perth, Fremantle, Como, University, South Perth, Nedlands and Nollamara. Luckily most of the players from these clubs were absorbed into other clubs.

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On the occasions that we played at Midland in the early days, we had to travel by train. It was too far to ride a bicycle there, particularly during winter. On one occasion the train to Midland was delayed for over an hour, and as a result, our match started late and finished in near dark. Money was tight back then. The club raised funds from running raffles, dances, Popular Player competitions, lamington drives and penny drives. To support our State players, it would hold a gambling night at the home of one of the players. Club wind-ups at one time were held at the Perry Lakes Empire Games Centre, which was a popular venue in its time. (The Empire Games had come to Perth in 1962.) Most of Wembley’s general club meetings were held at Bill Brown’s mother’s home. She had a great big backyard shed which was decked out with an old carpet and disused seats, surplus from the local Cameo open air picture gardens. The shed’s roof was tin and when it rained you couldn’t hear the speaker until the rain stopped. Moving along, the club upgraded to holding their Annual General Meetings at the Pangbourne Street, Methodist Church Hall, with President Tom Banks officiating. 1947 was a great year for WA Lacrosse for our state won its first Senior Interstate Lacrosse Carnival, held in Perth. Len Berry captained our state’s star-studded team, whilst Wembley’s Bob Ramsay was the Outstanding Forward of the series, which gained him an Australian ‘Allstar’ blazer. (There were no travelling Australian teams back then.) In 1948 the WALA selected a State Colts Lacrosse team which Bill Brown had the privilege of captaining. This team travelled to South Australia to play that state in several matches, to gain experience for future carnivals. Most of the local champions who’d helped WA win the previous year’s senior carnival were at the end of their careers. The WALA saw the need to blood up-and- coming, promising young players, something achieved through this visit. In those days, travelling interstate was an experience. Players had to travel by train, sitting up all the way (no sleepers). Interstate matches would commence the day after they arrived. To take these trips was very expensive – players needed two weeks’ leave from work (unpaid) and, as nowadays, paid all their own expenses. Wembley had fielded its first A-Grade team in 1946. After a home match at Henderson Park, the senior players would adjoin to the Wembley Hotel for a glass or two while wives and babies gathered at Bill and Marge Brown’s home for a cup of tea and, a bit later, a fish and chip dinner, at which the boys would appear. Wembley grew quickly. This was mainly due to the efforts of Bob and Shirley Ramsay who recruited numerous new players from the City of Perth Lifesaving Club, many to become champions at the game. The lifesaving club had replaced Harold Clifton’s scout troop. In 1953, having won the minor premiership the year before, Wembley won its first A-Grade Premiership. The match was played at Richardson Park, South Perth, against our formidable opponent Fremantle. After a close tussle Wembley eventually won, 6 goals to 4. This would be the start of an 8-year streak, to 1960, in which Wembley won seven premierships and drew one (not recorded as a premiership to either side). The A-Grade was nicknamed The Untouchables during this period. As a measure of its dominance it won four of these premierships with a winning margin of over 200 per cent. Through this golden era, a few important figures emerged. Val Ellis was an outstanding club captain, leading Wembley through the string of premierships, besides leading and playing in the State team on a number of occasions. In 1956 he also gained Australian selection as a forward. John Ferguson, as club President from 1950 to 1959, was a tower of strength, giving great support to Val Ellis, besides guiding the club successfully. Another driving force in the fifities was Robin Toase. Robin, a non-player, inspired everybody with his huge input into the club’s activities. In 1959, two USA universities – Washington and Lee, and Virginia – came to our state. It was a landmark visit that brought about changes to the way we played the game. This was the first time WA had ever seen the American 10-a-side lacrosse game, with such things as off-side, send-off penalties, poke checks, time-outs and substitution. The American players were protected with helmets, gloves shoulder and arm pads, whereas our players were lightly clad.

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After fielding its first A-grade side in 1946, Wembley’s first A-Grade premiership came in 1953 and was

the start of an 8-year golden streak. Back row: Paul Doyle (Assistant), Eric Brown, Ted Powell, Alan Weaver, John Murphy, Roy Cornish, John Roulston, Roger Turnbull, Robin Toase (Secretary). Front row: Lin Kenworthy, Harold Clifton (Founder), Val Ellis, John Ferguson (President), Darryl Noack, Bill O’Leary

The visit of the American teams was a great drawcard. There were matches at Leederville, Subiaco and Fremantle ovals and the Perth Esplanade with most senior players, including a number from Wembley, having the opportunity to play the Americans at some time during the week of the series. The mid-week exhibition match between Virginia and a combined WA side on the Perth Esplanade was sensational. It was held during the business lunch hour (in those days everyone had an hour for lunch) and had been publicised on several radio stations and in the newspapers. There were estimated to be around 10,000 spectators, which is believed to be the largest crowd ever for a lacrosse match in Western Australia. In the 1959 programme for the historic visit, the following was printed: After WWII Wembley entered the senior grade competition. Improving quickly they won their first A-Grade in 1953 and since that year they have been undefeated in A-Grade premierships. Wembley players have represented the State in all carnivals since the last war. They established a record by having nine players chosen in the last State team. Bob Ramsay, Val Ellis and Eric Brown have all won Australian blazers. It is impossible to list all those who have given sterling service to the club but a few in passing are Keith Weaver, Neville Monkhouse, Bill O’Leary, Bob Ramsay, Val Ellis, Paul Doyle and Bill Brown. At present the club strength is 71 players, the President is Mr. John Ferguson, and the Secretary is Mr. John Murphy. During the 1960 season, the club hired a bus one weekend, and senior players and supporters from Wembley and Fremantle travelled to Katanning. There they played a scheduled fixture game, Wembley beating the strong Fremantle senior side. Wembley won the flag yet again that year, though it would be the last for a few years.

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Throughout, the players’ wives and girlfriends were a tower of strength for the club. They socialised together after the games and helped in running functions that included club picnics, country trips, windups and the like. Prominent at this time were Faye Ellis, Shirley Ramsay, Nancy Bridge, Marge Brown, Shirley Weaver, Barbara Sims, Shirley Allman and Elsa Lauder, who was later made a life member. In 1964, Wembley fielded two A-Grades sides. The impetus was the folding of the Mt Lawley Lacrosse Club in 1962, which had meant an influx of talent to Wembley – players such as Stan Lauder, John Berry, Ted Webster, Geoff Blackman and Joe and Manus Boyce. The two teams were known as Warriors and Braves. It took until 1967 for the club to win another premiership. A key behind this victory was the appointment of former Victorian and All-Australian backman Graham Hill as senior coach. With the premiership win we gained the right to play visiting South Australian premiers East Torrens (to whom we lost). Wembley billeted their married players and wives in Bill and Marge Brown’s backyard in tents, while the younger single players stayed at the Floreat Surf Lifesaving Club. The highlight of local lacrosse for many years was the Annual Lacrosse Gala Day. It was a day when each club, along with referees, paraded and then played a series of knockout six-a-side matches. Other competitions such as the 100-yard dash and relay races were also held. Points were given for winning these events, in all grades, and the club with the most points at the end of the day became Gala Champion. Wembley won many of these competitions. Changes were brewing as to playing rules. The visit back in 1959 of the Virginia and Washington and Lee university teams had inspired a dramatic change to Australian lacrosse. To accommodate the extreme difference in rules between American and Australian lacrosse, both sides had compromised and somehow or other played some interesting games. The exhibition game on the Perth Esplanade had been spectacular. Little did people think that in the very near future we would all be playing a similar set of international rules. WA’s own Laurie Turnbull, of Australian Lacrosse Council fame and the International Lacrosse Federation’s inaugural President, was the catalyst in achieving a set of acceptable international rules. Laurie could see the necessity if lacrosse to grow throughout the world. What disappeared was our old twelve-a-side lacrosse game, with no substitution. (Till then, when an injured player left the field he had taken his opponent off with him.) Goal umpires stood behind the goals; players froze when the referee’s whistle was blown; on a penalty, an offended player was awarded a free throw and the offending player was placed behind him; during play, players were allowed to roam at will all over the field, with no off-side. In those days one referee controlled the match. One thing old-timers miss nowadays is the lusty ringing of the bell that would signal the start and finish of each quarter. The home team bell-ringer would generally turn his back on the play for the last minute, to ensure fairness, particularly in a tight match. The introduction of American machine-made lacrosse sticks saw the demise of the historical Canadian hand-made hickory lacrosse sticks, crafted by Canadian Indians. There is no doubt, though, that the modern lacrosse stick has helped increase the skills on the field of today’s players. The game is now also faster, tougher and a far better spectacle to watch. Publicity for lacrosse was a lot easier to get in the past than nowadays. In early post-WWII times, Bill Brown had the role of Association Publicity Officer and, as this was in the pre-AFL football period, we gained tremendous newspaper, radio (we ran a Saturday morning radio program) and ABC TV coverage of big games. Graham Rose ultimately took over this function and continued to get splendid coverage for a another ten years. When a young Graeme Allman joined the club, his father Cyril Allman immediately began helping the club in every possible way, in time earning the nickname of ‘Mr Lacrosse.’ Cyril’s contribution to the club was enormous, such that Wembley’s ‘Clubman of the Year’ award is named in his honour. For the rest of his long life he was a champion club man, whilst at various times being President and Vice President of the WALA and President of the Australian Lacrosse Referees Association. He continued on the club Executive into the late 1980s, regarding the lacrosse club like family. He also became President of the Wembley Women’s Lacrosse Club in its first two years, in 1966 and ’67. More will be said about Cyril later.

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The original management of the club was unlike the directors of portfolios system we have operating today. The management team was made up of President, Secretary, Treasurer and Committee members. Occasionally the President was a figurehead and in his absence we elected a Chairman of Committees to take on the role similar to our modern President’s role. A large number of Vice Patrons were also appointed, which was a way of obtaining donations to the club. Each year the club appointed a Club Delegate to the State association. The WALA was managed by club delegates from all clubs. In the very important area of refereeing, the club was well represented by Neville Monkhouse, Bill Brown and Lance Gaunt. Lance, as Referee Secretary, initiated taking the local referees association into the national body – the Australian Lacrosse Referees Association (ALRA). He represented WA at Australian Championships and in 1970 conducted an international game in Adelaide between Australia and the American side, the Lancers. Lance is a Life Member of ALRA. Cyril Allman also was very heavily involved with ALRA’s administration as President for a number of years.

SECTION 1A(ii) Men’s History 1970 – 2016 The seventies through to the present have been a period marked by lows and scintillating highs in terms of on-field rewards for the club at the highest playing level. It is also a period in which some great club characters have emerged to build the strong and vibrant club we see today. After the glories of the fifties and to a lesser extent the sixties, from the perspective of the club’s top team, the 1970s were a low point in the club’s history. The decade started with the replacement of Graham Hill as A-Grade coach at the 1970 AGM. Stan Lauder was installed in his place, but the damage was done in the form of the many players who left thereafter: Greg Kennedy in ’71 and Dennis Tremain in ’73 going to Nedlands–Subiaco, and in ’72 Keith Maynard, John White, Les Darcy, Warren Gaunt, Ron Hawkins, Don Long and Darryl Noack leaving for the new Nollamara club. By the time Bruce Banyard took over as coach in 1974, he was the only player over the age of 21. The young team didn’t win a single game that year. Older players who might have stepped up from the successful A-Reserve chose to remain where they were. The A-Grade would struggle through most of that decade until they matured into the players we now know as club stalwarts like Dennis Banyard, Gary Brown, Mark Bowman, Michael Ferguson, Kevin McRae and Rob Ramsay. Although on-field rewards in the top grade remained elusive, a few people stood out as beacons of hard work and loyalty. Bob Ramsay backed up his legendary skills as a forward with eight continuous years as President through much of this era, from 1969 to 1976, buoying the club through challenging times. Alongside Bob was a figure who has already been mentioned, such is the length of his involvement, who by that time was legendary in the club – Cyril Allman. Cyril was club Secretary for a phenomenal 16 seasons, from 1966 through to 1978, and again in 1986, ’89 and ’90. Into the eighties, he was President for a further eight years (1980 – 85, 87 and 88). But it wasn’t Cyril’s executive style that made him memorable. He was a real character, barely cracking feet tall and an unstoppable workhorse who couldn’t do enough for Wembley. In a time when the club had no formal clubrooms, Cyril’s car was the club property office, filled with sticks, gloves, balls, helmets – all the gear – mostly acquired at his own expense (though gear was renewed much less frequently in those days). His Jolimont garage was an archaeological site, for Cyril never threw anything away that could possibly have a use, and he loved to come up with an obscure car part or some such thing for a friend. He ran raffles amongst drinkers at the Wembley Hotel on Friday nights, the money he raised helping the club stay afloat in difficult times. He and his wife Phyllis hosted regular after-match barbeques for players and supporters at their home, the low veranda roof of which, though perfect for the diminutive couple, clonked many a beefy player. For many years Cyril marked out the club’s three fields at Alderbury Reserve. It was a tremendous task, using the old-fashioned lime. As he hit his eighties, the players tried to get a roster going to help him out. But Cyril would start early and was always just finishing as helpers arrived. After a while the younger men gave up. Cyril also held the only key to the training lights at Alderbury 12

– and held it closely, which meant attending every training, waiting in the dark, going for a stroll or chasing up shots. With their hospitality and their unflagging loyalty, the club owes a massive debt to Cyril Allman and his gracious wife Phyllis. Another character was Ross Thompson. Ross told a great story and was perhaps the last player (a forward who reinvented himself as a backman with a devastating poke-check; A-Grade premierships in ’67 and ’82) who smoked and lay bets at half time. In the 1970s and early 1980s, many after-game parties were held at Ross’s home, known as ‘Gobbles Innaloo’. These always ended late and involved the popular pastime of stair-surfing (the forerunner, perhaps, of spinny-chair). But as club Treasurer for nine years (1971, 1977, 1981 – 88; mostly alongside Cyril as President and Michael Ferguson as Secretary) and President for two (1989 – 90), Ross brought a new type of professionalism to club administration, introducing position descriptions and other concepts. Even after moving to Bunbury, Ross maintained his involvement with the Club for a number of years by taking on the role of Auditor. Back on the playing field, premierships were on the horizon. Things began to turn in 1979 when John Ballarine came across from Nollamara. The young players of ’73 and ’74 had become men. This combined with John’s experience, leadership and class on the field added to the attacking strength and lifted the team as a whole. The team met Subiaco in the preliminary finals. Subiaco were hot favourites, but Wembley dominated. The game was, at that time, was the highlight of many careers. Unfortunately Wembley went down 13-18 to East Fremantle in the grand final, setting the stage for the fierce rivalry between the two clubs that pervaded the decade. 1980 saw George Henry and Peter Hogg take over as coaches. Wembley went into the season confident, but they regularly came up second best against the star-studded East Fremantle side. Again, they made the grand final. With a few quick goals early in the last quarter, things were looking good. But East Fremantle managed to score four times in the final eight minutes, winning by a single heartbreaking goal. In 1982 the young players’ dream came true. Coach Graeme Jones, in his first year in that role, had the team organized, fit and confident. They lost only a single game all season, and dominated in the finals. They beat East Fremantle 23-9 in the preliminary. East Fremantle was missing its star, Jeff Kennedy, though most believed Wembley were strong enough that year to beat them at full strength. Wembley went on to humble Bayswater 18-6 in the grand final.

In 1982, after losing three grand finals in a row, Wembley broke through – the first premiership in fifteen years. Back row, L-R: Peter Rapaic, Mick Kontoolas, Bruce Banyard, Michael Ferguson, Les Pearce; Standing/middle row L-R: Dale Harrison, Paul Hiron; Geoff White, John Hiron, Kevin McRae, Alan White, Tim Lorian, Ross Thompson, Frank Vella, Peter Hogg (Ass. Coach), Lindsay Dixon, Bill Brown (Manager); Front row: Rob Ramsay, Peter Jeffree, Dennis Banyard, Graeme Jones (Coach), Gary Downsborough, Mark Bowman, Gary Brown.

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In a first for WA lacrosse, 1983 saw several American players hit the scene. Mark Conner and Rick Hopkins came from Ohio Wesleyan to Wembley, Brad Lay, also from Ohio Wesleyan, to Melville, and John Fey of the University of North Hampshire – a two-time All-American with All-World selection at the 1982 World Series – to East Fremantle. Wembley and East Fremantle formed a class of their own. They inevitably met in the grand final, but East Fremantle, now with three All-World players in their forward line, proved too strong and Wembley went down by five. But the tables turned in 1986 and, with Dennis Banyard coaching, the team finally held the cup aloft again. The grand final win against Subiaco was the obvious highlight of the year. But the thumping preliminary final victory over East Fremantle was a point of great pride after being pipped so many times. In 1985, after playing and training at Alderbury Reserve for many years, matches officially moved to their current location, Floreat Oval. Training there would not be allowed by the City of Perth (from 1994, the Town of Cambridge) council for another ten years or so, so training continued at Alderbury. This was a major change that hugely affects the nature of our club today. Up to then, after games the players would gather either at someone’s home (the Allmans’, the Ramsays’, the Thompsons’, Frank and Jean Banyard's, Joan and Bert Bowman's, the Wades’), the Wembley Hotel beer garden or at the YMCA clubrooms (we had the use of a change room) adjacent to the field at Alderbury, often followed by an unwashed descent onto a Chinese restaurant. The shift had advantages and disadvantages. Floreat ground then was much firmer than today, having a sandy soil rather than clay substratum. The move gave a better playing surface, better spectating and a greater all-round certainty for the club. We were no longer itinerants. It also meant a regular, predictable venue for social gatherings and events. Bar and kitchen facilities opened the door to revenue raising and allowed an improvement in the range of goods offered over the good old eskies of beer. But where once the players would celebrate or commiserate as a team, now with our own clubrooms it became more commonplace for people to have a beer and then go their separate ways. This may have been more due to the core group of players getting older and having young families, but the new venue really highlighted the changing scene. As the nineties approached, in much the same way as had happened in the early seventies, the cycle was bringing another period of transition. Players who had grown up in the club 15 to 20 years ago, were now growing out of it. Many were now family men and suffering the wear and tear that years of intense play tend to bring. With a number of players retiring and John Hiron now stepping into the role of playing coach, the team was forced to reflect on its future prospects. Readers may have noticed that this account of Wembley’s history is very much centred on the A-Grade team. This is no accident – it is a symptom of the problem the club was experiencing. The many years of almost one-eyed focus on the senior team was now revealing itself in the lack of a younger generation to take up their mantle. The slide started in the late eighties with a few third-place finishes; in 1989 the A-Grade made what would be its last grand final appearance for almost twenty years. Subiaco dominated from the outset and Wembley got thumped. A gloomy tone had been set for the 1990s. The decade began with some middle-of-the-pack finishes, but by the mid-nineties Wembley had sunk to the bottom. As in 1974, they suffered a winless season; but unlike 1974, there was little sense of optimism for the future. The players were not young, a team destined to get better – they were nearing the end of their best playing years with no one to succeed them. The club had fielded its first Under 18 side in 1991 but this wasn’t yet bearing fruit. There were a few attempts to counteract this by importing foreign talent, but these temporary measures failed to solve the underlying problems in any sort of sustainable way. In 1995, with Dennis Banyard in his first year as President, the club endorsed a ‘Strategic Plan’ which outlined goals for the future in an effort to turn the tide. The following year, 1996, brought some highlights away from the playing field. The Council had approved the use of Floreat for training (in addition to playing) so that Floreat became the official home ground for the club. This meant installing lights, which was a big task undertaken by members in the 1995/96 off-season, coordinated by Dennis Banyard. With a stable home ground, Wembley was now able to extend itself to hosting national championships. That year, 1996, Wembley co-hosted (with Bayswater) the Australian Seniors and Under 17s championships. Over the years these events have been an important source of income which have enabled several key capital improvements to the ground and facilities. The financial stability we enjoy today is due in large part to the big efforts of members in hosting national championships.

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1996 concluded with Bob Ramsay being awarded Life Membership of the WALA. The next year, 1997, Bill Brown was to be elected a ‘Fellow of the Australian Lacrosse Council’ in recognition to the outstanding service he had rendered to lacrosse at all levels throughout his life. This is a unique honour in the club to this day. In 1998, Wembley again ran Australian Under 17s championships at Floreat Oval, with promising goalkeeper Tim Forbes selected in the U17s Australian All Stars Team. Going into the new century, the atmosphere was definitely starting to brighten. The year 2000 kicked off with a new President in Geoff White. It was also the year in which we became the Wembley Wolves, adopting the logo we now take for granted; and, again, the club took on the running of an Australian Senior Championships, co-hosting with Bayswater. A Canadian team took part and a night game was staged with additional temporary lighting. The team was billeted out amongst the two clubs. In 2001, the young Nathan Rainey was selected to play for Australia in the World Championship, to be held in Perth the following year. This was part of a renaissance revitalising the club, which fed into a hefty Wembley involvement in the event at other levels. Steve McRae, Graham Rose, Carolyn Rainey, Des Riley and Jenny Banyard served on the organising committee; and Tom Lennox organised the concurrent Aussie Masters Series, the pre-tournament ‘training’ for which brought players out of the woodwork from across the metro area and beyond. The Masters tournaments themselves were played in great spirit, though numbers steadily diminished through the week and the first-aid tent could barely keep up with strapping old limbs. Tom would continue to run very enjoyable Masters games (mixed clubs and genders) the following summer – short twilight games at Alderbury Reserve followed by something cold from an esky. In the Championship event, Australia came away with the Bronze. Around this time, there was positive change happening in other areas too, brought about by two key things. The first was a shift in the club’s focus back to the junior grades, which saw the club for the first time win the Association Centennial Shield, awarded for best junior development in 2003. The second factor, also in 2003, was the appointment of coach John Denic, who at the time was the Australian coach. (Since 1992, JD has coached three World Series and, since 1990, been State coach nine times.) The shift of focus to Juniors had begun a year or two earlier when the Association changed the way it ran the junior competition. Previously, each club would have an under 11s team that would play against kids from other clubs at a venue each week. This was then changed to a system whereby each club ran its own individual modcrosse competition. In Wembley’s case, Kevin McRae did the lion’s share of the modcrosse development. By engaging with local schools, Wembley’s program thrived and a healthy competition was built up. Kids were funnelled from modcrosse into the under 13s competition and the future of the club began to look bright again. The seed sown in these years yielded fantastic results, shown most impressively in the 2005 season when Wembley had two full teams in every single junior grade: 13s, 15s and 17s. The 2003 arrival of John Denic as head coach of the Division 1 team was perfectly timed. The club’s abundance of young talent could potentially have been wasted without the wealth of experience and guidance that John provided. The senior players who’d witnessed the struggles over the past decade – Ben Reiger, Nathan Rainey and Tim Forbes – were able to work with Denic to begin building a team that would mature into a real force. Young players who would become stars in years to come, like Alex Brown, Adam Sear, Matt Diver and Callum Robinson, owe their success to this period of development that John Denic worked so hard to cultivate. Reiger and Rainey would go on to take on coaching roles at the top level, learning the ropes under Denic’s guidance and that of long-term coach and mentor Rob Ramsay, who most seasons lent invaluable assistance. The proof goes beyond individual success stories. JD inculcated a sense of pride that had not been tapped into before. In his first year, 2003, he initiated the inaugural ANZAC day game with Subiaco, which Wembley won. The thinking behind the games – which have become a celebrated season-opener – was to honour our Past President John Ferguson and Subiaco’s Arthur Swan, both World War II veterans. Before his retirement in 2011, Denic had overseen four consecutive premiership victories: 2008 (undefeated), 2009, 2010 and 2011. There having been so long between drinks from that premiership cup, the last being in 1986, this was truly a golden period in the club’s history.

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Over the next few years, the club continued to think big. The first website was developed under Alison Ramsay in 2004. In a mammoth undertaking in 2006, the training lights were upgraded. Dennis Banyard oversaw the project, assisted by Geoff White, Brian Bentley and Peter Beveridge. The cost was $45,720. Around the same time, the Town of Cambridge and its architects liaised with Wembley, chiefly Gary Brown and Kevin McRae, to extensively remodel the clubrooms into the spacious, serviceable facilities we enjoy today. Major improvements included an enlarged common area, an upgraded kitchen, a designated bar, indoor toilets, a downstairs storeroom for our exclusive use and our enviable deck overlooking the playing fields. In 2006, responding to new state government funding models and the general mood of the ‘Wembley Lacrosse’ community, the club began working on amalgamation of the Wembley Lacrosse Club with the Wembley Women’s Lacrosse Club. The men’s amalgamation committee of Gary Brown, John and Graham Rose, Kevin McRae and Dennis Banyard, worked with women’s club representatives, Cath Forbes, Yvette Peterson and Jen Banyard to develop a model for a united club. In 2008, both clubs officially merged under the one ‘Wembley Lacrosse Club’ banner bringing in a new dimension and a new era for lacrosse at Wembley. The same year, former President Gary Brown (2004 – 2006) took on a position at the Australian level, where the merger of men’s and women’s national bodies was soon to occur. He was a director of the men’s Lacrosse Australia in his first year and, despite it being a fraught time at the national level, stayed on another two years in the new Australian Lacrosse Association as a Director of Domestic Competition. In 2009, both men’s and women’s teams travelled to Adelaide to compete in the Australian Club Championships, a first for WA sides. Both sides were impressive and the event proved to be a spur to further improvement. The following year, 2010, Wembley had four representatives in the team that travelled to Manchester, UK, for the World Championship. They were Alex Brown, Sam Williams and Adam Sear, with John Denic Head Coach. In that same year, Wembley teams made it to five out of six men’s grand finals, winning State League, Division 3 and Under 13s. Wembley hosted the LacrosseWA finals rounds in 2011, as the year before, competing in five of the six big ones. This time State League, Division 2 and U13s formed the winning trio. Earlier that year, the men had again competed in Australian Club Championships in Adelaide; they would also compete in 2013. Over the summer break leading into 2012, another large project was completed, namely the storeroom. The club was now a large concern. Membership had risen from 201 at the start of the decade to 249, and rising, and the scope of activities was greater than ever. There was an urgent need for a better, secure storage capacity. With sharing Floreat Oval with the Subiaco–Floreat Cricket Club, there was the added issue of having to clear out every bit of gear during the off-season. The storeroom was funded by the Department of Sport, the Town of Cambridge and the club. Kevin McRae led the project; but he was well backed up by the large number of club members who donated materials or cash, and/or volunteered their labour and expertise to achieve a great result. The club is now moving into another building phase. Denic retired in 2012; Division 1 wins are not coming as easily as they did a few years back, the changing nature of employment – shifts, weekend and fly-in-fly-out work being commonplace – one factor. But the club has learned from past mistakes. The club now has a strong ethos of junior development demonstrated in the work of Kevin McRae, Amanda Plummer, John Rose and Peta Hiron. The move to have two Division 3 teams in 2016 is part of that, opening the door wider for U17s to ease their transition into the senior game. The contribution of Kevin McRae cannot be overstated. Many have observed that since giving up refereeing, Kevin, has taken up the reins from Cyril Allman as Wembley’s Mr Lacrosse. Kevin (or ‘Smiley’) has become the modern era’s ‘go-to’ man. Though his list of official roles over the years is impressive enough, it doesn’t scratch the surface of the amount of work Kevin has done and continues to do for the club behind the scenes, and in almost every aspect of club operations – which in this modern day is a lot more extensive than pre-2000 when terms like merchandising, marketing, public liability, acquittals, liquor sales and licensing, internet, databases, Working With Children Checks, BAS and GST, either didn’t exist or belonged in a realm other than amateur sport. Kevin’s persistence and success with junior development is particularly noteworthy and can be said to have been the foundation of the top team’s 2008 – ’11 four-premiership streak. Another notable in the current era is our President Mark Bowman, who at the end of 2016, will have been in the top job for a record-equalling ten seasons (with John Ferguson, 1950 – ’59). Aside 16

from constant administrative demands, Mark has negotiated the challenges of men’s–women’s amalgamations at club and state and national levels, as well as playing seasons of disappointment for Wembley and of spectacular success. His trademark equanimity, along with his integrity, humility and, with his wife Judy, willingness to do whatever job needs doing for the benefit of the club and its members will leave a massive legacy. Referees are crucial part of any sporting competition and Wembley has been fortunate in having had, over the years, many who have stepped up to assist in this area. This contribution has been especially vital since the state brought in referee quotas around the eighties. Some to whom the club is especially indebted in this modern era are Bill Brown, who continued into the 1980s, Lance and Warren Gaunt, Albert Atkinson, Steve Robinson, the McRae brothers – Ian, Steven and Kevin – Gary Brown, Geoff White, Mark Bowman, Rod Sear and Bruce Banyard. As of 2016, Rod has refereed juniors for 16 years, often doing two games a week and, of late, the odd senior game. Bruce Banyard has been an ALRA referee since 2010, often doing two senior games a week as well as being a backup for junior games; he is also a key referee in the women’s game. It is great to see young talent coming through such as David and Luke McRae and parents like Mark Watson who, though never having played themselves, have taken up the whistle as regular Junior grade refs. No longer working in cycles of youth and retirement, the promising junior program and strong senior teams which currently exist through the hard work of many people are a testament to the club’s endurance. The involvement of ‘new’ lacrosse families like the Pantings – Russell, Amanda, Rhiannon and Brayden – who between them have pitched in with modcrosse, administration, team managing, coaching and playing at the highest level – promises good things to come. There is perhaps no greater testament to the depth of Wembley’s success than the crowd – men and women, past and present supporters and players – that thronged into the clubrooms at Syd Cheek Pavilion, Floreat Oval, in June 2013 to celebrate the club’s 75th anniversary, bringing together members of the Wembley lacrosse family from all eras. (The same was repeated for the women’s 50th this year.) The years ahead will surely see Wembley Lacrosse continue to produce great players and great teams. But while premiership shields are the shining rewards for hard work and commitment, most would agree that it’s the camaraderie at our club that keeps us coming back.

Sam Williams hoists his dad Bill skywards after the State League’s 2008 grand final victory.

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SECTION 1B Women’s History 1966 – 2016 In the early part of 1966, following requests from wives, girlfriends and sisters of players, the Wembley Lacrosse Club was approached for help starting a women’s lacrosse team in the district. This resulted in a scratch match being held at City Beach so that interested people could see first- hand what to expect. Mara and Francis Stewart, and Wendy and Helen Maguire played in it, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. A meeting was called. It took place in Bill and Marge Brown’s lounge room on the 19 March 1966. Graham Rose, as the men’s club Chairman of Committees, chaired the meeting. Those who attended were Jennifer and Tricia Finch, Mara and Frances Stewart, Hebe Uren, Bill and Marge Brown, Barbara Parker and chairman Graham Rose. With most girls sitting on the floor, it was decided then and there to form a Wembley women’s club. The second decision to be made was whether to join with the men’s club or go it alone. After a strong debate it was decided that the women would be independent, and the Wembley Women’s Lacrosse Club was born. The next meeting on 30 March 1966 began with a welcome to four new members – Rose Gaunt, Shirley Allman, Lyn Hill and Nancy Bridge. At this meeting Cyril Allman was elected as President and Lyn Hill Captain-Coach. Lyn was the wife of Graham Hill who had come from Williamstown, Victoria, to play for the men’s team. She had played lacrosse in Victoria – hence her selection as Captain-Coach as none of the other players had any experience. Hebe Uren was Secretary for 1966. Our office bearers for our first season, 1967, were: President, Cyril Allman; Treasurer, Marge Brown; Secretary, Nancy Bridge; Executive Committee – Shirley Allman, Rose Gaunt, Hebe Uren and Jennifer Finch. Bill Brown was Team Coach, Lyn Hill Captain-Coach and Rose Gaunt Assistant Coach. The club uniform was to be a green tunic with gold gussets, with yellow tassel around the waist, green pants, yellow socks and black sandshoes. The men’s club helped the women’s by providing several lacrosse sticks to get them started. The men’s club didn’t want payment but asked the women’s club to contribute to the windup, which they did. Training was held at Alderbury Reserve where the men also trained. In 1966, the women’s team played several scratch matches against Fremantle, who were also forming teams. The following year, 1967, saw the West Australian Women’s Association formed, with teams from East Fremantle, Fremantle, Nollamara and Wembley. 1968 saw South Perth, Phoenix and Melville come into the competition, and Bayswater formed a women’s team in 1969. Wembley wrote and offered assistance with coaching and Bayswater accepted, Wembley then helping out with a few weeks of assisted coaching.

Relaxing on the sidelines in 1966, are Wendy Maguire (in LEFT: Inaugural captains, 1966 – playing uniform), Diane Horley, Maureen Chinnery and on far Shirley Allman (left) and Lyn Hill. right Phyllis Allman. Gary and Dayle Brown are the kids behind.

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Between 1967 and 1971, the Wembley women won three of five premierships. 1972 saw the start of an astounding ten premierships in a row.

PHOTO: The A-Grade c.1970. Back row L-R: Rose Gaunt, Lesley Uren, xxx, Shirley Allman, xxx, Wendy Moran, xxx, Linda Brown; Front row L-R: Jennifer Johnson, Jennifer Finch, Christine Johnson.

In 1978, as their daughters all wanted to play and were too young for C-Grade, Rose Gaunt, Shirley Allman and Wendy Maguire formed the Sub-Juniors or ‘Subbies’ (D-Grade). This was for girls under ten. This caught on and games included players from Nollamara, Melville, East Fremantle and other clubs. Our Juniors girls one year went all season without getting a goal. In the last game they got their one and only goal for the season. You would have thought we had won the grand final with the commotion among parents, supporters and girls! After A-Grade and Juniors came B-Grade. Wembley fielded a team with all the mum’s, older players and their daughters. It was very confusing because one girl would call out ‘Mum!’ and all the mums would respond. In the end it was too confusing, so we had to let our girls call us by our first names. Wembley became a strong force over the years not only because of on-field talent but also because of parents, grandparents and friends, who supported all teams each week. It was very noticeable that Wembley always had supporters on the side. They not only came along to games, but they contributed by becoming club or executive members. By the late ’70s pre-season training at Aldebury Reserve was a tradition (and compulsory!) A run around the nearby Perry Lakes was a regular start to fitness. Wembley Women’s domination was often attributed to the many matches played between the men and women’s A-Grade sides in the pre-season. The men, having to play women’s rules including controlled checking, found it difficult at times and did not always come out the winners. It was a fun, club-bonding activity and many of these players are still involved at the club in 2016, holding Board, committee or coaching roles and with children involved in the sport. Another pre-season event that emerged in the mid-2000s was the Mother-and-Daughter scratch match. As the sport grew into schools, the mums of many a new player had no concept of the game their daughters had taken up. With these mums supported by their daughters and older ‘legends’ – not forgetting the glass of bubbly at half-time – the games were great fun. And who could forget the appearance in wigs and skirts one year of two of the dads! 19

Grand final night was another lively tradition. It was always one of the major celebrations in the Wembley women’s lacrosse calendar. Many a grand final night was held at the China House in Shenton Park in the late seventies and eighties, where the tradition of coaches’ speeches began, recounting the glory of a win and celebrating each player. Rules changed over the years. Plastic sticks came in the early eighties, replacing the traditional wood, gut and leather ones. They required less maintenance but took some adjusting to. It had been difficult to change hands with the non-symmetrical wooden sticks. There was now a new skill-set to add to the game. Changing hands was required for Australian players by the 1989 World Cup in Perth. Another change was the introduction of boundaries in the mid to late eighties (though not until after 1993 at international level). At Alderbury Reserve a ball would sometimes head towards or ricochet off the huge gum trees; without boundaries, players had to race for the ball wherever it went until the umpire blew the whistle, and hope they could stop in time. Free substitution (previously only an injured player could be replaced), off-side (not until the 2000s) and ten players rather than twelve per side were other changes. (It is still twelve-a-side in international rules.) Wembley continued to grow, garnering 28 premiership flags in A-Grade alone (including a formidable ten-in-a-row streak, 1972 – 81). Today this looks unlikely to be beaten. The club became so deep, with high-standard juniors knocking on the door, that in 1981 the decision was made to field two teams in A-Grade – the Eagles and Hawks (in later seasons, Green and Gold). The teams were roughly equal in strength, which meant the unfamiliar risk of not being premiership contenders. But in that first year, the Eagles and Hawks played off in the grand final, Hawks taking the flag. The two A-Grades ran to the end of 1984, when Wembley won the flag again. There would be two A-Grades again in 2005 – Marlins, who were more of a development side, and Stingrays, who emerged Premiers. In 1987, with a bottleneck for Juniors trying to break into A-Grade, six senior players – Christine, Jennifer, Lynette and Gail Johnson, Peta Hiron and Jenny Banyard, along with notable club supporter Beris Johnston – moved to the Subiaco club to help it form a new women’s A-Grade side and retain juniors. They were joined the following year by Angela Branch (later Somerville). Jenny and Peta would return to Wembley when their daughters started playing and take on key roles. Wembley rallied to the challenge and only four seasons later, in 1990, took the top grade flag, and again in 1992. The nineties overall proved to be lean period for premierships, despite enjoying reasonable depth across the grades and the club’s social side being as hearty as ever. A star on the rise in this time was Sarah Forbes who, in 1990 at only 15, won the A-Grade Fairest and Best for both club and Association; in 1993 she played at a the World Cup, the youngest in the side. Another standout was Yvette Peterson who earned six A-Grade Fairest and Bests between 1989 and 2001. Key figures at the helm as Presidents were Rose Gaunt (1987 – ’92 after earlier stints), Jackie Oliver (1993 and 1997 – ’99) and Barbara Maguire (1994 – ’96). The Forbes family took care of the club’s finances for all but two seasons, while the next generation in Jenni Gaunt, Jo Gaunt and Donelle Allman in various years took on the job of Secretary (and Donelle, later President). In 2000, the club adopted a new image in the form of the new ‘Wembley Waves’ brand and logo. This was accompanied by the infamous Lycra bodysuit (and skirt) uniform, which lasted about four years. Several players blame the bodysuit for taking leave of the game! In 2001, with 18 C-Grade players on the books, the club took the decision to stretch to two junior sides. Liz Brown coached the stronger side and Jen Banyard the weaker (which also contained two or three East Fremantle juniors). We fielded two teams again in 2002. Maintaining two was tough going – numbers were skin tight and the young players had to run hard each week – but it proved to be a boon to the development of the club’s young talent. In 2005, eight of these players, including Tegan Brown as assistant coach alongside coach Dennis Banyard, would be part of the U17 State side that won the national championship for the first time since 1989. Around 2002, the Association introduced D-Grade. Coming on board in 2003, Peta Hiron was a lynchpin of this grade – coaching, umpiring, managing – for many seasons, beyond her daughters’ involvement. Our Wembley A-Reserve had been strong from the outset, when the Association in the mid- eighties introduced the grade. With a swathe of juniors ‘graduating’ in 2003, Wembley went from fielding two C-Grades to two A-Reserves. The two teams were Fire and Storm and, from around 2006, Dolphins and Rays. It has at times been a strain meeting the doubled requirements of 20

coaching, umpiring and gear – not to mention attracting and retaining players. (Fire and Storm were forced to merge part way through season 2005, when we were running the two A-Grades, Stingrays and Marlins.) But it’s a testimony to our club endeavour that we have gone thirteen full seasons to 2016 fielding two highly competitive A-Reserves. Moreover, despite always splitting talent as evenly as possible between the teams, the club has managed to notch up four premierships (three to Rays and, in 2016, Dolphins breaking through at last), as well as several minor premierships and runners- up over that time. The two A-Reserves, with their blend of seasoned, inexperienced and junior players – usually with a salty stalwart of the men’s club in the coaching roles (e.g. Jason Ridgewell, Rob Ramsay, Mark Bowman, Mike Ferguson, since 2008 Bruce Banyard, Geoff White – and we need to mention Amanda Plummer, even though she’s not a bloke) – have proven to be a nurturing ground for talent and a source of great camaraderie. The club was officially incorporated in 2005. During the off-season the first talks were held, with representatives from both sectors, towards amalgamation with the men’s club. This would eventually come into effect for season 2008, a year ahead of schedule. 2006 marked Wembley’s fortieth anniversary. It was a momentous year with success on the field across the grades, two weeks of fixtures at Floreat (not standard back then) and special events such as the Past Players’ Reunion, the Junior Camp and the Mother & Daughter Champagne Game. We had strong State team representation and made a big contribution in the background of the sport (Board representation, management, development). The year was capped off by winning the Bankwest Club Achievement trophy for the first time since its inception in the mid-nineties – a wonderful culmination of a celebration year. In 2008, Wembley hosted the women’s State Senior Championship at Floreat Oval. In 2009, both women’s and men’s top division sides, having earned the right by winning the previous year’s premiership, travelled to Adelaide to compete in the Australian Club Championships. It was the first time by any WA side. The women’s A-Grade participated again in 2010, coming runners-up to South Australia’s Brighton. The obligation for players to umpire in the women’s game, as compared with the men’s ‘specialist-referee’ system, has long been an unwelcome facet of the women’s competition. The situation eased in the late-2000s when a payment by the Association for State-accredited umpires was introduced, which meant some players, once accredited, seeking out matches to earn a bit extra. Nevertheless, with three senior teams since 2003, the club has a heavy refereeing obligation. Wembley has been very fortunate in more recent times to have had two skilled and generous contributors in Stephanie McRae and Bruce Banyard. Steph made her international umpiring debut at the 2011 U19 World Championship in Hamburg. Bruce, accredited for State, began umpiring the women’s game (along with the men’s) in 2005, shortly after his return to Perth from Geraldton. Most years it has been around coaching his A-Reserve Dolphins (which after several grand final appearances, at last snagged the premiership in 2016!) Over the years, the Wembley women have had numerous players who have lifted to play for WA in Junior, Under 19 or 21 and Senior teams, or for Australia as part of touring or developmental teams. We have also had an inspiring number of Australian representatives in Under 19 World Championship and senior World Cup sides. In the 2016 A-Grade competition, there are seven former or current U19 Championship and World Cup representatives playing who hail from Wembley in Tegan Brown, Rebecca Banyard, Caitlin Ryan, Elizabeth Hinkes, Hayley Simpson, Tessa Atkinson and Rhiannon Panting. And of course, we have an internationally recognised legend in Sarah Forbes. Such players have continued to show the rewards that dedication and work, over and above raw talent, can bring. It is a self-perpetuating ethos that we hope will continue long into the future.

RIGHT: Australian Captain Sarah Forbes holds the World Cup aloft in 2005. 21

The club, over its fifty years, has assisted in the arena of state team coaches, managers and umpires too many to list. We have also contributed at international level – through Lynette Johnson (Assistant Coach for the first World Cup in 1982 and Co-coach 1993); Sarah Forbes (Assistant Coach for both the 2001 World Cup and 2003 U19 World Championship); and Caitlin Ryan and Rebecca Banyard and (Assistant Coaches for 2015 U19 World Championship.) Beris Johnson managed the World Cup-winning 1986 Australian team. We have also taken on executive roles at Association level. There was a good degree of involvement in the early days, but by the early 2000s we had dropped back. Kirsten Hurney was the first to step up (Vice President) to redress this. She was followed by Emma Tregurtha (Finance 2005 – 2007), Sarah Forbes (Coaching 2006), Peta Hiron (Development 2006 – present), Dennis Banyard (State Teams 2006 – 08; Women’s Lacrosse, Women’s sub-committee to present), Jen Banyard (Admin 2008), Mike Ferguson (President 2009). Since amalgamation with the WALA in 2010, these folk have been joined by Shendelle Oliver (Promotion 2013 – Jan 2016) and Bruce Banyard (Officiating 2015 – present). In 2016, the club celebrated fifty years of women’s lacrosse at Wembley. Two events were held: an afternoon tea during and after matches at Floreat Oval on a sunny Sunday in May and in August a Golden Anniversary evening. The night was a sell-out. Highlights included the honouring of eight of the inaugural team, a delightful professional video interview with club founders Rose Gaunt, Shirley Allman and Bill Brown (including footage of scratch matches with the men from the foundation era), an interview with and presentation of Life Membership to Sarah Forbes and, of course, the welcoming back of so many past-players and supporters. * Over the years, a few individuals and families have stood out as being contributors across a number of facets of club life. At the risk of overlooking others who are worthy, these are perhaps worth special mention. (More complete details of several are included in the ‘Life Members’ segment.) The Allman family’s involvement with the club now spans four generations. Cyril and daughter- in-law Shirley were foundation members and Shirley a foundation player. Cyril, the club’s first President, was also the person who marked the women’s grounds throughout the early years, Phyllis giving loyal support. Cyril and Phyllis always put Wembley lacrosse – men’s and women’s clubs – first. Shirley’s husband Graeme or ‘Curly’ (who passed away in 2015) was a devoted club supporter and always ready to lend a hand. Their daughters, Donelle and Amanda, are both dedicated club members. Donelle has been on many committees and is a past President, and Mandy’s work in Junior Development, especially the Modcrosse programme, has been phenomenal. They have introduced to the club the fourth generation in Cassie, Holly and Lincoln. Bill and Marge Brown were foundation members. They also coached, were committee members and are still keen supporters. Marge was Secretary and later Patron of the women’s club, and until recently was Vice Patron of the combined club. In the family spirit that was to become traditional in Wembley, their children Gary, Linda and Dayle all played, Gary (past President of Wembley and on the ALA Board) and Linda (Committee member and sponsor) being instrumental. Grandchildren (Kristy, Alex, Luke, Chloe and Jessica) have all played, Alex representing Australia at two World Series. Hebe Uren (Alexander) worked tirelessly as Club President and Secretary for many seasons. A foundation member, she lent a helping hand at all times, along with her daughter Lesley Lambert who played and was Treasurer for many years. Lesley’s daughters Emma (Tregurtha) and Claire Lambert went on to hold key committee roles at club and Association and still play. Foundation member Rose Gaunt put in tireless effort. She would start the day at 7.30am, setting up the canteen, umpiring and organizing the D-Grade, coaching juniors, playing, umpiring, and packing up the canteen. This was often followed by players’ teas and meetings. She was also active with the Association being the Club Delegate and Secretary. Once Rose’s daughters were old enough to play, on training nights, Rose would bring along a roast dinner for all the kids. After their training, they’d sit in the clubrooms and eat, while their mum trained or coached, Grace Cooper (‘Coopie’) keeping an eye on them. Training didn’t start until Rose turned up in her Tarago because she’d have half the team in the car, having picked up numerous girls on her trip from Bassendean. As daughters Jenni (Edwards), Narelle and Joanne rose from D-Grade through to A-Grade they too held

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key roles on committees and as coaches, Jo being Secretary for seven seasons. Jen recently returned to WA and now has her daughters out on the field in the green and gold. Wendy Maguire began lacrosse through her sister Helen who went to school with Francis Stewart. Wendy played in the foundation team and continued for many years. She gave numerous hours through playing, being team manageress, helping with canteen and any new uniforms, attending Executive meetings and generally doing whatever was needed. Wendy has also been a strong supporter of the men’s club. Wendy’s daughter Julie Simpson played, coached and has been on committees, while Julie’s daughter Hayley has represented Australia at Under 19s World Championship level. Grace Cooper came from Nollamara, with her daughters Linda, Jackie and Bernadette (Beanie). ‘Coopie’, famous for her pumpkin scones, ran the canteen for years and years, was team manageress numerous times and was always an active member. Her daughters were all talented players, Jackie (Oliver) taking on the club presidency from 1997 – 99. Jackie’s daughter Shendelle has been a vibrant member of club and Association executives and a great all-round contributor, while son Luke has coached the men’s A-Reserve many times over the years. Beanie’s son Matt Diver represented Australia at U19s and at the 2014 World Series. Albert Atkinson coached and generally supported the women’s club through the early years and again in 1976. In 1976, as coach facing a tough grand final against Fremantle, he pledged to shout the night’s drinks at the China House if we won, which we did 3 – 2! The Wembley juniors were formed at the start with the help of athletes from Wembley Little Athletics. Fortunately for Wembley, at this time Beris Johnson brought daughters Jennifer, Christine, Lynette and Gail from Little Athletics. Beris’s contribution as player, manageress, committee member and in hosting numerous players’ teas at her home was tireless. While still at Wembley, Jennifer, Christine and Lynette went on to play for Australia and to coach for the club and State. Lynette also coached for Australia at two World Cups (1982 and ’93). The Forbes family – Charles and Alison, with daughters Catherine, Jackie and Sarah – have been an inspiration to all who’ve known them, with their mix of gentle demeanour and remarkable skill. Charles, who sadly passed away in 2006, marked grounds for years on end and, as with Alison and later Catherine, was club Treasurer and general helper. Alison has been on many committees and for many years been a smiling face in the scorer/manager’s tent. Cath played till 2015. Her son Callum is a rising young player and partner Mark Watson umpires weekly for the Wembley junior men. A special mention must go to Sarah Forbes, whose outstanding lacrosse career started and finished with Wembley. Sarah set a new standard of skill and good sportsmanship in Western Australia and, indeed, beyond Australia. She contributed countless hours of coaching, and through her rise, played three games most weeks. Belying her humble demeanour, she was selected for four World Cup teams, beginning at 18 in 1993 (after injury in 2001 moving to the Assistant Coach role). Playing in the USA precluded her from another. She was Australian Captain in 2005 and 2009, in 2005 leading her team to a resounding (14 – 7) World Championship win and being named Player of the Championship. Twice she made the international federation’s All-World Team. From her years playing USA college lacrosse for Maryland, she was subsequently named in two US Halls of Fame, not only of Lacrosse but also of the NCAA (all College sports). She cemented an ethos of great sportsmanship at Wembley – be uncomplaining, be tough, train hard and try your heart out. She is one of the greatest players Australia has ever produced and, though now living in Dunsborough, remains a loyal Wembley supporter. Sarah was granted life membership in 2016 as a highlight of Wembley women’s 50th Anniversary.

Barbara Maguire, sister-in-law of Wendy, was club President from 1994 to 1996. She was awarded the Best Club Member trophy a record five times. Her daughter Ella and son Joe both played, the men’s Division II ‘Rising Star’ award being named in Joe’s memory. The Banyard family – Dennis and Jenny, with daughters Sally and Rebecca – have all been heavily involved. Dennis has coached A-Grade for 18 seasons, in the early eighties and through to the present, accruing 12 premiership flags. He has also coached Senior State and been an Association Board director. Jenny has been Treasurer, Junior coach, newsletter editor for men’s and women’s clubs (establishing Off the Post and Wavelength) and Director of Administration for club and State. Sally has coached Juniors extensively and been Director of Women’s Lacrosse in the combined club; 23

and Bec has coached for club and Australia, and represented her country at an Under 19 World Championship and senior World Cup, gunning for a second in 2017. The continuing support of the McRae families – Kevin, Dianne and Brooke, and Steve, Sue, Joanne and Steph – through coaching, committee membership and general assistance has been greatly appreciated. Steph has followed family tradition, being the club’s top women’s umpire and making a mark in umpiring at top level, including her first world championship – the U19s in Hanover – in 2011. The Bowman family has been a constant support to Wembley’s women’s lacrosse. Mark co- coached women’s A-Reserve in 2009, and as a long-term President (from amalgamation to now) has given the women’s game respect and support. Both Judy and Mark very seldom miss a women’s game and put in long hours on the helping side of the bar and canteen at training, games and events. Their daughter Aimee has coached Juniors and their son Luke has been instrumental in club marketing and communication. The Hiron–Ferguson family have been valuable in many facets of women’s lacrosse, always ready to lend a hand. Peta, an Australian team member for the 1981 Tests against the USA, has coached (Juniors, A-Reserve and State), managed teams and umpired extensively. She was key in the formation and continuation of Wembley’s D-Grade and has worked in development, unofficially for club and officially on the Board for Lacrosse West/Lacrosse WA, over many years. Michael, the final Lacrosse West President, coached the A-Reserve Rays for three seasons (for three flags). Daughters Claire and Rachael have coached Juniors over several seasons. In 2015 Rachael represented her country in the ASPACs U21 team. The people mentioned here are only a tiny few of the innumerable club members who have taken on tasks, big and small, over the years. Without all these people, the Wembley Women’s Lacrosse Club would not have enjoyed the phenomenal success – both socially and on the field – that it has. * The women’s club operated separately from the beginning. But as several of the profiles above demonstrate, there have always been strong ties to the men’s club. Since Cyril Allman’s presidency, many men’s club members have, over the years, made major contributions to the women’s lacrosse, either for the Wembley Women’s Lacrosse Club or since amalgamation. Some not already featured who deserve acknowledgement are Malcolm Uren, Peter Hogg, Keith Maynard, Ted Powell, John Gower, Rob Ramsay, Warren Gaunt, Bruce Banyard and Geoff White. Conversely, a great many women have been staunch supporters and contributors to the men’s side of things and, as the profiles indicate, many families have players in both camps. The close connection of men’s and women’s lacrosse (and other sports) was to be cemented in State legislation. In the mid-2000s, the Department of Sport and Recreation flagged changes that meant only one sporting State body or local club would receive financial support. Different forms of a game based on gender would not be recognised. Hence in 2008, in what was seen by most in the Wembley Lacrosse community to be a fairly natural progression, Wembley’s men’s (Wolves) and women’s (Waves) clubs became amalgamated, officially joining forces under the single ‘Wembley Lacrosse Club’ banner. At the Golden Anniversary night, former International Federation of Women’s Lacrosse Associations President Fiona Clark said of Wembley: You are a club that is dedicated, you like challenges and work well in a team environment. Your determination to be successful, your intensity, sheer grit and pure and unadulterated love for lacrosse – these attributes, coupled with a fierce love of life, have been forces to be reckoned with over the years, and tonight we celebrate Wembley as the greatest women’s lacrosse club in Western Australia. It has indeed been a ‘Golden’ era.

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SECTION 2: A FEW MORE PHOTOGRAPHS

Our future! Coach Hannah Brown with Wembley’s U13s who won the inauguralpremiership in 2016. [Names to be supplied.]

1942’s Junior team – Premiers and Minor Premiers. Back row L-R: Harold Wood (WALA Sec/Treas), Alan Weaver, Alaric Tindal, Keith Weaver, Marsden Banks, Frank Fox, Tom Banks (Vice President); Middle row: Brian Adams, Bill Brown, Harold Clifton (Founder, President), Keith Kimber, Neville Monkhouse; Front row: Ken Clossey, Bob Ramsay.

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LEFT: Juniors c.1967 at Gibson Park, Fremantle’s home ground. Some of the players include Myra Stewart (back row, third from L), Tricia Finch (goalie) and, front row (centre to far right), Beverley Atkinson, Linda Brown and Helen Metaxas. BELOW: Fathers and sons c.1959. Darryl Noack and son, Bob and Billy Ramsay, and Bill and Gary Brown. BOTTOM: Wembley lines up for a Gala Day on the Perth Esplanade in the early ’70s, flying its many flags. The banner was made by Phyllis Allman and hangs in the clubrooms.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Women’s and Men’s A-Grades from 1979. TOP: Back row: Leesa Caldwell, Jennifer Everingham (Banyard), Jennifer Johnson, Wendy Moran, Lynette Johnson, Gail Johnson, Christine Johnson, Dennis Banyard; Front row: Beanie Cooper (Diver), Fran Pepper, Peta Hiron, Debra Cort (Langlois), Gerry Bowden. CENTRE: Back row: Graeme Jones, Kevin McRae, Peter Jeffree, David Grove, John Ballarine, ?Lyndsay Dixon, Mark Bowman, Rob Ramsay, Alan White, Mick Kontoolas; Front row: Alan Robinson, Ross Thompson, Bill Ramsay, Dennis Banyard, Gary Brown, Bruce Banyard, Frank Vella.

BOTTOM: Young State League stars and coaches Sam Koczwara (hair – much of) and Brayden Panting (cap) pass on their knowledge to their U15 players (names to be advised). Floreat Oval 2016.

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SECTION 3: LIFE MEMBERS

Section 3A Club

1950 Harold Clifton: Harold, a local shopkeeper who had played lacrosse in England, formed the new Wembley club in 1938, assisted by Joe Carden a prominent official of the North Perth Club. This new club, started off fielding a junior team in the 1938 WALA D-Grade competition. The original players were mostly recruited from the Wembley 227th scout troop, of which Harold Clifton’s stepson Keith Kimber was a foundation member. Harold Clifton took on the task of Coach of the D-Grade side and purchased the team’s first hickory lacrosse sticks, which the players in turn repaid the cost of seven shillings and sixpence (75c), at the rate of threepence (3c) per week.

1952 William A. O’ Leary: Bill O’Leary started playing lacrosse in 1937 for North Perth in the C-Grade competition. Over many years he was involved in the administration of Wembley and at a young age took on the responsibility of Secretary and Treasurer in 1940 and ’41. He was also a delegate in the Lacrosse Association for the club in the early part of WWII before participating in the army, and was credited for being very much involved in keeping the game operating in the absence of senior administrators who had enrolled in the forces. After WWII he continued his club and Association work up to the late fifties and for a period was Vice President of the Association. For several years he was the WALA Records Secretary. He was involved in organising an insurance scheme operated by the club. In 1956 he received from the club a Certificate of Merit.

1955 Paul E. Doyle: Paul was the club repairman. After WWII it was difficult to replace broken equipment such as lacrosse sticks, goals and boundary flags which were used at that time. Paul also transported the goals when Wembley was home team other than at Henderson Park which was not always available. His workshop in his back shed is where many club meetings were held.

1955 John R. Ferguson: John was elected a Life Member midway through his ten years as President of the club. Every week he acted as goal umpire for the senior team. Standing right behind goals was a dangerous place to be in. During his time as President from 1955 through to 1960, Wembley won consecutive senior team premierships. The Anzac Day game each year against Subiaco commemorates his WWII involvement.

1956 William C. Brown: Bill Brown, a foundation member of the club, has excelled in administration for club, Association and refereeing. Was State Captain as a defender, coach of the senior club and junior teams, club President, club referee, State selector, and Association Publicity Officer for ten years. Is an Association Life Member and the club’s only Lacrosse Australia Fellow. Bill has maintained involvement with Wembley throughout his career in all aspects of the club – from recruitment of players, marking of grounds and building up a history of the club. He has been, and in 2016 still is, at the heart of the club.

1956 Neville G. Monkhouse: In the early days of the club he was both Secretary and Treasurer for years and later spent a further three years as Secretary. Along with Bill O’Leary he worked tirelessly to keep the Association operating in the WWII years and afterwards. He became club referee in the fifties and early sixties and was a State player.

1957 Val B. Ellis: Top class midfielder and forward, Club Captain during Wembley’s Golden Era. State captain and selected in Australian team. He filled the role of State selector and also club coach for a number of years. When he was transferred to Queensland and later to South Australia, he did a great volume of work for lacrosse in both States.

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1957 Darryl A. Noack: Foundation member. Skilful defender – the backbone of the Wembley defence and renowned as a great interceptor. A State player and outstanding club man. Recognised for his length of service to the club. Towards the end of his career he helped form a new club in Nollamara.

1958 Robert B. Ramsay: Foundation member. President 1969 – 1976. Brilliant forward. Club captain, State player, Australian touring player, Coach WA State team and Life Member of Lacrosse WA. In 1947 was the first Wembley player to be selected in a senior State team – when WA won its first senior championship. Elected Player of Carnival in 1947 in Perth. Coached, in 1970, the Junior State team and, in 1972, the Senior State team to national championships, in the latter being named Australian coach.

1961 Sydney Cheek: Major donor & club supporter. The Town of Cambridge named our club centre after him for his work as long-time councillor. His role on the council was beneficial to the club on issues relevant to our development. He always put forward and promoted the club’s needs.

1961 Ted D. Powell: Club President 1967 – 1968. Club Captain. Skilful goalkeeper who used both his body and stick skills to bring off spectacular saves. State player. His contribution to the club was outstanding over a long period. He was a great team man who kept the club together after its golden years of the fifties.

1969 Bernie Bridge: Outstanding midfielder. State player. Great team man. Club captain and inspirational player. Throughout his long career he set a high example of sportsmanship and talent. His ambidextrous skill enabled him to score freely. He was renowned for his goal assists and was often a match winner.

1969 Graham P. Rose: Talented midfielder. State player. Treasurer 1958 – 1961. Chairman of Committees. Life Member Lacrosse WA and WALA Publicity Officer 1970 – ’79. Tournament Director of Australian Lacrosse Championship. Media Director 2002 World Series. President WALA Foundation and club junior coach for modcrosse and under-age teams. Club captain and in later years involved with marking the fields each week.

1970 Cyril Allman: President 1980 – ’85, ’87 – ’88. Secretary 1966 – ’78, ’86, ’89 – ’90. President, Vice President & Life Member Lacrosse WA. Life Member Australian Lacrosse Referees Association. President Australian Lacrosse Referees Association. Commonly known as Mr Lacrosse within the club and marked the grounds for many years. Many of the club’s socials and meetings were held in his home. He was manager of many state sides both seniors and juniors.

1971 Graeme C. Allman: Outstanding Club man. Vigorous midfielder. Tireless social worker. A great organiser for many socials to help bind the club together. Certificate of Merit holder. Cub finances were enhanced by the fundraising activities organised by him.

1971 Michael F. Cranley: Publican. Major donor & great supporter. He provided meeting rooms for the club over a long period. Without clubrooms, Seniors and supporters enjoyed socialising in the famous beer garden of his hotel, the Wembley, after matches and training for many years.

1971 Elsa Lauder: Long time time-keeper and active club supporter. In her day the sound at end of quarters etc was a cow bell. She was a fixture at all home games, for many years.

1971 Lance N. Gaunt: Secretary 1954 – 1956. Skilful utility player. Life Member Australia Lacrosse Referees Association. Club Referee. International and State Referee. State Secretary of ALRA. Certificate of Merit holder. Foundation member of Doncaster Lacrosse Club. In Victoria. He retained his links to the club despite living in Melbourne.

1980 Frank Banyard: Long term club supporter. WALA Chairman of Committees and Treasurer for many years. He coached juniors over several years and gave tremendous support to various teams over the lengthy period with us after coming from Perth Lacrosse Club with his four sons (Bruce, Rod, Terry and Dennis) in the late 1960s. 29

1984 Albert Atkinson: President 1994. Treasurer 1968 – 70. Outstanding committee man. He was recognised for his long service for the club, socially, team-wise and administratively. He was always involved in club activities and was a willing worker in countless capacities.

1984 Warren Gaunt: Secretary 1958. Club Referee for a long period. Club worker- Club statistician. Always available to assist the club in many respects. His contribution to lacrosse includes being a foundation member of the Nollamara Lacrosse Club and returning to Wembley to continue his involvement.

1984 Rose Gaunt: A driver of the women’s club during its establishment years and beyond. Rose was women’s President for an astounding ten seasons (1973 – 76 and 1987 – 92). A foundation player of exceptional skill in attack, she was the women’s club inaugural Fairest & Best awardee (1967 & 72) and represented the State. She played and coached Juniors for many years, taking the Juniors on memorable camps at Rottnest. She is a Life Member of the Western Australian Women’s Lacrosse Association (later Lacrosse West, now part of LacrosseWA).

1985 Shirley Allman: Shirley was at the club’s first meeting and was a foundation (defensive) player. She was a key part of the club’s early development and success and, today, is still one of our club’s most dedicated supporters. She was women’s President in 1969 and 1985 and is a Life Member of the Western Australian Women’s Lacrosse Association (later Lacrosse West, now part of LacrosseWA).

1988 Beris Johnson: Beris brought her four daughters from Little Athletics to play Juniors at Wembley in the club’s formative years. Beris’s contribution over the years as manageress, committee member, player (goals) and in her general hospitality, frequently hosting players’ teas, was tireless.

1988 Kevin McRae: State League (3 times) and Association Fairest and Best (centreman). State player. Junior development guru and Life Member of LacrosseWA. Tireless club worker recognised as the modern-day ‘Mr Lacrosse’ (after Cyril Allman) who for many years has been integral to the running of the club in a multitude of club executive (Development, Director of Men’s, Finance) as well as unofficial capacities (e.g. database, merchandise, the bar, trophies, Annual Reports). He has been Tournament Director of several Australian championships. But it is his ongoing work in developing juniors, in particular the modcrosse program, for which he is best known.

1988 Ross Thompson: President 1989 – 1990. Treasurer 1971, 1977 and 1982 – 1988. Tournament Director Australian Lacrosse Championships. State player. The financial strength of the club can be mostly attributed to our involvement in several National Championships and Ross was the instigator of our first venture into this. He was Club Delegate at weekly Association meetings relating to match reports etc.

1991 Wendy Maguire: Wendy played in the foundation team and continued for many years. She gave numerous hours, apart from playing, as team manageress, helping with canteen, organising uniforms, attending committee meetings, and generally helping out wherever was needed. She is a dedicated supporter of Wembley women’s and men’s lacrosse.

1992 Eric Brown: Outstanding centreman. State player. Australian player 1956. Pivotal player during club Golden Era. Amazingly scoring over 100 goals for several seasons as centre man. His dominance in the centre draw enabled our team to always start in attack, putting opposing defence under immense pressure particularly in those days when higher scores were normal.

1992 John Murphy: President 1963 – 1966. Secretary 1959. Treasurer 1955. State Player. Recognised as dedicated member for a long period. His main role in defence was to nullify the opposition top forward. So close to his designated forward did he play that he was always reliable in restricting his man to low scores.

1992 George Henry: Pioneered Thursday training night meals, organised socials. State player. Excellent clubman and talented mid fielder. Involved club wise for many years after his

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playing career ended. He was on the committee for the 2000 Australian Senior Championships held at Floreat Oval which included a visiting club side from Canada.

1994 Gary Brown: President 2004 – 2006. Coached various junior club teams. Club referee. Junior state player. Three years with Lacrosse Australia/ALA. Stalwart supporter of the club in both junior and senior levels and in refereeing. He helped on a weekly basis on the sidelines as assistant coach to John Denic during our second run of consecutive premierships in the seniors.

1996 Steven Mc Rae: Secretary 1994 – 1996. Junior state player. As a long-serving club referee and international lacrosse referee, Steven has contributed more than most on behalf of the club as a referee and referee administrator. In the 2002 World Series, he was Games Management Director, which included ground preparation for several grades of Australian Championships and a huge number of state, national and international Masters games.

1997 Charles Forbes: Charles, whose daughters came from Little Athletics to play lacrosse, was recognised as tireless worker for the women’s club. Charles was responsible for marking the women’s grounds for numerous years and was club Treasurer 1988 – 91. He supported wife Alison and daughter Catherine in that role for many years thereafter .

1997 Robert A. Ramsay (Jnr): Dedicated long-term member and legendary top grade defensive player, moving to forward line and goalkeeper in Division III. State player. Australian Box Lacrosse representative. Club Coach for men. Game coach of women’s seniors six seasons, 2003 – 2008. Great social worker and contributor. Major club sponsor for many years to the present.

1999 Dennis Banyard: President five years (1995 – 1999). Outstanding forward and attack midfielder for more than 25 years and State League Fairest & Best three times. Represented State numerous times and, in 1984, Australia (USA pre-Olympics tour). Premiership co-captain 1982 and premiership captain-coach 1986. Played in all club divisions. Deep commitment to women’s lacrosse, being A-Grade Coach 1980 – 81 and 2000 – present, garnering 12 premierships.

2000 Michael Ferguson: Top class player and administrator. State player (defence). Secretary 1982 – 84 and 87 – 88, and President for 1991 – shared – 92 and 93. WALA President 2003 – 2006 and final Lacrosse West (women’s) President 2009, overseeing amalgamation of state bodies into Lacrosse WA. Game coach of women’s A-Reserve three seasons, twice to a premiership.

2002 Geoff White: Dedicated top player and club person. Renowned for courage and determination in midfield. Has given great service to the club both on and off the field. Men’s coach, manager and referee in several grades for many seasons. Club Secretary three years (91 – 93) and President for four (2001 – 03). Coach of women’s A-Reserve 2015 – present.

2003 Jackie Oliver: After joining Wembley in 1977, Jackie made an enormous contribution to Wembley women’s lacrosse as player, administrator, coach, umpire, manager (State and club), supporter for both Waves and Wolves. She was joint Fairest & Best in 1988 and President four years – 1993 and 1997 – 99.

2004 Liz Brown: Liz came to Wembley as a teenager in the early ’80s when South Perth folded. A classy midfielder (1987 joint Fairest & Best) and State rep, she played over twenty seasons, nearly all in A-Grade. With her two daughters playing, Liz was junior coach for eight consecutive years. An all-round positive, patient person and great club member, she was women’s President from 2003 to 2005.

2005 John Hiron: Dynamic centreman. Fairest and Best in State League a record 7 times. Club captain for many years. Club coach. Many State teams and Australian player including 1990 World Championships in Perth. Dedicated team leader and clubman who, on moving to the USA lent valuable support to players interested in playing college lacrosse.

2007 Donelle Allman: Donelle began playing for Wembley as a six-year-old in ‘sub- juniors’ (now D-Grade) developed dazzling stick skills. She represented the State in Under 16s and Under 19s. After a time in Victoria, she returned to become club Secretary in 1997 and ’98 and

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President from 2000 – 2003. Active in organising social events and a keen spectator, she is a passionate club person for Wembley’s women and men.

2012 Jennifer Banyard: Senior State representative 1978, 1980 (attack) and club Fairest & Best 1999, 2005 (goalie). Certificate of Merit (promotion/communication), from Wolves in 2004 for newspaper coverage and Off the Post monthly newsletter. In 2002 World Series media team. Women’s Treasurer 1977 – 78; later, junior coach and Waves’ Director of Admin 2003 – 2007. Established Wavelength newsletter. 2008 Senior Nationals coordinator and Lacrosse West Director of Admin.

2012 Pauline Casey: Outstanding club member. Secretary for five years and Treasurer for seven years. Top quality administrative person. She willingly carried out various duties such as match day preparation and bar stints etc. For many years set up the annual welcome day for Life Members and special guests.

2013 Ian McRae: Outstanding referee. Excelled as club referee where he has participated in Club, State and International games. Involved in Referee Administration, both State and Nationally. His contribution, alongside that of his brothers Kevin and Steven, is part of the vast McRae legacy from which Wembley and lacrosse in general has benefited.

2015 Mark Bowman: A slippery forward, part of the ’82 and ’86 premierhip sides and senior state player. Since returning to club life in the early 2000s, he has been Assistant Manager of West Coast Lightning U15s, and Co-coach of Northern Thunder U15s and U17s. He coached Wembley’s U15s 2005 – 2011 and was Division 2 Manager. He coached and co-coached women’s A Reserve in 2004 – 2007 and since 2009 has often refereed men’s. 2007 was Mark’s first year as club President. To 2016 he has been in the role a record-equalling 10 years.

2015 Rod Sear: Rod was a standout junior and Colts state rep in the 1970s until work took him away. Enticed back by the new B-Grade/Division 3 around 1990, he has been Social Coordinator, junior coach and team manager (Northern Thunder U15s; Manager of State Teams; ASPACS U23 development team; general manager for the 2010 Australian Team). From 2000 to the present, Rod has refereed Juniors on Wembley’s behalf, including nine U17 grand finals and two U15 grand finals, making his contribution to our club and to lacrosse in WA outstanding.

2016 Sarah Forbes: Sarah set new standards from club through to international levels of the game, being honoured with two Halls of Fame in the USA – for lacrosse and for the NCAA (all college sports). A humble though tall, powerful running player, she gained four World Cup team selections (1993, 2001, 2005 and 2009), including captaincy in ’05 of the winning team. Her accolades are too numerous to list but she, at Wembley, has been a long-term inspirational coach and player who inspired an ethos of uncomplaining good sportsmanship and fierce endeavour.

Section 3B State (WALA, WAWLA/Lacrosse West, Lacrosse WA)

1978 Rose Gaunt, WAWLA 1975 Cyril Allman, WALA 1979 William (Bill) C. Brown, WALA 1985 Beris Johnson, WA Women’s Lacrosse Association 1990 Shirley Allman, WA Women’s Lacrosse Association 1995 Robert (Bob) Ramsay, WALA 2007 Graham Rose, WALA 2008 Kevin McRae, WALA 2014 John Denic, Lacrosse WA: For outstanding services to coaching State and Australian lacrosse. From 1992, John coached Australia in three World Series and, from 1990, coached nine state teams. John was a formidable centreman in his heyday, representing WA numerous times.

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2014 Peta Hiron, Lacrosse WA: Peta was a classy forward (1981 Australian player for tour by USA) and many-times State rep, coach and manager. She was eight years on the Board of Lacrosse West/Lacrosse WA Director of Development as Vice President and, for seven years to 2013, Director of Development. Since 2014, she has continued as Lacrosse WA Development Manager.

Section 3C Australia (ALC/Lacrosse Australia, WLA, ALA)

Section 3C(i) Certificates of Merit 1948 H. G. Clifton 1957 V. B. A. Ellis 1966 A. E. Weaver 1970 C. Allman 1973 L. N. Gaunt 1979 G. P. Rose 2003 K. McRae

PLEASE NOTE: Certificates of Merit for Club and State to be included at a later date.

Section 3C(ii) Life Members 1997 William (Bill) C. Brown, Australian Lacrosse Council Fellow

ABOVE & BELOW: The A-Grade takes the field for the 1980 Grand Final at Perry Lakes Stadium cheered on by supporters.

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SECTION 4: CLUB HONOURS

SECTION 4A: Men’s Honours

Section 4A(i) Premierships (A-Grade/Division One/State League)

1953 Wembley def. Fremantle 6-4

1954 Wembley def. Midland 13-6

1955 Wembley def. Midland 18-8

1956 Wembley def. Fremantle 17-6

1957 Wembley drew Fremantle (no premiership 15-15 awarded) 1958 Wembley def. Fremantle 12-9

1959 Wembley def. Fremantle 16-5

1960 Wembley def. Nedlands-Subiaco 10-6

1967 Wembley def. Nedlands-Subiaco 20-13

1982 Wembley def. Bayswater 18-6

1986 Wembley def. Nedlands-Subiaco 14-9

2008 Wembley def. Bayswater 8-5

2009 Wembley def. East Fremantle 12-8

2010 Wembley def. East Fremantle 13-9

2011 Wembley def. Wanneroo 12-5

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Section 4A(ii) Fairest & Best (A-Grade/Division One/State League)

Note: No A-Grade was fielded until after WWII, in 1946. 1946 1981 KJ McRae 1947 1982 L Perry 1948 1983 J Hiron 1949 1984 RA Ramsay 1950 A.E. Weaver 1985 J Gower 1951 W. Brown 1986 D Harrison 1952 1987 P Rapaic 1953 E. Brown 1989 J. Hiron 1954 E.D. Powell 1990 D. Geddes 1955 E. Brown 1991 D. Harrison 1956 V. Ellis 1992 D. Harrison 1957 R. Turnbull 1993 J. Hiron 1958 D. Long 1994 J. McKay 1959 R. Turnbull 1995 D.F. Banyard 1960 B. Bridge 1996 J. Hiron 1961 B. Bridge 1997 J. Hiron 1962 K. Robinson 1998 B. Reiger 1963 K. Robinson 1999 J. Hiron 1964 Warriors – J. Berry 2000 G. Shortreed

Braves – J. Boyce 2001 N. Rainey

1965 K. Maynard 2002 M. Wallis 1966 R.W. Thompson/L. D’Arcy 2003 T. Forbes 1967 G. Jones 2004 T. Forbes 1968 G. Kennedy 2005 T. Forbes 1969 G. Kennedy 2006 A. Brown 1970 K. Maynard 2007 S. Williams 1971 D. Thompson 2008 A. Brown 1972 D Thompson 2009 A. Brown

1973 K. Maynard 2010 L. Bunbury

1974 R. Atkinson 2011 L. Bunbury 1975 D. Thompson 2012 A. Brown

1976 D.F. Banyard 2013 S. Bentley

1977 B. Banyard 2014 S. Bentley 1978 DF Banyard 2015 D. Noftsinger 1979 KJ McRae 2016 L. Bunbury 1980 KJ McRae

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Section 4A(iii) Association Fairest & Best (A-Grade/Division One/State League)

1952 Val Ellis 1960 Eric Brown 1972 David Thompson 1981 Kevin McRae 1984 John Gower (USA) 1985 John Gower (USA) 1996 John Hiron 2009 Alex Brown 2011 Matt Diver 2012 Callum Robinson

Section 4A(iv) Australian Allstars Please note: Information may be incomplete.

1947 Bob Ramsay (Player of Tournament) 1956 Val Ellis, Eric Brown 1972 Keith Maynard 1982 Perth Dennis Banyard 1983 Melbourne Dennis Banyard 1988 Adelaide Peter Rapaic 1989 Melbourne Peter Rapaic 1991 John Hiron 1992 John Hiron 2000 John Hiron (Coach) 2008 Alex Brown 2009 Alex Brown (championship team), Sam Williams (tournament team) 2011 Isaachsen Trophy (most Matt Diver votes in Australia for season) 2012 Steven McRae (Referee) 2014 Matt Diver

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Section 4A(v) Australian Representation (All competitons; Senior unless specified)

1962 USA Tour Bob Ramsay 1967 Field Lax World Tournament, Graham Hill Canada 1970s? David Thompson ? 1974 1st ‘World Championship’, Keith Maynard Melbourne 1981 U19 USA Tour John Hiron, Peter Rapaic, Tim Lorian 1984 Pre-Olympic Tournament, Dennis Banyard Los Angles 1989 Japan Tour John Hiron, Peter Rapaic 1990 World Series, Perth John Hiron, Peter Rapaic (Co-captain) 2002 World Series, Perth Nathan Rainey 2006 World Series, Canada John Denic Coach, Rod Sear (Manager) 2008 U19 World Championship Stuart Bentley, Matt Diver, Steven Stojkos, Lucas Wood, Sam Ramsay (alternate) 2008 Kangas Development Team Lachlan Bunbury, Liam Davies, Michael Grove, Jaxon Hall, Hamish Magee, Seamus MacKenzie, Randell Hall (Manager), Terry Magee (Coach), Adam Sear (Ass. Coach) 2009 U21 Team Steven Stojkos, Lucas Wood, Steve McRae (Referee), Mitchell Walmsley (Referee) 2010 World Series, Manchester Alex Brown, Adam Sear, Sam Williams; John Denic Coach, Rod Sear Manager 2011 U23 ASPACS Matt Diver, Callum Robinson, Max Sadka, Lucas Wood

2012 U19 World Championship Connor Davies

2013 U23 ASPACS Cameron McRae, Steve McRae (Referee Assessor)

2014 World Series, Denver Alex Brown, Matt Diver, Callum Robinson

2015 U23 ASPACS Lachlan Bunbury, Connor Davies, Joseph Delich, Jaxon Hall, Afiq Jackson, Cameron McRae 2016 U19 World Championship Keegan Davies, Sam Koczwara, Brayden Panting, Matt Wood

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SECTION 4B Women’s Honours

Section 4B(i) Premierships (All Grades) These are derived in large part from perpetual trophies still to hand at the Light St Dianella clubrooms. There are many gaps in information, moreso in the lower grades, that is hoped can be rectified when women’s Association records become more accessible. A-grade premierships total 28.

1967 A-Gde; Jnrs 1988 A-Res, B-Gde; 1968 A-Gde 1989 A-Res 1969 Jnrs 1990 A-Gde; B-Gde 1970 A-Gde; Jnrs 1991 A-Res; B-Gde 1971 Jnrs 1992 A-Gde; A-Res; B-Gde 1972 A-Gde, 2000 A-Gde 1973 A-Gde; Jnrs 2003 C-Gde 1974 A-Gde; Jnrs 2004 A-Gde; C-Gde 1975 A-Gde; Jnrs 2005 A-Gde Stingrays 1976 A-Gde; Jnrs 2006 A-Gde 1977 A-Gde; B-Gde; Jnrs 2007 A-Res Fire 1978 A-Gde; Jnrs 2008 A-Gde; C-Gde 1979 A-Gde; B-Gde; Jnrs 2009 A-Gde; A-Res Rays 1980 A-Gde; Jnrs 2010 A-Res Rays 1981 A-Gde; B-Gde; Jnrs; D-Gde 2011 A-Gde; A-Res Rays 1982 B-Gde; Jnrs; D-Gde 2012 A-Gde; A-Res Rays 1983 Jnrs 2013 A-Gde 1984 A-Gde; B-Gde; Jnrs 2014 A-Gde 1985 A-Gde; Jnrs 2016 A-Res Dolphins; U/13s 1986 A-Gde; A-Res, B-Gde; Jnrs 1987 B-Gde

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Section 4B(ii) Fairest & Best (A-Grade)

1967 Rose Gaunt 1991 Leesa Caldwell 1968 M Chinnery 1992 Yvette Peterson 1969 K Olsen 1993 Kate Alaimo 1970 K Olsen 1994 Terri Maynard 1971 H Metaxas 1995 Jacqui Forbes 1972 Rose Gaunt 1996 Yvette Peterson 1973 Linda Brown (Jacoumis) 1997 Yvette Peterson 1974 Wendy Moran 1998 Yvette Peterson 1975 Lynette Johnson 1999 Jenny Banyard 1976 Wendy Moran 2000 Sarah Forbes 1977 Debra Baker (Langlois) 2001 Yvette Peterson 1978 Lynette Johnson 2002 Sarah Forbes 1979 Gail Johnson 2003 Tegan Brown 1980 Peta Hiron 2004 Caitlin Ryan 1981 Christine Johnson - Hawks; 2005 Sarah Forbes – Stingrays Kerry Snelling - Eagles Jenny Banyard – Marlins 2006 Rebecca Banyard 1982 Kerry Snelling - Gold; 2007 Rebecca Banyard Jennifer Johnson - Green 1983 Noni Allen - Gold; 2008 Sarah Forbes Janine Krepp - Green 1984 Jennifer Johnson/ 2009 Hayley Simpson Angela Branch 1985 Peta Hiron 2010 Rebecca Banyard 1986 Gail Johnson 2011 Rebecca Banyard 1987 Elizabeth Brown/ 2012 Rebecca Banyard Jenni Gaunt 2013 Rebecca Banyard 1988 Jacqui Forbes / 2014 Rebecca Banyard Jackie Oliver 2015 Elizabeth Hinkes 1989 Yvette Peterson 2016 Rebecca Banyard 1990 Sarah Forbes

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Section 4B(iii) Association Fairest & Best (All grades)

1969 Helen Metaxas – Jnrs 1994 Claire Lambert – C-Gde 1970 S. Olsen – Jnrs 1997 Joanne McRae – C-Gde 1971 Jennifer Johnson – Jnrs 1999 Shendelle Oliver – C-Gde 1973 Bernadette Cooper – Jnrs 2001 Leah Brown/Julia Conroy – C-Gde 1979 H. Stoiche – B-Gde 2003 Chloe Jacoumis – A-Res 1981 Angela Branch – Jnrs 2004 Jessica Ramsay – A-Res 1984 Lynette Johnson – A-Gde 2005 Sarah Forbes – A-Gde; Emily Hall – C-Gde 1986 Joanne Doyle – B-Gde 2010 Hannah Barnsley – A-Gde Dianne Forbes – C-Gde 1988 Sarah Forbes – C-Gde 2012 Hannah Barnsley – A-Gde 1989 Michelle Pratt – A-Res 2013 Rebecca Banyard – A-Gde 1990 Sarah Forbes – A-Gde 2015 Hannah Barnsley – A-Gde 1991 Leesa Caldwell – A-Gde; Janine Woolfe – B-Gde

Section 4B(iv) Australian Allstars

Please note: Information may be incomplete. After a long hiatus, women’s Allstar teams were resumed with amalgamation at the national level.

2010 Melbourne Rebecca Banyard, Hannah Barnsley 2011 Adelaide Rebecca Banyard, Hannah Barnsley 2012 Perth Hannah Barnsley, Sarah Forbes 2013 Melbourne Rebecca Banyard 2014 Adelaide Hannah Barnsley, Elizabeth Hinkes 2015 Perth Rebecca Banyard 2016 Melbourne Rebecca Banyard, Elizabeth Hinkes

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Section 4B(v) Australian Representation (All Competitions; Senior unless specified)

1977 Touring Team Jennifer Johnson, Lynette Johnson, Wendy (Hawks) Moran 1978 Touring Team (vs Christine Johnson, Lynette Johnson, Wendy (Hawks) Moran Great Britain) 1981 Touring Team Geri Bowden, Debra Cort (Langlois), Peta Hiron, Jennifer (vs USA) Johnson, Lynette Johnson, Wendy (Hawks) Moran 1982 World Cup Debra Cort (Langlois), Jennifer Johnson; England Assist. coach Lynette Johnson 1984 Pre-Olympic Bernadette Cooper, Jenny Banyard, Peta Hiron, Christine, Tournament (did not Jennifer & Lynette Johnson, Debra Cort (Langlois) proceed), USA 1986 World Cup Manager Beris Johnson 1993 World Cup Sarah Forbes, Terri Alaimo; Co-coach Lynette Johnston Scotland 1995 U19 World Tanya Broom Championship USA 2001 World Cup Assist. Coach Sarah Forbes (Injured ) England 2003 U19 World Tegan Brown; Assist. Coach Sarah Forbes Championship USA 2005 World Cup Sarah Forbes (Captain, Championship team; World Team; USA Player of Championship) 2007 U19 World Rebecca Banyard, Caitlin Ryan Championship Peterborough 2009 World Cup Sarah Forbes (Captain; World Team), Tegan Brown, Rebecca Prague Banyard (Alternate) 2011 U19 World Hayley Simpson, Elizabeth Hinkes, Tessa Atkinson Championship Germany 2013 World Cup Rebecca Banyard, Elizabeth Hinkes Canada 2015 ASPACs (U23) Rachael Ferguson 2015 U19 World Rhiannon Panting; Assist. Coaches Rebecca Banyard & Championship Caitlin Ryan Scotland

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SECTION 5: OFFICE BEARERS

Section 5A Club Section 5A(i) Wembley Lacrosse Club Office Bearers

Year President Secretary Treasurer 1938 H. G. Clifton A. Knowles A. Knowles 1939 J. L. Carden L. Sherwood L. Sherwood 1940 J. L. Carden W. A. O’Leary W.A. O’Leary 1941 W. Wedd W. A. O’Leary W. A. O’Leary 1942 H. G. Clifton B. T. Adams B. T. Adams 1943 H. G. Clifton N. G. Monkhouse N. G. Monkhouse 1944 H. G. Clifton N. G. Monkhouse N. G. Monkhouse 1945 H. G. Clifton N. G. Monkhouse N. G. Monkhouse 1946 T. G. Banks N. G. Monkhouse N. G. Monkhouse 1947 T. G. Banks N. G. Monkhouse W. A. O’Leary 1948 T. G. Banks N. G. Monkhouse W. A. O’Leary 1949 T. G. Banks N. G. Monkhouse W. A. O’Leary 1950 J. R. Ferguson K. E. Weaver W. A. O’Leary 1951 J. R. Ferguson R. Cornish M. Fawcett 1952 J. R. Ferguson C. Liddelow M. Fawcett 1953 J. R. Ferguson R. V. Toase R. Cornish 1954 J. R. Ferguson M. Concanen K. Page L. N. Gaunt 1955 J. R. Ferguson L. N. Gaunt J. Murphy 1956 J. R. Ferguson L. N. Gaunt C. Sims 1957 J. R. Ferguson G. McNabb C. Sims 1958 J. R. Ferguson W. R. Gaunt G. P. Rose 1959 J. R. Ferguson J. Murphy G. P. Rose 1960 W. C. Brown W. Fawcett G. P. Rose 1961 W. C. Brown W. Fawcett G.P.Rose 1962 W. C. Brown R. Leek K. Robinson 1963 J. D. Murphy K. Robinson C. Sims 1964 J. D. Murphy R. Ridge W. Robinson 42

1965 J. D. Murphy R. Ridge K. McGhie 1966 J. D. Murphy C. Allman K. Hudson 1967 E. D. Powell C. Allman S. Lauder 1968 E. D. Powell C. Allman A. Atkinson 1969 R. B. Ramsay C. Allman A. Atkinson 1970 R. B. Ramsay C. Allman A. Atkinson 1971 R. B. Ramsay C. Allman R.W.Thompson 1972 R. B. Ramsay C. Allman M. Kontoolas 1973 R. B. Ramsay C. Allman D. Pratley 1974 R. B. Ramsay C. Allman TBA 1975 R. B. Ramsay C. Allman W. C. Brown 1976 R. B. Ramsay C. Allman TBA 1977 P. J. Hogg C. Allman R.W.Thompson 1978 D. Pratley C. Allman TBA 1979 D. Pratley G. Blackman G. Jones P. Jeffree 1980 C. Allman G. Blackman G. Jones 1981 C. Allman J. Bowman G. Jones 1982 C. Allman M. S. Ferguson R. W. Thompson 1983 C. Allman M. S. Ferguson R. W. Thompson 1984 C. Allman M. S. Ferguson R. W. Thompson 1985 C. Allman M. S. Ferguson R. W. Thompson 1986 M. Kaaks C. Allman R. W. Thompson 1987 C. Allman M. S. Ferguson R. W. Thompson 1988 C. Allman M. S. Ferguson R. W. Thompson 1989 R. W. Thompson C. Allman A. Rose 1990 R. W. Thompson C. Allman A. Rose 1991 M. S. Ferguson G. White A. Rose 1992 M. S. Ferguson G. White A. Rose 1993 M. S. Ferguson G. White R. Sear D. Rainey 1994 A. Atkinson S. G. McRae D. Rainey 1995 D. F. Banyard S. G. McRae D. Rainey G. Lund 1996 D. F. Banyard S. G. McRae G. Lund 1997 D. F. Banyard C. Rainey G. Lund 1998 D. F. Banyard G. O’Neil G. Lund 1999 D. F. Banyard S. G. McRae R. Vallis 2000 G. P. White M. Ingham R. Vallis 2001 G. P. White P. Casey T. Lennox 43

2002 G. P. White P. Casey T. Lennox 2003 G. P. White P. Casey T. Lennox 2004 G. M. Brown P. Casey T. Lennox 2005 G. M. Brown P. Casey T. Lennox 2006 G. M. Brown V. White P. Casey 2007 M. Bowman V. White P. Casey Post-amalgamation with Wembley Women’s Lacrosse Club 2008 M. Bowman Y. Peterson P. Casey 2009 M. Bowman Y. Peterson P. Casey 2010 M. Bowman Y. Peterson P. Casey 2011 M. Bowman L. Davies P. Casey 2012 M. Bowman L. Davies P. Casey 2013 M. Bowman L. Davies P. Casey 2014 M. Bowman L. Davies P. Casey 2015 M. Bowman L. Davies K. McRae 2016 M. Bowman A. McRae K. McRae

Section 5A(ii) Wembley Women’s Lacrosse Club Office Bearers

Year President Secretary Treasurer 1966 C Allman H Uren xxx 1967 C Allman N Bridge M Brown 1968 M Brown J Finch L Uren 1969 S Allman J Finch L Uren 1970 H Uren K Blackman L Uren 1971 H Uren M Chinnery J Atkinson 1972 H Uren I Liddle L Lambert (Uren) 1973 R Gaunt S Olson M Uren 1974 R Gaunt H Uren P Hair 1975 R Gaunt P Monkhouse M Hair 1976 R Gaunt A Lamborne J Everingham (Banyard) 1977 G Cooper A Lamborne J Everingham (Banyard) 1978 G Cooper A Barrett B Snelling 1979 G Cooper P Burge W Maguire 1980 B Johnson P Burge W Maguire 1981 B Johnson K Powell W Maguire 1982 B Johnson K Powell W Maguire 1983 B Johnson K Smith J Parlongo 1984 B Johnson K Snelling B Buck 44

1985 S Allman S Green D Langlois 1986 xxx H (Uren) Alexander D Langlois 1987 R Gaunt H (Uren) Alexander D Langlois 1988 R Gaunt M Hurney C Forbes 1989 R Gaunt M Hurney C Forbes 1990 R Gaunt M Hurney C Forbes 1991 R Gaunt R Maynard C Forbes 1992 R Gaunt R Maynard R. Smith 1993 J Oliver R Gaunt R Smith 1994 B Maguire Jen Gaunt C & Charles Forbes 1995 B Maguire Jen Gaunt A Forbes 1996 B Maguire Jen Gaunt A Forbes 1997 J Oliver D Allman A Forbes 1998 J Oliver D Allman A Forbes 1999 J Oliver Jo Gaunt A Forbes 2000 D Allman Jo Gaunt A Forbes 2001 D Allman Jo Gaunt A Forbes 2002 D Allman Jo Gaunt C Forbes 2003 D Allman J Banyard C Forbes 2004 E Brown J Banyard C Forbes 2005 E Brown J Banyard C Forbes 2006 E Brown J Banyard C Forbes 2007 Y Peterson J Banyard C Forbes For 2008 onwards see Section 5A(i) – ‘Post-amalgamation with Wembley Women’s Lacrosse Club’

Section 5B State Section 5B(i) WALA Office Bearers W.C. Brown Vice President D. Pratley Treasurer C. Allman President and Vice President M. Ferguson President

Section 5B(ii) WAWLA/Lacrosse West Office Bearers

Kirsten Hurney Vice President Emma Tregurtha Director of Finance 2005 – 07 Sarah Forbes Director of Coaching 2006 Peta Hiron Director of Development 2006 – 2009 45

Dennis Banyard Director of State Teams 2006 – 2008 Jen Banyard Director of Administration 2008 Michael Ferguson President 2009

Section 5B(iii) Lacrosse WA Office Bearers

Peta Hiron Director of Development 2010 – 13, Development Manager 2014 – present Dennis Banyard Director of Women’s Lacrosse 2010; women’s sub-committee 2010 – present Shendelle Oliver Director of Promotion 2013 – 2015/16 Bruce Banyard Director of Officiating 2015 – present

Section 5C Australia

ALC/Lacrosse Australia, WLA, ALA Office Bearers Gary Brown Director Lacrosse Australia 2008; Director of Competition, ALA 2009 – ’10

The future is in good hands. Pictured above, the players, parents, pups, coaches and umpires who made up Wembley’s 2016 modcrosse season in front of the clubrooms at Floreat Oval.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The club acknowledges the many individuals whose enthusiasm and foresight over the years have made it possible for the Wembley Lacrosse Club to be writing its proud history nearly eight decades after foundation. We especially thank Bill Brown and Graham Rose who initiated this project. Their passion and persistence has been this history’s driving force. The following club members have been chief contributors and the club extends its gratitude: for the men’s segments, Bill, Graham, Mark Bowman, Dennis Banyard, Kevin McRae, Gary Brown, Michael Ferguson and Jen Banyard; and for the women’s segments, Rose Gaunt, Shirley Allman, Wendy Maguire, Peta Hiron and Jen. The club also thanks the numerous others who have given input along the way.

There have been many sources of information, much of it first-hand recollection, but also Annual Reports, newsletters, ephemera, perpetual trophies and photographs. Ian Toy’s recent admirably comprehensive and interesting work, A History of the Western Australian Lacrosse Association 1896 – 2010 (Ian Toy, 2016) was of significant help. The following websites also proved useful: Australian Lacrosse Association: http://lacrosse.com.au (November 2016); LacrosseWA: http://lacrossewa.com.au (November 2016); Wikipedia: wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Western_Australian_Lacrosse_Premiers; Federation of International Lacrosse: filacrosse.com/world-events-results.

© Wembley Lacrosse Club (Inc.) 2016

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