PREMIERSHIP reunions are a time to celebrate and reminisce about times past, and so it was at Balmoral Recreation Reserve on Saturday when Balmoral Football Netball Club past players, officials and supporters gathered to celebrate previous success.

Just like other gatherings over the past few years, COVID stopped the teams of 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1980 and 1991 getting together and celebrating their deeds of decades past.

All the above listed years saw the senior football team carry off the flag but in 1980 the club also had extra success, claiming the reserves premiership for the first time with a one-point victory to have joint celebrations at the club that year.

Club stalwart, Gerard Watt, was excited by the turnout for the day, given many invitees were restricted by travel arrangements.

‘There was 100 to 120 people turn up for the reunion which I was very excited about with people coming from far and wide for the event,” Watt said.

“We had people come from the Flinders Ranges, Wagga Wagga, Darwin and I can’t be sure or not, but there was even someone from Switzerland – but he does live here for part of the year so I’m not sure if he flew in or not.

“Those that did attend were adamant they wanted to make it a regular event, so hopefully we can have another in a few years.”

Among the familiar faces from the past was former coach, Bob Lambert, who Watt said was instrumental in the early premiership success.

“Bob was a former Western Border player with the Casterton club before he came over to us and he was a fit and sprightly 88-year-old on Saturday,” Watt said.

“When he arrived at the club, he taught a lot of the boys how to prepare for a game and in turn how to prepare for life, he is a great man.”

Netball wasn’t forgotten, as four members of the 1991 senior netball team gathered also to celebrate their grand final success.

“We don’t have the same amount of history to hand that the footballers have, so to catch up with the girls was great,” Rosemary Langley said.

Both Langley and Watt are happy to have any history, articles, photos etc. from the club sent to them, as they and many others are working hard to gather it all together for the future.