There were times in the early history of Melton Centrals Football and Netball Club when even the most devout fan would have questioned the club’s ability to survive.
Originally created as a second division side for the Riddell District Football League 1996 season, Centrals was thrown into the deep end when a number of existing RDFL clubs jumped to the Ballarat Football League, forcing the RDFL to cancel its plans for a two-tier competition.
Instead of having a kick on a Saturday morning and winning a few games, Centrals players ended up facing the best opposition the RDFL had to offer.
While the first few seasons will be remembered for some almighty hidings on the field and countless hours of hard work off the field, it also shaped the club’s hard-working, never-say-die culture.
As the club prepares to celebrate its 20th anniversary this season, Melton Centrals’ legend and inaugural hall of famer Steve Plevnik remembers the tough beginnings.
“None of the second division clubs could really get close to those first division clubs in the first year or two. It was a battle,” he says.
“We would have functions in the early days and get 10 people there and six of them were on the committee.
“But we just kept at it and kept at it … we were never going to let it go.”
After initially training at Melton South Rugby Club, the Centrals caught their first break when in 1998 they moved to the club’s present home at MacPherson Park.
But even that wasn’t without its problems.
“The council had done all the wiring for the lights but there was a big delay in getting them installed,” Plevnik says.
“They were coming from the rugby ground and needed to be moved up here. It was going on and on and on.”
He says after a number of delays it took a call from the Centrals’ committee to the AFL Footy Show to fire up the council.
It was announced that Melton Centrals would be the next club to participate in the popular segment Billy’s Wheel – Geelong champion Billy Brownless would be attending the club’s Thursday night training session and the Centrals would spin his prize wheel.
“The Footy Show said they were coming out on the Thursday night and the council called the next morning to say the lights would be ready to go,” Plevnik says.
“The pressure was on the council to get it up and running for us.
“It all worked out and that was a big night for the club. I think we sold about 92 cases of beer, or something like that.”
From there the off-field wins started to mount and they soon led to on-field success –the Centrals made their finals debut soon after.
Under coaches Ron Dewhurst and Shayne Searle, the club made it to the preliminary final in 2003 and won the club’s first senior reserves flag in 2005.
“I remember playing in the club’s first final and that was a huge thing,” Plevnik says.
“The crowd was incredible. I played in the club’s first reserves flag and there were people there you hadn’t seen for five years. That’s how much people wanted the club to succeed.”
Success on the netball court followed, with the Centrals claiming their first A-grade netball title in 2009.
Melton Centrals will officially celebrate their 20th anniversary at the club’s season launch at Tabcorp Park on Wednesday, April1.
Club president Liam Wilson encouraged all current and former Centrals netball and football players and supporters to attend.
Wilson is predicting the club’s next 20 years will be even bigger, with premierships in both the football and netball on the agenda.
“We’ve rewritten our business plan to improve in all facets of our club, continuing to build respect within the community and being adventurous for the future,” he says.
“There are some big announcements coming in the next month.
“We will continue to establish a strong foot hold in the Melton community and provide a warm and welcoming environment for all families.”
Liam Wilson picks his top six moments in Centrals’ history
• Melton Centrals beat Woodend by a point at Macedon to make the Riddell District Football League preliminary final against Lancefield in 2003. It remains the best finish to a season for a Centrals senior side.
• Centrals claimed the A-grade netball premiership in 2009, going through the season unbeaten. The club also won the A-grade premiership in 2014 (below), as well as the C-grade premiership in 2011.
• The football club claimed its first premiership in 2005, winning the RDFL reserve grade premiership. The feat was matched in 2009.
• Outstanding netball trio Donna Fiedler (2004), Rebecca Morabito (2009 and 2011) and Renee Hulls (2013) have all won the Janine Ryan Medal, which is presented to the RDNL’s best and fairest player.
• Billy’s Wheel and the Footy Show came to Centrals in 1998, with about 10,000 people on the ground throughout the night.
• The club moved from Richards Road to MacPherson Park in 1998 to give Centrals a ‘real’ home.
