Weekends Mallee Park game

[Dave Omsby]

Hi all , I went to Port Lincoln for the weekend for an all too common funeral unfortunately but the silver lining in the trip was a chance to go to the footy and watch my favourite team after the two Ports - Mallee Park Peckers . For the uninitiated Mallee Park is an aboriginal football team , it's been going for about 35 years for around 17 premierships .
More importantly it has produced the Burgoyne brothers , Byron Pickett , Graham Johncock , Lindsay Thomas , Daniel Wells , as well as lesser lights like Elijah Ware and Harry Miller .
They played Marble Range which is a team from Wangary out in the farm country near a Coffin Bay. Cain Akland was about their most famous export . Nathan McDowell that played with the Maggies was playing
By half time Mallees were out by three or four goals but Marble Range were back in front by 8 points at 3/4 time . They came out in the last , kicked 12 and won by 40 odd points .
Graham Johncock is playing coach , he's still in good shape , he didn't dominate but had a steady hand . Harry Miller didn't play I think he's coming back from injury , there was a young guy Dallas Barnes who'd earlier played u/15 so he could be one to watch .
Overall an very enjoyable game to watch , Mallees played a game a but like Port , trying to keep the ball out in open to start running

 

[Turiyasangitananda]

When I was thirteen I was one of the boundary umpires for the under 17 grand final in 1994, Mallee Park vs Waybacks. Mallee Park had Peter and Shaun Burgoyne, Byron Pickett and Graham Johncock all playing. I think Peter was best on ground and they won pretty comfortably.

 

[Dave Omsby]

When I was thirteen I was one of the boundary umpires for the under 17 grand final in 1994, Mallee Park vs Waybacks. Mallee Park had Peter and Shaun Burgoyne, Byron Pickett and Graham Johncock all playing. I think Peter was best on ground and they won pretty comfortably.

Nice , I was team manager for the 17's in 05 and 06 got premierships in both years , good teams but the closest we got to stars that went on were Derick Wangsneen , Peter Lindsay and Ky Miller .
There's always good young players coming through but they need to join an academy by about 16 or they can drift off

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

The was an article in the Age when Harry Miller was at Hawthorn about Mallee Park around 2009 and there were 8 Mallee Park boys on AFL lists. You forgot Betts he was one of the eight.

 

[GreyPower]

I lived in Lincoln as a young kid for a few years in 1970s before Mallee Park were formed (from memory, they replaced Tumby Bay in the Port Lincoln FL).

Derek Kickett played briefly for Lincoln South in late 70s, as did Harry Miller snr. Father of the Burgoyne lads did too I think.

Greg Phillips played as a CHF as a young lad (16 yo?) before going to Port. Kicked a bag of goals in association game against Whyalla FL (I think, or perhaps Pt Augusta) circa 1975.

There was another indigenous footballer playing in Lincoln about 25 years ago - Robert Jackamarra - who I dont think ever ventured to the SANFL, but who kicked a massive amount of goals as a big-bodied full forward.

 

[Changaneen]

Hi all , I went to Port Lincoln for the weekend for an all too common funeral unfortunately but the silver lining in the trip was a chance to go to the footy and watch my favourite team after the two Ports - Mallee Park Peckers . For the uninitiated Mallee Park is an aboriginal football team , it's been going for about 35 years for around 17 premierships .
More importantly it has produced the Burgoyne brothers , Byron Pickett , Graham Johncock , Lindsay Thomas , Daniel Wells , as well as lesser lights like Elijah Ware and Harry Miller .
They played Marble Range which is a team from Wangary out in the farm country near a Coffin Bay. Cain Akland was about their most famous export . Nathan McDowell that played with the Maggies was playing
By half time Mallees were out by three or four goals but Marble Range were back in front by 8 points at 3/4 time . They came out in the last , kicked 12 and won by 40 odd points .
Graham Johncock is playing coach , he's still in good shape , he didn't dominate but had a steady hand . Harry Miller didn't play I think he's coming back from injury , there was a young guy Dallas Barnes who'd earlier played u/15 so he could be one to watch .
Overall an very enjoyable game to watch , Mallees played a game a but like Port , trying to keep the ball out in open to start running

Awesome post, thanks for the effort DO. Country footy is a god send when you're annoyed with the top shelf stuff. Iv'e witnessed some stars come through myself just chilling out watching the footy at home. Sometimes you can pick a kid thats going to shine through........but altogether an enjoyable day out.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

From 2007
http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/mallee-park-breeds-afl-players.402804/

 

[Dave Omsby]

Yea Jackamara was a beast , he played at Lincoln South , he kicked 128 goals there in 1992 but between 1994 and 1996 at Mallee a Park he kicked 370 goals in 46 games , he must have been about 197 cm and 110 kgs .
He'd have two on him but still just stand there and take the mark .
Basically he played like an aboriginal Tony Lockett , he would have been a sensation if he'd been identified and mentored from a young age .

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

From a 2008 article
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...&sID=76376&articleID=9169275&news_task=DETAIL

Mallee Park Football Club: An amazing breeding ground for the AFL
IT's invigorating to see Indigenous players displaying their unique brand of football. Melbourne's Aaron Davey pin-pointing a pass 45 metres down the ground to a team-mate; North Melbourne's Daniel Wells dashing out of defence after taking a strong one-grab mark; or Carlton's Eddie Betts snapping a brilliant goal from an acute angle make the football purists salivate.

The club was formed in 1981 and can claim a link to no fewer than 12 current AFL players.

These AFL players have a strong connection to an Indigenous club from the South Australian fishing village of Port Lincoln -- the Mallee Park Peckers, on the Eyre Peninsula, eight hours drive by car from Adelaide.

Mallee Park quickly became the most dominant force in the Port Lincoln Football League, winning its inaugural flag in just its fifth season, with names including Johncock, Betts, Wells, Pickett, Burgoyne, Thomas and Davey.

The 1985 grand Final between the Mallee Park and Waybacks highlighted the special attributes associated with Indigenous football. In a fast, free-flowing game both teams kicked seven goals in the first term, with 46 majors booted in the match, which the Peckers won 24.21 (165) to 22.9 (141).

Eddie Betts' father Eddie senior played on the wing while Adelaide defender Graham Johncock's dad Barry, or 'Jack', as he's known in the football community there, was stationed at centre half-back.

North Melbourne goal-sneak Lindsay Thomas' uncle Max kicked five goals from centre half-forward. Wells' father Leonard played in defence, alongside Byron Pickett snr, father of 2004 AFL Norm Smith medallist Byron jnr, and Norm Pickett, Byron jnr's uncle. Fabian Davey, the uncle of Alwyn and Aaron Davey, played as a forward pocket, rotating on the ball. He kicked 74 goals that year.

Also featuring in Mallee Park's premiership team were Michael and Tony Burgoyne, the uncle of Port Adelaide's Peter and Shaun Burgoyne (pictured), and Harry Miller snr, father of former Hawk, Harry jnr.

"All the players who are currently on an AFL list from Mallee Park had a father or uncle play in the game," said club president, Joe Burgoyne, a past champion player and premiership coach. "The club played vibrant, attacking football with a lot of ball movement, with the players backing each other. Most of the Mallee Park footballers descend from the Koonibba mission, and we still have a very strong affiliation with them."

From 1985 to 2001, the Peckers dominated the competition, winning 11 A grade premierships, along with a number of others in the lower grades.

Adelaide's Graham Johncock, then just a slightly built 16-year-old, was among the best in the club's 10th senior flag in 1999 when it beat the Waybacks by 44 points.

"The players of my dad's era played a totally different brand of than other local teams -- a highly skilful, fast, running style of game," Johncock said. "People from all over the coast would come and watch Mallee Park play this exciting form of football.

"As a kid, we'd look forward to Saturday. I loved watching Fabian Davey, my dad and uncle Harry Miller play and we'd be on the boundary trying to recreate their feats, taking marks and kicking to each other. When we get a chance to get back to Port Lincoln between our busy program, we always try and get out to the club -- whether it's to run some water or just to have a chat to the lads."

With immense pride, many of the 1985 premiership players will be looking forward to the current generation displaying their skills in the AFL. They will be watching as their extraordinary feats and sublime skills are replicated by their own at the highest level.

http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...&sID=76376&articleID=9169275&news_task=DETAIL

 

[Dave Omsby]

From a 2008 article
http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...&sID=76376&articleID=9169275&news_task=DETAIL

http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc...&sID=76376&articleID=9169275&news_task=DETAIL

Good one . Like the article says all the AFL players came from footballing families signifying genetics does help . Byron Pickett senior , Eddie Betts senior , Peter Burgoyne senior , Leonard a Wells , Daniels father , Jack Johncock , Graham's father , Michael O'loghlins father Alex Stengle , Harry Millers father Harry senior , Aaron and Alwyn Daveys uncles Fabian , Hayden and Ken all played for Mallee Park ( their father Alwyn senior was more Ceduna and Darwin , he won three mail medals in Ceduna before he was 21 )
Hopefully it carries through with at least Peter Burgoynes kids , him being father /son eligible , his great uncle George Burgoyne was a champion too for Tasmans before Mallee Park came about in 1981 , previous the players were sought after by the local teams but they and their families weren't necessarily wanted around the club socialising so in true Aussie fashion they made their own team

 

[Changaneen]

No Aboriginal boys come to mind that have come through Whyalla, but we had Rob Shirley for the Crows. Grimm boys played well for the Maggies, Rod and his son Shane. Of course Barrie Robran played some footy in Whyalla, so did Graham Cornes i think

Not trying to steal you're awesome thread Dave but it just brings back memory's.

 

[Changaneen]

At the moment we have the pocket rocket Ben Sawford in the system too.

 

[Turiyasangitananda]

I remember the legend of Robert Jackamarra. Like you say Dave, a consistent 100+ goal forward a season at Lincoln South and then Mallee Park. Pretty sure Port were very keen for a few years for him to come and try out, but he just wasn't interested.

 

[Blurter]

I remember the legend of Robert Jackamarra. Like you say Dave, a consistent 100+ goal forward a season at Lincoln South and then Mallee Park. Pretty sure Port were very keen for a few years for him to come and try out, but he just wasn't interested.

I know it's a decade old thread, but time hasn't lessened what Robert Jackamarra did on the footy field any less remarkable. Geelong was very interested in him when they got originally got Mark Bairstow (also from Lake Grace), but I only saw his achievements in Port Lincoln. He kicked 370 goals in 46 games between 1994 and 1996, pretty much his last few years of football. He averaged more than 8 goals a game in this period. I am certain if he had been at been at Mallee Park during the eighties when they were almost unbeatable, he would have averaged 12 a game.