40 Years Ago - Pennant Hill Demons in 1984
President
Senior Coach
Manager
Captain
Vice-Captain
Teams (3)
Premiers
Peter Camilleri (1984 - 85); Stan Edwards (1982 – 84) *
Warren Ledger
Mal Steen
Warren Ledger
Tony McGivern
SFL First Grade Seniors, Reserve Grade and Under 19
Under 19s were Grand Final runners-up
* President Stan Edwards resigned during 1984 due to ill health.
In season 1984, Pennant Hills fielded three teams.
First Grade Seniors
After the H&A rounds, the First Grade Seniors side finished in 3rd place (11 wins/5 losses) and North Shore were Minor Premiers (15/1). East Sydney finished 2nd (14/2) and Campbelltown 4th (10/6).
In the 1st semi-final, Pennant Hills were beaten by Campbelltown by 19 pts and bowed out of the finals race. In the 2nd semi-final East Sydney edged out North Shore by 3 pts advancing to the Grand Final. In the preliminary final North Shore beat Campbelltown. In the Grand Final East Sydney were on top of their game, cruising to a 99 pts victory over North Shore to win the Bill Hart Cup.
1st Semi Final: Pennant Hills 19.12-126 lost to Campbelltown 22.13-145
Gary Spillane was the Seniors Best & Fairest and Adam Harris was runner-up. Gary’s season was also highlighted with NSW state selection and he finished equal 9th in the Phelan Medal (9 votes) and was equal 5th in the SFL Player of the Year Award (11 votes). Rod Podbury, playing for Bankstown Sports, was the winner (21 Votes).
Adam Harris was also runner-up in the Phelan Medal vote count (15 votes), second only to the winner West’s Graham Jones (15 votes).
Tim Hickey was the Best Local First Year Player
(inaugural winner of the Ken Macrae Shield – see story below).
Steve Bird was the Club’s and the League’s leading goalkicker with 96 goals. His tally included a string of double-figure bags – 14 against Balmain in Round 5 (a club record), then followed up with another record, 15 goals, a week later against Newtown (Round 6). In Round 7 he kicked 11 goals against Bankstown.
His 1984 total of 96 is the most goals kicked by a senior Penno player, a record that still stands 40 years later. Bird eclipsed Bill Renwick’s 1976 tally of 84 goals and Rob Barrett fell 10 short in 1986 with 86 goals. Among the current players, Theo Moraitis’s 69 goals in 2019 is the best.
"Birdy" topped off the season being selected in the SFL All Star Team. At the end of 1984 he retired from football, and his 96 goals in his last year is certainly an achievement to remember.
Three players achieved the distinction this year of playing 100 games for the club; John Goswell, Chris MacDonald and Bruce Higgs.
Six players made their senior debut in 1984; Tim Hickey, Paul Whelan, Robert Brink, Mick Coen, Pat Pickett and Martin Hickey.
Incidentally, in 1984 the former St Kilda great Barry Breen was the Captain-Coach for North Shore. Over his 18 year career with the Saints, Breen played 300 games and kicked 308 goals between 1965 – 1982. He was a Premiership player (1966), Leading Goalkicker (1970) and Saints Captain (1979).
Reserve Grade
Coach: Tony Hill
Manager: Bill Carey
Captain: Tony Hill
Vice Captain: Bruce Higgs
After the H&A rounds, the Reserve Grade side finished in 3rd place (12 wins/4 losses) in a field of 9 teams. North Shore were Minor Premiers (14/2) and three teams with 12 wins and 4 losses were separated by percentage to determine the final placings in the top four. St George were 2nd, Penno 3rd and East Sydney filled out the final four.
In the first semi-final Penno was soundly beaten by East Sydney by 84 pts and bowed out of the finals race. In the preliminary final East Sydney beat St George by the smallest margin, 1 pt, and then went on to win the Grand Final beating North Shore by 20 pts.
1st Semi Final: Pennant Hills 9.7-61 lost to East Sydney 23.8-146
Paul Woods was Reserve Grade Best & Fairest and also won the Sanders Medal for best in the grade (11 votes). Alan Ashmore was runner-up B&F. Robert Rutherford was equal 7th in the Sanders Medal (8 votes).
T O’Dea was the leading goalkicker with 44 goals.
1984 Sponsors
How The Teams Finished In 1984
Under 19s
Coach: Trevor Daykin
Manager: Ron Hickey
Captain: Andrew Bowtell
After the H&A rounds, the Under 19s side finished in second place (14 wins/2 losses). North Shore were minor premiers (15/1) and premiers. Campbelltown and St George filled out the top four (each 11/4). In the 2nd Semi-Final, Pennant Hills lost to North Shore by 26 pts and Campbelltown beat St George by 15 pts in the 1st Semi-final. Penno beat the Blues in the Preliminary final by 28 pts and in the Grand Final North Shore were comfortable 45 pts winners over Pennant Hills.
2nd Semi Final: Pennant Hills 8.10-58 lost to North Shore 13.6-84
Preliminary Final: Pennant Hills 15.9-99 defeated Campbelltown 11.5-71
Grand Final: Pennant Hills 7.16.58 lost to North Shore 16.7-103.
Pat Pickett was Under 19 Best & Fairest and finished 3rd in the Kealy Medal (12 votes). Paul Whelan was runner-up B&F.
Andrew Bowtell was leading goalkicker with 38 goals.
North Shore was the champion club in 1984 and Pennant Hills finished in second place in the SFL Club Championship.
Behind the Scenes
Social activities at the Club included:
• Ladies Night Out – Ladies Fashion Parade and Make-up demonstration at Shirley McKernan’s;
• Disco after the St George game at Pennant Hills Bowling Club;
• Combined Ball and Miss Football Quest;
• Posh and Pampered – Magic at Night at Sydney Hilton in Lovers Loft.
• Car Rally that started in Pennant Hills and ended at McQuade Park in Windsor.
Compiled & written by John Acheson – 27 May 2024
