Lew Hall, circa 1970
Today is the day our Year 10 Carine Junior Football Club team takes on the Greensborough Junior Football Club and plays for the coveted Lew Hall Memorial Plaque.
This article was first posted on 6 July 2017 and is reposted today in honour of the game being played today.
So, who was Lew Hall and why do we play this game?
Greensbourough President John Waugh tells me that Lewis Rodney (Lew) Hall was from Victoria and the first official President of the Greensborough Football Club from 1974 through to 1980. He was a 'major figure' at Greensborough and a Life Member of the Club. John provided us with a photo of Lew from around 1970 when he was Team Manager for the U15s.
I consulted with a couple of our own Life Members, Phil Cousins and Ken Rankin, to find out a bit more.
The 2016 plaque
Ken Rankin says he 'was the guiding light' for the Diamond Valley Football League (now the Northern Football League). He said Lew originally trained as a carpenter and then went on to become a teacher in his later years. He was one of those people who could 'command a room' and when he spoke, the boys listened. Every year from about 1980, Lew would bring a 'development team' of 16 year olds over here to Perth. He was instrumental in forging a relationship with the Carine Junior Football Club and his development squad were well known for feeding into the VFL. The relationship went both ways, with Carine also sending a team over to Melbourne. Ken kindly let me borrow his framed collection of images from the Carine Junior Football Club Melbourne Trip that he was a part of - a little later, in 2004.
Sadly in 2006, Lew Hall passed away after a short illness. Tributes flowed for this 'great man with passion for junior footy', a tireless worker for the Diamond Valley Football League and Greensborough Junior Football Club. I saw one obituary in a footy forum where the contibutor described his devastation at the news of Lew's passing, saying 'he was the best teacher I ever had.'
In recognition of his contribution to football in Western Australia and the Carine Junior Football Club, Lew had already been awarded Honourary Life Membership of Carine Junior Football Club. Following his passing, the Lew Hall Memorial Shield was introduced, awarded to the best and fairest Diamond Valley Football League player on the tour. The inaugrual winner in 2007 was Dion Prestia, and the image shows Phil Cousins and Ken Rankin presenting the award to Dion. Of course, Dion went from strength to strength in his football and now plays for Richmond Football Club.
The Carine Junior Football Club has taken a team over to Melbourne now for some years, and as part of the 'Melbourne Trip', honour Lew Hall by playing Greensborough Junior Football Club for the coveted Lew Hall Memorial Plaque. We thank Greensborough for their hospitality as we honour the memory of a great man - Lew Hall.
Do you know more about Lew Hall?
Do you have photos or stories from the early years and the Greensborough/Diamond Valley Football League and Carine relationship?
We'd love to know more. Comment below or email us at comms@carinefooty.com.au
Carine Junior Football Club Life Members Phil Cousins and Ken Rankin present Dion Prestia with the inaugrual Lew Hall Memorial Shield for best and fairest Diamond Valley Football League player on 'tour'. Taken at the Carine Junior Football Clubrooms in 2007, Dion is now 24 years of age and playing for the Richmond Football Club.
The 2004 Melbourne Trip - these youngsters would be about 28/29 years of age now. See anyone familiar?