The Final Siren Countdown - 3 Subiaco Greats of Subiaco Oval
Thursday, November 30, 2017 - 1:05 AM
With just three days until “The Final Siren”, this Sunday, December 3rd, 1pm at the Subi Sports Bar, our countdown looks back at three of the greats to represent Subiaco on Subiaco Oval.
LAURIE KETTLEWELL – 205 GAMES/156 GOALS
Some champions assume a mantle of greatness only gradually, whereas others, such as Subiaco’s multi-talented Laurie Kettlewell, impose themselves on the game from the start.
Laurie Kettlewell is one of Subiaco’s all-time greats, with 15 State appearances, two Best & Fairests, induction in the WA Hall of Fame, selection in Subiaco’s Team of the Century and a top three placing in the Sandover Medal on two occasions.
One of the most versatile players to play the game, Kettlewell was Subiaco’s “Mr Fix-It,” as he could play in any position.
He made his League debut for the club as a 17-year-old, and from then he announced himself as a champion of the game. He was strong, agile, and had elite skills.
AUSTIN ROBERTSON JR – 251 GAMES/1212 GOALS
Playing almost exclusively as a full forward, Robertson’s main strengths were his blistering fast leads to space, and his meticulously accurate kicking for goal. Astute judges such as Graham Farmer and Neil Kerley, regarded him, when at his peak during the late 1960s, as the finest full-forward in Australia.
The son of South Melbourne champion Austin Robertson Snr, Robertson Jnr is the WAFL’s all-time leading ogalkicker with 1212 goals, and winner of eight WANFL Leading Goalkicker Awards. In six of his 13 WANFL seasons, he booted over 100 goals, including a monster haul of 162 goals from 21 games in 1968.
He also won 12 Subiaco Leading Goalkicker Awards, two Subiaco Best & Fairests, and was a key player in the Lions’ 1973 WANFL Premiership.
He was deservedly inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2015, and was named the Full-Forward in Subiaco’s Team of the Century.
The Subiaco Football Club’s Leading Goalkicker Award for their League team is named after Austin Robertson Jnr.
NEIL TAYLOR – 260 GAMES/178 GOALS
An inspirational player who served as Subiaco captain in six of his 15 League seasons, including the premiership year of 1986… He was one of the primary reasons behind his club’s re-emergence as a WAFL force during the mid-1980s.
Neil Taylor played the most games for Subiaco, was a dual premiership player and a premiership captain, and was a two-time Best & Fairest winner.
An exceptionally gifted midfielder, Taylor’s endurance, determination and team-first mindset made him a star for the Lions. As a colt, he won the Jack Clarke Medal, and helped guide the Lions to their first Colts premiership in 1974.
However, his introduction to WANFL League football was less than ideal. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Subiaco “won” four wooden spoons and finished second last on three occasions. However, Taylor stuck about and led the Lions to four consecutive grand finals from 1985-1988.
He is regarded as a key catalyst in terms of laying the foundations for the success Subiaco has enjoyed in recent memory.
The Subiaco Football Club’s Best & Fairest for its Colts team is named after Neil Taylor.
Honourable Mentions:
Haydn Bunton Snr
Peter Featherby
Mike Fitzpatrick
Phil Matson
Tom Outridge
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