book.kicourier - Flipbook - Page 9
King Island Courier
Page - 9
THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2024
Embracing Keating legacy
KIFA
TROY SMITH
WE were pleased to
receive a message from
Bob Keating’s son Alan
thanking us for the Courier
story on Bob in June. Alan
wasn’t completely aware of
Bob’s accomplishments in
local football.
Some will remember
Alan as a very good footballer with an interesting
career that ended up in
Queensland. He played
area schoolboy football for
Currie in 1955 in just two
games and was judged the
best player in both of them.
He then started his career
with the Currie Football
Club juniors as a promising
12-year-old in 1956.
In 1957, Alan was voted
as their best position player
in the seconds premiership
side but he really hit his
stride in 1958, winning
the KIJFA best and fairest
and the CFC best and
fairest along with another
premiership.
Tommy Lewis was the
captain of this team and
the runner-up. Tom had
previously won the KIJFA
award in 1956. Alan was
again the CFC junior B&F
in 1959, with Jim Long
runner up.
Alan played his first
representitive game in the
1959 KI seconds side that
unfortunately got smashed
by Circular Head. Alan was
judged the best player for
King Island, and he subsequently started his
senior football career in
1960 under the great Noel
Atkins.
Alan was among the best
players in his 昀椀rst senior
games, picking up Keating
medal votes and winning
the Best First-Year Player
award while named on a
half-forward 昀氀ank in the
premiership side. He had a
good year in 1961, further
establishing his game as
a great running back man
winning the best clubman
award along with David
Laskey.
In 1962, Alan was
The 1962 Currie
premier side defeated
Mt Stanley 12-15-87
to 5-10-40. Back row
left; Alan Keating,
Geoff Thompson,
Trevor Nicholls, T
Smith, Robert Wilson,
John Sears, Peter
Bowling, Peter Hiller,
Wilf Stellmaker, Norm
Curbishley and from
left; Michael Cooper,
Jeff Smith, Roger
Morrison, Clarrie
Smith (captain) Lance
Winter, Rod Hughson
and Noel Atkins
(coach).
Pictures courtesy Maria
Curry
awarded the Currie
Football Club’s best
defender and played a
dominant role for his team
in yet another premiership
year. He also made the
King Island beaten in a
match against Winnaleah
by 4 points and was one
of the best players on the
ground yet again.
Alan then spread his
wings into Tasmania,
playing three seasons with
the Cooee football club in
the NWFU, where he was
again highly rated as a
dashing back man.
He was runner-up in
the Cooee best and fairest
award in 1963 and he
played in the seconds premiership side the following
year. Those not familiar
with Tasmanian football
history may not be aware
that the Cooee football
club side was then one of
the truly great teams of
Tasmanian football. They
went onto win the 1964
NWFU premiership and
also beat another powerhouse in Scottsdale for
the Tasmanian football
title that year. Cooee
also backed up and won
the 1965 NWFU senior
premiership.
In 1966, Alan moved
to Queensland when he
was just 21 and hooked
up with the Wilston/Grange
(Gorillas) football club,
playing in the Queensland
Australian football league.
He found his feet in the
seconds and coached the
U17s before moving onto
the seniors in 1967. He
took on the role of senior
captain and coach in 1968
and his game continued
to blossom. In 1969, Alan
was an integral part of the
Wilson Grange premiership side where he was
again a noted dashing
defender. In 1970, he spent
a year playing in Canberra
for Eastlakes FC, where he
was awarded as their most
determined player.
Wilston/Grange was all
too happy to have him back
after that and his return
made headlines in the
Courier Mail. Alan served
the club exceptionally well
and played in their 1972
premiership side, making
him one of only four
players at the Gorillas to
win dual premierships. He
retired in 1977 with 187
games for Wilston/Grange,
where he was honoured as
a life member.
Alan must have played
300 games across his
career. He has a number
of grandchildren playingin
Queensland, where he still
lives.
Many thanks to Maria
Curry for the photos and
info and another Currie
footballer, John Hall, for
making the connection and
adding further input.
Price price rise on the way
THE power price on King Island
will rise from September 1, similar to those set for mainland Tasmania. Over the past few years,
the island has had parity with
Tasmanian price increases
Tasmanian Economic Regulator Joe Dimasi approved an
average price increase of 0.5% in
Tasmania, effective 1 July. The
stable price followed two years
of signi昀椀cant increases — by 9.5
per cent in 2023–24 and by 11.9
per cent in 2022–23.5 per cent
for residential and small business
customers.
It means the annual power
bill for most residential customers will increase by $16 and
$5 for business customers. The
Tasmanian Economic Regulator will review the state’s power
prices model over the coming
12 months.
King Island’s retail electricity supplier Momentum Energy’s Bass Strait Islands prices,
tariff and charges are reviewed
annually and any changes are
re昀氀ected in billing after August.
Alan Keating
about to launch a
torpedo punt for
Wilston Grange
with ex King
Islander Rod
Diprose playing
for Morningside
behind him.
2 Shaw St, Currie
Open 9am to 5pm
Monday to Friday
We stock BOC
Welding, Cutting and
Safety Equipment
• Gases - oxygen, acetylene, shielding, argon & refrigerant
gases (ARC Licence AU42745)
• Electrodes, wire, rods, tips, nozzles, hoses, regulators
• Spare parts, dip, 昀氀ux, helmets, goggles, glasses, lenses,
gloves, aprons, earmu昀昀s, respirators, 昀椀lters
And much more: if we haven’t got
it, we can get it.
Phone
6462 1415
