FOOTBALLER

John Larkins on EDFL Life Membership
By ADEM SARICAOGLU
EXACTLY how did Aberfeldie President John Larkins feel
on the morning of September 12, 2015?
“Incredibly apprehensive,” answered the newly inducted
EDFL Life Member.
For Larkins, the journey he’s embarked upon to finally taste
ultimate glory in the EDFL’s most prestigious competition
has been somewhat of a viscous rollercoaster.
It had been 41 years since the club’s only A-Grade senior
flag – a well-covered fact in the lead-up to last year’s
Strathmore Community Bank Premier Division
Grand Final.
Also discussed at length was the fact Aberfeldie had made
the Grand Final in 2013 and 2014 and fallen short by a
combined 16 points.
Arguably the Gorillas were favourites on both occasions.
And while Abers may have saluted in a canter in last year’s
September 12 decider to the tune of 76 points over its great
Section Road rival, that journey to realise the moment isn’t
lost on Larkins.
“I just wondered whether any playing group could really
withstand all those factors. The 19 and zip, the 41-year
history, the two losing Grand Finals and so on,” Larkins
said, overlooking the Windy Hill playing surface from the
EDFL’s new boardroom.
“I didn’t really enjoy the day that much, to tell you the truth.”
Despite fact he hasn’t seen his football club lose a senior
game in 18 months, Larkins is always mindful of the
pathway Aberfeldie took to a perfect season.
Always at the forefront of his mind is the three-peat of
season-ending finals losses that preceded September
12, 2015.
“Last year was much more a feeling of relief than
triumph,” he said.
“Because if you look at the two (Grand Final) losses, and
even the Marby loss (2012 First Semi-Final), it was a hell
of a learning curve for us.
“Marby smashed us. They really exposed us and they
were still a seriously good team coming off back-to-back
(flags) at that point.
“They threw everything at us. We were down by 42
points at one stage, almost got back to even terms late in
the last quarter, all that sort of stuff.
“It was a real rollercoaster game … a fabulous game.”
Then the rollercoaster continued.
“That Greenvale one (2013 Grand Final), we got stagefright
that day,” he said.
“We just weren’t as ready for it as a group even though
we’d won in the second semi.
“It was a different stage and a big stage.”
Abers took to that stage much better in 2014 but in
the dying stages of a Windy Hill classic, they couldn’t
penetrate a defiant gold and navy blue wall.
“That Strathmore loss… well I think it was 23 inside-50s
to six in the last quarter but we could not get in front. That
was agonising, that game,” Larkins recalled.
“Hitting the post, I can see Nick Cattapan hitting the post
even now.”
With all that “baggage” (as Larkins describes it) going into
a third successive Grand Final having not lost a single
game for the year, those wearing two shades of blue
were on a mission.
That was pretty clear from the first bounce.
Larkins’ EDFL journey began as a parent wanting to play
a role at his local footy club.
He slowly became more hands-on at Clifton Park
through the late 1990s and eventually went on to also sit
on the EDFL Rules Committee.
“I’ve learnt a hell of a lot,” Larkins said.
“I was pretty green when I started, I have to say.
“Our club was fined because I had the temerity to make
grog official on our hill at Aberfeldie and at that stage, at
least technically, the league rules didn’t allow that
to happen.
(Continued page 9)
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THE FOOTBALLER – The Essendon District Football League Record www.essendondfl.com.au