By Jordyn Grubisic
ROBBIE Fowler was elected president of Wallan District Cricket Club, WDCC, at its annual general meeting on May 24.
It will be his second time in the role.
A club life member, Fowler takes on the role from Sam Mahoney.
“It is an absolute honour to take leadership of our great club,” he said.
“The need for change was apparent and with my four boys keen to continue playing, the time was right for me to get involved on a bigger scale.
“It’s exciting. We have a whole new executive committee, and we have some intelligent, committed people prepared to run the club.”
Fowler’s premiership teammate Chris Vecchie was elected vice-president.
Brooke Matthewman, who has been instrumental in obtaining grants for the club’s various projects in the past two years, was elected secretary.
Fowler said the executive committee were ‘extremely dedicated’ to the club, and that greater community involvement and support were key goals during his presidency.
“I want to see the club continue to grow and foster the youth of the area playing our great game,” he said.
“With three grounds all available with decent facilities all within 500 metres of Greenhill Reserve, we have capacity to expand, and a fifth senior side for our club is a real possibility.
“I want to see more support and focus on our First XI McIntyre Cup side and target some decent cricketers who I have no doubt are out there living in the town, to come and join.
“I want to see coach Steve Bell supported more and some off-field pressure relieved from him.”
Fowler said he would also like to see more people be involved at club functions, particularly junior parents.
“I would love to see the community get involved in our great club and realise the benefits of sport, particularly the game of cricket,” he said.
Not just a skilled cricketer, Fowler played in Wallan Football Club’s last two senior premierships in 1989 and 1992. He was also captain-coach in 1999 and 2000.
His extensive cricket career demonstrates a love of the sport – playing every season at the club since 1981-82 where, as an 11-year-old, he won the under 12 premiership against a ‘far more fancied’ Sunbury team.
Aged 14, Fowler played his first A grade game in 1984-85, with some senior members of that era remaining his close friends.
“Many of the older guys who were my dad’s vintage became really close mates – Ron Payne, Ron Coustley and fellow current player and club legend Bryan Bingham to name a few,” he said.
“Definitely the friendships born out of our club keep you coming back.
“The cricket club has been a massive part of my life and I’m sure it will continue.”
Fowler’s friends extend throughout the Gisborne and District Cricket Association, GDCA, not just through facing them as opposition but also through representing the GDCA in 18 Country Week Cricket Carnivals in Ballarat, Bendigo and in the 1998 premiership-winning side Melbourne Country Week.
During his Country Week campaigns, he was a part of five titles.
Throughout Fowler’s extensive career, standout moments include winning the McIntyre Cup in 2002-03 led by president Mark LeBusque and coach David Whewell, winning premierships in the 1990-91 and 2017-18 seasons, and leading the Third XI to a flag in 2020-21.
Two trips with the Centurions attending the Lords Test, which coincided with the Ashes in 1997 and 2001, are also highlights of Fowler’s sporting career.
“The last First XI flag for the club in 2017-18 was a great memory,” he said.
“I felt my form really slide through that season. I was 48, but felt I was still captaining okay.
“The support of the playing group was phenomenal and in an amazing finish to the final, gun bowlers Brenton Hanson and Scott Gilchrist claimed five wickets apiece as St Anthonys lost 10 for 21 after being 0/50 at the tea break.’
Fowler is looking forward to attending day one of the Lords Ashes Test with three of his sons, as well as Bryan Bingham and his son Andrew – the new treasurer for this season.