Country WA football club travels 3,300km to honour mate with pre-season game

Two football teams from country towns on opposite sides of Australia have faced off in Victoria to honour a late mate who belonged to both clubs.

Over the weekend, the Kalannie Bulldogs from the Central Wheatbelt Football League in Western Australia made the 3,300-kilometre journey to face the Bannockburn Tigers from the Geelong and District Football League.

Kalannie is a small town in WA's Wheatbelt region, about 260km north-east of Perth, while Bannockburn is half an hour west of Geelong.

A 100-strong contingent of Bulldog players and supporters made the journey — almost two thirds of the town's population, which is 147 according to the 2021 census.

A sizeable crowd from Bannockburn came out to meet the Kalannie supporters. (ABC Geelong: Natasha Schapova)

Despite being named the premiers of the Central Wheatbelt Football League last year, senior coach Matt Murray said the Bulldogs went into the game expecting a "David and Goliath" battle.

"We're coming in as underdogs," he said.

" I've got close friends that are helping out, and previous players. I'm tipping us by five points. "

Mr Murray admitted the team had taken a relaxed approach to the friendly game, making the trip as an opportunity to share some drinks with their Victorian rivals.

"We've had a few beers and enjoyed this trip as well, so the lead up to the game isn't technically what we normally would do in the lead up to a season match," he said.

Each team spent time in front throughout the Saturday evening game, before the Bulldogs kicked some late goals to secure a 8.9 (57) to 6.10(46) win.

However, members of both clubs agree that "winning" was not the point of the match.

Senior coach Matt Murray says Kalannie went into the game against Bannockburn as underdogs. (ABC Geelong: Natasha Schapova)

A special connection

Former Kalannie football club president Garry Crossman explained the two clubs shared a connection going back three decades.

"Back in the 90s … a group of lads came over from Bannockburn to work on local farms in the area of Kalannie," Mr Crossman said.

"Right at that time the footy club had just come out of recession and was looking to get back into the comp and was struggling for numbers.

"The lads were all reasonably handy football players and joined up with the club … they came for a year and stayed for 10.

" At that time, just by virtue of having those four or five lads, it kind of saved our footy club and brought us through to where we are today. "

Ryan Ekert and DJ Acres celebrate Kalannie's 2024 premiership win in the Central Wheatbelt Football League. (Supplied: Dani McCreery)

One of the original Bannockburn players who went to WA in 1993 was Jack Satchell, who passed away last year aged 53.

Bannockburn coach Ronnie Pilgrim said the idea for the weekend's footy game came during a visit to Bannockburn by some Kalannie members after Mr Satchell's death.

"This game has kind of been a result of that friendship and Jack's passing kind of brought the opportunity for us to play," he said.

"We had a couple of the lads from WA come over … last year and watch one of our games.

"It started off with a bit of banter … Doug said they'd win and we said we'd win and it sort of snow balled from there, so the WA boys thought, 'Bugger it, let's come over and see who wins.'"

Ronnie Pilgrim says the idea for the game came about after Kalannie players visited Bannockburn following a mate's passing. (ABC Geelong: Natasha Schapova)

Catch-up 'with lifelong friends'

Mr Pilgrim said it was "no mean feat" for the WA team to make the trip and he hoped Bannockburn could visit the tiny town of Kalannie in the future.

"I think with Kalannie making the effort … we'd be pretty keen to look at that in the future," he said.

Nigel Trezise, who was one of Mr Satchell's close friends, returned to Bannockburn after spending what he described as "the best era of his life" in Kalannie.

The Bannockburn Tigers offered their hospitality to the Kalannie Bulldogs at the weekend. (ABC Geelong: Natasha Schapova)

Looking around on Saturday night, Mr Trezise said there were many familiar faces from his days in Kalannie.

"As soon as you see their faces, you're like, 'I know who that is,'" he said.

"It's been so good, the last three days, catching up with lifelong friends."

Mr Trezise said he was sure Mr Satchell was there in spirit.

"He'd love this, he'd be in his element," he said.

"I'm sure he's here watching over us."

Click here to read article