Season 2015, the 25th season in the Club’s history was one of both ups and downs, but quite possibly one of the most exciting seasons in years and by player numbers, certainly the biggest with 112 registered members. It showcased characteristics that Barker is well known for, great spirit, courage and determination. The highlight was no doubt the Premier League Squad’s survival in the top flight and the creation of the building blocks that are now in place to climb that ladder even further in 2016. Some mixed results in the other divisions, but some outstanding performances nonetheless.
For Season 2016, the Club will hope to have 2 Teams in Premier League, 2 teams in Division 5, 2 teams in Division 6 and 1 Women’s All Age team competing in Division 3.
Women’s Division 3
Coming off a fantastic 2nd place and promotion from Division 4 last season the Women were keen to build on that success in 2015. Initial player numbers were lower than expected, but some early season recruiting helped bolster the team. Unfortunately due to a number of injuries and other factors, on occasions, it was difficult to field a full strength team. Nonetheless the women performed remarkably and the stats speak for themselves. 14 regular matches played, 8 wins, 3 draws, 3 losses, scoring 23 goals and only conceding 15. They finished 3rd, a remarkable effort for a team that on occasions did not field a full team. Certainly one of the highlights for me was watching them dominated a game against a full strength North Sydney team away from home with only 8 players on the pitch for the final 30 minutes and managing an amazing 1-1 draw. We should be looking to add to their playing stocks and strengthen the team further before aiming for further promotion to Division 2 in 2017.
Division 6
2014’s Division 7 team returned to make up the 2015 Division 6 First Grade team after some further interest from recent Barker leavers meant that a Division 6 Reserve Grade team would also be formed. A total of 30 players made up the Division and what a successful season it was for all of them. Reserve Grade overseen by newcomer Joey Meynink had a dream run and finished 2nd on a very competitive ladder, winning 10 matches, drawing 4 and only losing 1. They scored a remarkable 51 goals and conceded only 12. First grade, again led by the always reliabel James Hepworth, were so very close in gaining promotion to Division 5. They finished 3rd by a single point with 13 wins 1 draw and 3 losses, scoring 72 goals and conceding 32. However, some conversations I have had seem to indicate that St Ives, who finished in the top 2 in Division 6 this year, are not so keen on promotion which may open the door for our very deserving squad to compete in Division 5 next year. Stay tuned!
Division 5
Ultimately a disappointing year for the Club’s Division 5 squad. After a promising start, a large number of injuries and lack of available players mid-to-late season took their toll. Reserve Grade fought well throughout the season and finished in a respectable 4th, winning 9 games, drawing 2 and losing 7. Unfortunately due to a severe lack of player numbers this season, First Grade struggled tremendously. On the odd occasion a full team was fielded, the boys performed remarkably and showed their true potential. Unfortunately a full team was a very rare occurrence and ultimately this player shortage led to a last place finish in the competition and relegation to Division 6 for
2016 where the rebuilding phase begins. Player recruitment for this squad is the single most important task the Club faces in the lead up to 2016 and must be prioritised to ensure the strength and viability of the Club moving forward.
Premier League
Competing in the Premier League for the first time since 1997, it was always going to be a difficult season for the squad, filled with unparalleled challenges and many learning experiences. Without a dedicated coach, but with strong support and technical input from a number of players, the first half of the season showed everyone the potential that both teams had. Unfortunately the final score lines didn’t fall our way. The recruitment of Jim Harte was the turning point and once Jim had had the opportunity to analyse the squad his input was invaluable.
The second half of the season saw a dramatic turnaround in results. In the end, Reserve Grade had won 6 matches, drew 2 and lost 10 and First Grade avoided the drop with a remarkable string of outstanding victories throughout the final few weeks of the competition. They ended up winning 5 matches, drawing 2 and losing 11. One of those wins was on the last day of the season where only victory would assure their safety in the Premier League and sure enough, a comprehensive, dominant display against North Sydney resulted in a 2-0 victory to OBFC.
Social
From a social perspective it was a very active year. A new sponsorship arrangement with the Kirribilli Hotel saw a number of successful ‘Player of the Month’ functions occur throughout the season. The End of Season Function that was held at the Billi and was attended by approximately 60 people, the largest end of season event the Club has ever experienced. This function I believe is something the Committee can continue to work towards improving. The location works well and numbers are strong, but other initiatives including additional awards, Life Members and guest speakers could be looked at for future years.
The End of Season Tour was again a highlight with an enjoyable trip to a new destination, Wollongong. Highlights included ‘special’ karaoke, Wollongong races (with best dressed awarded to none other than the President himself, Victor White’s ‘run in with the law’ and strong OBFC Committee ‘representations’.
2016
Looking forward to the 2016 season and beyond, there are a number of initiatives that I would like to investigate further that I believe could be adopted/initiated by the Club. Some of these initiatives that need to be discussed in further detail include;
A second Women’s All Age Team
The idea is for this particular team to compete in either Division 2 or Division 1 in the NSFA Women’s All Age Competition thereby providing two options for women interested in joining the club; 1) A social (Division 3) experience with the current team OR 2) A more competitive competition environment with more experienced players.
An Over-35s Team
Many years ago, BOBSFC had an Over-35s team that competed in the KDSA competition. The brainchild of current player, Lach Molony, it is envisaged that we re-establish such a team to provide an experience tailored to the older members of the Club especially given the high intensity and very young average age of the competition we currently take part in with our Premier League, Division 5 and 6 squads.
Development and expansion of the Club’s current sponsorship agreement with the Kirribilli Hotel.
2015 saw the initiation of an intended long term relationship and sponsorship agreement with Kirribilli Hotel. In seeking a renegotiated deal, the Club would aim to express its desire for a similar, if not slightly greater financial return from the Hotel. The Club would then continue to hold numerous functions at the Hotel and advertise Hotel related events via the BOBSFC website and Facebook Page.
Back to Barker Day, 2016 and beyond.
In 2016, Back to Barker Day will be held on Saturday the 9th of July. In previous years the day, in my opinion has failed to fulfil its potential, with teams simply turning up on the day, playing their matches and then returning home. There is no real engagement with the Barker Community apart from the use of grounds. Rosewood now has a new pavilion and function space. I propose that for Back to Barker Day in 2016 we investigate the option of formalising this as either a Ladies Day or Charity Day or a combination of both. We should work closely with the Old Boys Rugby Club and investigate ways in which we can work with them to enhance the experience for all involved, possibly culminating in a function up in the new pavilion in Rosewood.
In conclusion, 2015 was one of the most successful year for the Club and I have to name thank the members of the Management Committee for all of the work they’ve done this year. Andrew Wiadrowski, Matthew Vickers, Chris Chong, Matthew Robinson, Andrew Taylor; thank you! A huge thank you must also go to Eva Akopian, Victor White and Jim Harte for all of the tremendously hard work they have done over the course of the year. Finally, I have to thank every other member of the Club for simply making OBFC a great footballing community to be a part of. I look forward to the challenges that 2016 will bring including the fantastic opportunity for us to climb our way up the Premier League ladder! I hope that the success of the Club continues to grow all the while maintaining the great culture that already exists within it.
Peter Gregory
President – Barker Old Boys Football Club