Stawell Warriors to hold premiership reunion day on Saturday, July 23

The event will celebrate the 1980, 1981 and 1982 senior premierships as well as the 1984 premiership side.

Reunion organiser Marc Brilliant said the celebration would be a "fantastic day" on the club social calendar.

"It will be great to see players who haven't been back to Stawell since that era," he said.

Past player Kevin Rickard said it was "definitely great times" and he couldn't wait to reminisce.

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"We have had a great response, though there were a few that couldn't make it," he said. "I think that shows the great standard at which the club was run back then with regards to the social side of things. We are a very close-knit family club and we all got on very well and I think that was why we were so successful."

The Warriors Football Club won its first premiership in 1978 under Kevin McKadie after enduring many bleak years.

Ernie Brilliant was appointed coach in 1980 and led the club to three successive premierships, the club was forced to win the premiership the hard way through the final series each year and was perceived as the underdog in all three grand finals.

Mr Rickard said the team had a "fairly talented side".

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"We had a good balance of youth and experience," he said.

"We had a good committee, a good side, and a good following."

Rickard said with the premiership reunion fast approaching, the club's supporters were as hungry as ever for another flag.

"We have always had a high standard of being successful, that was instilled by a lot of the players they drove for success and I hope that contcontinuesinue into the modern day," he said.

The Warriors defeated Caleys in 1980, and in 1981-82 they defeated St Mary's. In 1983 the club was defeated by Great Western and defeated the Miners in 1984.

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The Warriors Football Club and Stawell football club merged prior to the 1999 football season.

During the successful period, the club had a number of amazing players who pulled on the Stawell jumper, with one standout being Bill Vanderwall.

Vanderwall managed to kick over 80 goals in all three premiership seasons including 100 goals in 1981.

Also playing at that time was young Craig "Shorty" Evans who was recruited out of the juniors to play with the Warriors.

Evans was recruited to the Geelong Football Club and also played for the Brisbane Bears in their inaugural season.

Proceedings begin at 1:30pm with the past players and committee to meet to watch the current Stawell senior side take on Dimboola with afternoon tea available for those in attendance.

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