The local footy club with historic links to the Lions that became a Brisbane breeding ground

For those looking for omens in the lead up to Saturday’s AFL premiership decider, a team wearing Sydney’s livery in a one-point grand final win at Warrnambool’s Reid Oval on the weekend probably isn’t it. The South Warrnambool Roosters are very much birds of a different feather to the Sydney Swans – while they may wear the red and white, they are a part of the fabric of Fitzroy and, by extension, the Brisbane Lions.

One of the club’s early coaches was Fred Hughson, who moved to South Warrnambool after a 164-game career with Fitzroy that included captain-coaching the 1944 VFL premiership. On leaving Fitzroy, Hughson took a role with the Victorian Police Force in Warrnambool and found a home at the South Warrnambool Football Club. He immediately formed a strong connection with the Roosters, parlaying it into three sons who also played for the club.

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One of those sons is Gary Hughson. Those who watched him play describe a preternatural talent who, were it not for concussions and an aversion to city life, would have been a very good VFL footballer. Gary fathered four girls, all of whom played netball for the club, and two of who married South Warrnambool footballers.

One of those daughters is Kathryn Ljubic, who maintains an involvement with both the Roosters and Lions. “There’s been so many players that have played for both clubs,” Ljubic says, citing a host of names, including Darren Bolden who played two games for Fitzroy in 1986.

The Hughson connection between the two clubs was also fortified through the club’s alignment with Fitzroy as part of the VFL’s country zoning between 1968 and 1986. One of the first players to be drafted under this arrangement was a slight 6ft 1in wingman, Alan Thompson.

“I was lucky enough to win the under-18 best and fairest in 1968 and then played seniors the following year while working as an apprentice electrician,” says Thompson. “So, they were coming down to watch, and that sort of determined where my future lay. Although Jack O’Rourke, who played at South Warrnambool was keen to get me across to Richmond.”

Thompson’s first of what would be 138 games was more than auspicious, kicking two goals in the league’s first-ever Sunday match, played in front of Queen Elizabeth II as part of the Royal Family’s visit to Victoria.

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“When I look back on it know, it was pretty scary,” Thompson says. “I went to Glenferrie Oval and watched Hawthorn play the day before and I said to my brother ‘Jesus, I don’t think I’m good enough to play this’. The next day I run onto the ground, it was a live telecast and a big crowd playing the reigning premiers and it just seemed to happen. I remember being out of breath by quarter-time. It was so quick and fast.”

After that, he says it just sort of fell into his arms. “I had no fear at that stage, and nobody knew much about me which was important. Richmond probably thought this kid is in his first game and we won’t pay him much attention… although later in the year I got plenty of attention.”

It is by paying attention though, that has earned the humble Thompson a reputation as one of the finest people in football. Five years ago, Thompson retired after a 37-year stint as the Hampden region development officer, where he has been influential in talent identification programs that have played a part in developing some of the region’s best footballers, such as Luke Hodge, Scott Lucas, Chris Heffernan and Jordan Lewis.

And then there are another couple, who like Thompson, have represented both the Roosters and the Lions – Jonathan Brown and Hugh McCluggage.

Brown played senior football with South Warrnambool as a 15-year-old before finding his way to the Lions through the father-son rule. His father, Brian, played 52 games for Fitzroy between 1976 and 1981 – a mere two games clear of the father-son requirement at the time.

“I didn’t have a huge amount to do with Jonathan’s career, he was always very talented, it was my job to get those kids into the right squads,” says Thompson. “He was a big lanky kid when he was young, and clearly went on to be a superstar.”

Thompson’s connection to McCluggage, a key player for Brisbane in Saturday’s clash with the Swans, goes back to getting his dad, Sam, a trial at St Kilda after John Beveridge (Luke’s father) was looking for players. Sam showed a lot of the traits that his son would show years later, although initially Hugh would understate his talent.

“He was a shy country kid who wanted to stay at home and play a bit of cricket and footy,” says Thompson. “He said to his mum and dad that he didn’t think he was good enough to make our under-16 squad, so we didn’t get him in. And then he came in the following year with the Ballarat Rebels, played a couple of practice games and they said, ‘look this kid’s a superstar!’”

This week, McCluggage will not be able to help but be reminded of the Lions’ connection to South Warrnambool that began close to 9o years ago with Fred Hughson.

Last month, the Hughson family were guests of Brisbane on a tour of the Lions’ new training complex. “It was incredible,” says Ljubic. “We had heard there was a Fred Hughson Room, and I was thinking it would just be a tiny thing, but it is the midfielders’ room.”

No small honour (or irony) for the man who was both Fitzroy’s goalkicker in 1938 and full-back in its team of the century. “But then we went into the locker room and it was great to see that special South Warrnambool connection, with Hugh wearing the same number as grandad, and sharing his name on the locker.”

Eighty-years on, McCluggage will also be hoping to add premiership player to the things the two men share.