Forget the scoreboard
Manning Ripper’s Craig Mulder speaks to Chris Egan
They say the sign of a good community club, is how they can still come together regardless of the scoreboard and arguably no club in the Perth Football League has been overcome the scoreboard better than the Manning Rippers.
Having commenced as a community club in 1986, the early days of Manning were unfortunately built around losses. Big losses. At the height of their losing period, across a four season stretch, the club did not win a game, slumping to 70 consecutive losses.
Rather than be concerned with the on-field results, the key people behind Manning made sure that they, and everyone who joined the club, understood the true strength in community clubs, bringing people together.
It was a motto and spirit that current Club President Craig Mulder experienced from the first moment he walked in the door.
“When I walked in those 12 to 14 bunch of guys had been battling adversity for two years, hadn’t won a game for two years, average losing margin was over 20 goals,” Mulder said.
“But you could just see they were enjoying themselves, regardless win, lose or draw, of the score, they were just a good bunch of guys that took me in, were happy to be playing footy together and have a couple of beers afterwards at the end of the day.”
Things have improved for Manning from those tough early days, as after merging with Bankwest Football Club in the 1990’s, the club went on to experience success over the next decade, twice winning promotion to ‘C Grade’ football. The second time they won promotion came as both the Manning Rippers League and Reserves sides claimed memorable first premierships for the club.
Despite gaining some success, the committee of Manning Rippers and those who had seen the tough early days, recognised the need to stay loyal to their roots and never lose the importance of being a community club.
“Being a small community club it’s often hard to get players and get the same players hanging around,” Mulder said.
They key part of overcoming player retention issues as well as promoting the importance of community football, has been a stronger affiliation with the former Manning Juniors. Now as one club, playing under the banner of Manning Rippers with the same jumpers, the club is on a progressive pathway.
“It was natural to go okay, we are in the same club rooms, we’re branded the same, we’re wearing the same jumper, there’s no reason for their being a junior club and a senior club, we should just be the one club,” Mulder said.
“We’ve managed to see a lot of kids come through from Year 3, Year 4, and now we see those kids come through into our Colts program.”
With forward thinking attitudes like this, as one club, the scoreboard should take care of itself for Manning Rippers.
