After the bombing
Kingsley by Cam Palmer
Outside of the Second World War years during the late 1930’s and 1940’s, in 100 years of Perth Football League history, no club has had to overcome the adversity faced by the Kingsley Football Club late in 2002, leading into the 2003 season.
After playing off in both the ‘E Grade’ and ‘E Reserves Grade’ Grand Finals of 2002, winning the Reserves but losing the league, a group of 20 young men from the Kingsley Football Club travelled to Bali for an end of season trip. Sadly, seven of those young men would not return alive.
The Kingsley Football Club would be one of the public faces of the tragic Bali Bombing terrorist attacks that occurred on October 12, 2002, killing 202 people. It was an unimaginable tragedy that shocked the world.
What happened following the tragedy though, speaks to the true importance of a community footy club. The part of a club that is not about the footy, but the people who make up the club.
Showing the comradery that defines footy clubs, the returning survivors made an early vow to honour their teammates and friends. As they arrived back in Perth and those survivors were greeted by families and a community, the outpouring of emotion grew into something that embodies community spirit.
In a candlelight vigil held 10 days after the tragedy, over 10,000 people attended, offering support to the grieving families.
Out of this event and subsequent fundraising efforts, through the generosity of its own community and the wider population across Perth and Western Australia, the Kingsley Football Club was able to complete a project that was about honouring their seven mates. An expanded clubroom was built, with the seven fallen players honoured.
The club and community continued to come together over the next 12 months, as the usual events of a football club’s calendar became emotional filled events for all those associated with the Kingsley Football Club. Throughout all these events, it was a club and community that stuck together. It was people linked by a footy club that were getting through an incredibly traumatic experience together.
Remarkably as the 2003 Perth Football League season progressed, Kingsley as they had done in 2002, continued to win footy games. In both the league and reserves, they competed with spirit week in, week out and remained towards the top of the ladder all season. The Kingsley Reserves would win the minor premiership and the Kingsley League side would finish second at the end of the home and away season.
Winning through to two Grand finals, less than 12 months on from the tragic event, speaks to something more than the game. Despite everything the club had been through, they were still fighting together.
Nearly 20 years on from one of the most tragic events to face a Perth Football League club, the strength in community that the Kingsley Football Club showed, is testament to what every club means to the people who make our clubs great.
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