CLUB HISTORY

Written by;
Allan`Rocky`Hardstone
Club Historian/Photographer/Senior web-page scribe & facilitator

Frankston YCW Football Club
Mornington Peninsula and Nepean Football League
Founded 1957
`The Stonecats'
Premiership sides
#Seniors. 1968, 1974, 1975,1989,1991,1992,1993,1997,2003
# Reserves. 1973, 1976, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2004
# U/Age. 1974, 1976, 1977,1978,1979,1988,1996,1999,2005
VFL/AFL Players
#Paul Johnson, Melbourne;
# Geoff White, Fremantle, Melbourne;
#Greg Lane, St Kilda;
#Michael McCarthy, Hawthorn, Brisbane;
#Matthew Wall, Richmond;
# Grant Thomas, St.Kilda , North Melbourne;
#Robert Mace, St Kilda, Brisbane;

Club History and Successes
The first Frankston YCW Football Club teams were formed as junior sides and joined the YCW National Football Association (Victoria) in 1957.
It was not until 1967 that a senior (over age) side was entered in to this Competition, playing in what was the B Grade South Division of the Victorian Competition
In 1968 it won the YCW National Football Association Vic, B Grade Divisional Premiership and was promoted to A grade Division.
In 1970 the club joined the Nepean Football League and had almost immediate success winning the 1974 and 1975 flags and being runner up in 1976, 1979.
In 1987 the Nepean Football League amalgamated with the Mornington Peninsula Football League to form the Mornington Nepean Football League with Frankston YCW being placed in the 2nd Division of the competition.........
Another run of success in this League saw the Club win the 1989 premiership in this division having been runners up the previous year in the MPNFL.
The 1989 success saw the clubs promotion to the 1st division of the MPNFL
Success in the higher division was again almost immediate with premierships in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997, 2003 and runner-up in 1994, 2005 and 2007.

Legendary Players, Legendary Days
One of the defining moments in this clubs history, and of this clubs success in the 90`s, can be attributed to the coming of age of a group of junior players who all played their first senior games in 1986/87. All starting within one season of each other, these players formed the nucleus of the senior side which was to take all before it in the 90`s and early 2000`s
These players, who could be called legends, if such a thing exists, went on to be the most decorated in the clubs history and included;
Brendan Long, with 300 games, 8 club B &Fs, 5 Premiership's,
#Mark Berenger, a record 312 games, 6 Premiership's, club B& F, and 34 finals games!!
#Paul Theobald, twice league and twice club B & F, 264 games and 5 Premiership's
#Joseph Lane, league and club B & F, 258 games and 5 premiership's
#Damien Hardstone, 207 games, 3 premiership's, club senior & reserve B& F`s, coach of 3 club reserve grade premiership sides
All the above were multiple League representatives
Paul has been on the Selection panel for a number of years, Brendon and Mark only retired in 2007, although Mark has been a Committeeman for many years. Damian went on to coach another Club on his retirement in 2004 after having had great success, coaching our Reserve and Junior teams
There are other legend's....from other eras, including the great Lloyd `Bomber` Brown, 260 games, 4 premiership medals, Ewan Cole, 201games, and 3 premiership's from the 70`s...... Paul Willis, 5 time leading League goal-kicker and Peter Hamilton, twice league B & F from the 60`s, who are also entitled to the highest individual accolades, but perhaps the five legendary players who started playing the game together in 86/87, say it best in creating their very own legends within a legend..

Off field Legends
A non playing legend of the Club is most definitely Graham`Josh` Kendall, who on the football field played over 180 games with Dandenong and Frankston Dolphins VFA sides, coaching the Dolphins to a grand final in 1983.
In 1991, he was appointed coach of YCW, immediately taking the side to a premiership in that year and repeating the dose in1992 and1993. Over his 3 years as coach the side proved invincible winning 3 premierships's on the trot with 50 wins and only 11 losses, an amazing win rate of 82%. His final year was marked by the Australian Football Coaches Association awarding him the accolade of 1993 Senior Coach of the Year. In 1994 he was reappointed Coach of the Dolphins, again making the final 4 in 1994/95, but returned to YCW in 1997, to immediately win the coveted MPNFL flag He retired in 1999 with 4 flags having coached 118 games for 80 wins...A Legend!!!

The Future.
The new millennium has seen continued success for the club in this League with another premiership in 2003 and runners-up medallions in 2005 and 2007 The Club, which now has over 1,000 members, will face 2008 with confidence, fielding senior and reserves sides as well as two under 18 teams with over 120 players in the MPNFL competition.
The Club will also field 9 junior sides, with over 200 children participating in the Frankston and District Junior Football League and providing the breeding ground for the Clubs senior players of the future.
The YCW Football club will this year celebrate it,s 50th anniversary, and as part of the festivities we will be unveiling a major publication on the history of the club.... Hope to see you there!!