Club celebrates legend

Stawell Football Netball Club has elevated former champion player and coach Tony Beck to ‘club legend’ status.

The Warriors used a 1987 premiership reunion at Stawell’s Central Park on Saturday to present Beck, 59, already a club life member, with the accolade.

Beck accepted the honour in the presence of his wife Mary-anne, daughters Hannah and Georgia and former Stawell team-mates, associates and guests.

Fellow 1987 Stawell premiership player Liam Pickering, who forged an AFL career with North Melbourne and Geelong and is now a media personality and player manager, was among guests at the reunion. He presented the award to Beck.

Beck played with the then Redlegs in 1976, from 1978 to ’87 and ’91 to ’93, accumulating 265 games in the red and black. He also represented Wimmera league 23 times and played in four Victorian championship games. He coached Stawell in ’86 and ’87. Beck also won Stawell senior best and fairest awards in 1980, ’83 and ’85 and remains Wimmera league’s most decorated individual player with five Toohey Medals won in ’80, ’81, ’83, ’86 and ’87. He was runner-up for the Toohey in ’84 and ’85.

Beck moved away from Stawell about 20 years ago and during his acceptance speech spoke about his battles with mental illness as well as his experiences in trying to be the best player he could be in football.

Beck was one of many former players and their families to gather for the reunion hosted by former coach Murray Emerson.