History fills void for Pratts
By Nathan Weatherhead
Football clubs are often the heartbeat of many local communities and one family that knows that to a T, is the Pratt family.
Adrian (Adie as he’s more commonly known) and Val Pratt have been avid supporters of Ellinbank Football and Netball club since they can remember. This EDFL season would have seen milestones for them, with Adie celebrating 75 storied years with the Eagles, and Val 70.
Adie grew up a dairy farmer and began milking when he was just four and a half. He pulled on the boots for his local side Ellinbank and in 1946, they won the first flag after the war, but he doesn’t remember if he played or not.
“I remember that year we won the flag and all qualified players got a pennant, so I don’t think I played four games that year. I can’t really remember much of the games I played other than the 1953 grand final,”
Over his career though, Adie played in three premierships in 1953, ’54 and ‘55 and despite dealing with vision issues since he was five, played many positions across the ground.
“I did play a lot, but I don’t think I was any good in any of the positions,” he said with his trademark smile.
During the early days the match began 2pm, with no juniors or reserves playing until the late 1950s.
“You went to the footy and then went to the dance at night, that’s just what we did” Adie said. “The hall was always full after home games. You’d go home and milk your cows then come back at night,” Val added.
Despite being 91 and by his own admission, starting to slow down, Adie’s mind is still as sharp as a tack, able to rattle off players names and numbers from the early days with ease.
He has kept a record of every player who has taken to the field for Ellinbank across the past 40 years, often filling the kitchen table with books full of names, numbers and statistics, pouring over them, which draws a smile and a loving shake of the head from Val.
“He’s always been into statistics,” she laughed. “Keeping records, numbers, the whole lot, we have heaps of books and other memorabilia.”
While both have been avid supporters, they’ve also taken on their fair share to help the club.
Val remembers spending many of her volunteering days in the canteen, looking after the players, umpires and timekeepers alike, while Adie held the position of secretary from 19491951, then again from 1964-1968. He was also treasurer for 17 years, as well as spending almost 20 years on the gate.
“You wouldn’t do it if you didn’t love it. I remember one day I got a call that the chap who was going to run the boundary wasn’t showing up, so I did that too in the end,” he laughed.
The pair was heavily involved in the field days at Ellinbank, which helped raise funds for the football club, while Val also helped cater for weddings and other events held in the hall.
In 1974, Adie also had the opportunity to play in the seconds with his son Bruce, the first time a father and son had been on the same team sheet. Bruce went on to play many games for the club, with his son Michael also continuing the family tradition, pulling on the boots for the Eagles.
There have been 34 players with the surname Pratt that have played for Ellinbank, including all five of Adie and Val’s children, Rhonda, Sheryl, Bruce, Alison and Lynda.
The last time Ellinbank tasted senior premiership success was 1995, a team that contained six Pratts, which Adie said has been one of the longest droughts for the club.
Remembering fond memories while pouring through the couple’s record books, one that stood out was the noise after each team victory.
“You used to be next to the old changerooms and there was a tin in the middle, they used to bang and crash that and make a lot of noise, but you knew it was a win if that happened,” Val said.
When asked about who the best player to grace the Ellinbank ground, Adie responded with a wry smile.
“I think I would only start an argument,” he chuckled. “I did really enjoy watching Tom Wallace, as well as Alec and Arthur Winterton in the 50s, Laurie Morley as well, and of course our own bloke Bruce, we better put him in,” he laughed.
2020 is the first season that both Adie and Val have been forced to forgo their muchloved pastime, with the EDFL season cancelled on June 31 due to the coronavirus pandemic. It’s the first time the couple won’t be attending a football game during a season in almost 70 years.
“We have gone away a few times, overseas, but other than that, we haven’t missed many games really in that time,” Val said. “As we’ve gotten a little older, we haven’t gone to as many away games like at Nyora or Poowong, but we have still been able to get along to some at Darnum, Yarragon and Buln,” Val added.
They both finished up their volunteering duties with the club at the end of 2015 but were sure to remain loyal and devoted to their adored Eagles side and have been acknowledged far and wide.
Adie was awarded a 50 years’ service badge to the VCFL, a 50 years’ continuous service to the Ellinbank club in 1996 and a 50 years’ voluntary service medallion by the AFL in 2002, to go alongside his life membership at both the club and the EDFL league. Val has also been awarded life membership at Ellinbank and received a 50 years’ voluntary service medallion from the AFL as well.
The club has also honoured the long serving Pratt family by giving them a reserved parking spot next to the coaches’ box, so they can both take in the games from the comfort of their car.
“I’m just proud to be a member full stop. I’ve been there since 1946, and I became a life member in 1973 and I was proud to be named a league life member in 2009 as well,” Adie said.
While hard work and dedication has been the key for the couple, Adie did touch on one lucky number he keeps close.
“My lucky number is four. I wore four when I played, and it stands for four things in our life. Family, farm, football and garden,” Adie said.
Now, at 91, Adie has started to slow down, with the colder days preventing him from attending some games after trouble with his hip.
That hasn’t stopped him from setting his next goal however, to make it to he and Val’s 70th wedding anniversary on November 4 this year, which he is counting the days to.
“We do hope to see footy again next year, but Adie is wanting to make it to our 70th wedding anniversary mostly. Life is what you make of it isn’t it and we think we’ve had a good one,” Val said. “The club has certainly been an enormous part of our lives that’s for sure,” she added.