1964

After winning the 1963 Premiership and the subsequent promotion to A1 Tom Hill was elected President and Jim Dimitri was appointed Coach of both A’s and B’s. John Svigos was Captain of the B Grade. With the continuing growth and success, the Clubs competitiveness amongst the players for selection was evident.

Transportation was always scarce and whoever had a car or ute was always in demand on Saturday mornings. A lot of players met at Bambacas’s shop in Sturt Street and it was a common sight to see the Tom Melios Ford Customline ute roll up to a game carrying half the team.

The season began on a winning note when the Greeks defeated the newly promoted Adelaide Congress Hall but soon found A1 competition much tougher than A2 and lost a number of early games.  As the year progressed the team improved to finish second at the end of the minor round.  The B Grade had played well throughout the year and finished minor Premiers.

In the second semi final Greeks met Allenby Gardens who had won the previous two encounters during the year.  The game was hard fought with the Greeks running out winners 10-13 to 8-12.

Goalkickers were H Schoppe 4, E Lavrentiadis 2, G Franti 2, M Mulvahill 1, R Flavel 1 and T Hadgecostas 1.

Also on that day the B’s played Mitcham Methodist and won easily 10-10 to 5-5. So in the Clubs first year in A1 competition both teams were to play off in their respective Grand Finals. – AN AMAZING FEAT !!!!!

On the 17th September at Richmond Oval, the B team met Adelaide Congress in the curtain raiser and in a close game Greeks won 8-7 to 6-8.  

Goal kickers were S Zissopolos 3, G Pallaras 2, L Cominos 1 and N Mourcella 1.

Jim Dimitri won the toss at the start of the A Grade Final and elected to kick with a slight breeze towards the northern end. Allenby Gardens led most of the day in a low scoring game and at three quarter time led 5-6 to 2-4. During the break, a change was forced to be made because Don Flavell had to leave to attend his brother’s wedding and was replaced by Tony Hadgecostas.

The situation was hopeless ……… the wind had strengthened to a 4-5 goal advantage for Allenby Gardens and the stage was set for them to win their seventh consecutive Grand Final. Early in the last quarter replacement player Tony Hadgecostas kicked a running goal with his first kick of the game and the whole side lifted.  Slowly the Greeks pegged back Allenby’s advantage and with only seconds remaining Nick Nicholas (who was not renowned for his handballing) shot a perfect “miss-kick pass” to Nick Protapapa who steadied and kicked a magnificent running goal to clinch the flag for the Club. Final scores were 5-8 to 5-6.

Goalkickers were N Protapapa 1, T Hadgecostas 1, E Lavrentiadis 1, H Schoppe 1, and G Christopoulos 1.

An interesting statistic of the game was that ruckman Tom Frossinakis who was resting at full forward took 10 marks and kicked 5 behinds.

During the celebrations that night at the Centralia Hotel Ron Flavell phoned to find out how much the team had lost by. When told that the Greeks had won he refused to believe it and it wasn’t until he read the morning paper the next day that he was finally convinced. 

Bob Rigoni won his second successive Best and Fairest in A Grade.

1964 was a magnificent year for the Club …… both sides winning the flag in their first year in A1 and the excitement of the Grand Final was such that it is still talked about by the past players and supporters.

FOOTNOTE:  As the years have gone by at least 10 players have claimed fame to being the one to pass to Nick Protopappa.!!!!!!

No time to celebrate as the following week the Greek Orthodox Football Club A1 Premiers were to play Queenstown Church of Christ A 2 Premiers, at Allenby Gardens oval for the “Stanley Shield Challenge”.

Unaware of the prestige in the event the Greeks took a casual approach towards the game fielding an understrength side (approximately 6 B Graders were included) eventually losing in the dying minutes of the game.

Ironically, Nick Protopappa (hero from the Grand Final win the previous week) now became the villain by missing the goal in the dying minutes which would have clinched the game!!!!

On viewing the magnificent Shield the Club realized that they should have approached the game more seriously.

Well done Queenstown Church of Christ.