1978 saw the Men's team win the AUC (IV as it was then) in Canberra for the first time since 1965. Coops coached us to the win. Assorted info from the AUC appears below!

The photo featuring the Championship shield was taken by "The Sun" newspaper when the team was back in Melbourne. The article that appeared in the paper with the photo is included below. THE article was written by the legendary Lou Richards, who was "ghosted" by the equally legendary Tom Prior, who happened to be the father of MUBC player Jean Prior who played for the women's team at the AUC in 1978, and may have had something to do with us getting the coverage we did!

In the photo are... (Standing, L to R): Graeme Bennie, Andrew Bett, Jamie Keck (Skippy), Les Walker (Dr Les Hawk as the paper calls him!), Steve Nolan, Gary Pendlebury (Manager) and Peter Dyer. Seated (L to R): Andrew Fithall and John Campbell (JC). Absent from the photo: Ray Watson, Graeme Clarke, Chris Macpherson (Haggis) and Henry Cooper (Coach).

 

Those who were at Canberra will realise from reading the newspaper article, that Lou Richards was never one to let the facts get in the way of a good story! Just in case you needed clarification of some of the finer points... the Boat Race heats were earlier in the week, finals on Friday, we skulled pots, not jugs (thank goodness) and to the best of my recollection (which admittedly could be a little fuzzy), Skippy was not in the boat race team - Henry, Haggis, Pete Dyer and JC were. For the sake of completeness, at the Club's Annual Dinner that year, members of the winning Boat Race team were given commemorative certificates, courtesy of Haggis and Woody through their annual "Haggis and Woody" awards. A scan of one such certificate appears below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When the photo session was done at the Sports Centre, a couple of ringins from the women's team also managed to get into a photo. It is probably worth noting that the women's Boat Race team (Helen Harley, Woody Macpherson, Jean Prior and Jan Langdon) earned themselves the title of "Re-run Queens" before narrowly bowing out in the semi-finals. Those in the photo are... (Back row, L to R): Graeme Bennie, Jamie Keck (Skippy), Andrew Bett, Ian Bett (Women's Coach), Les Walker, Steve Nolan, Gary Pendlebury (Manager) and Peter Dyer... (Front row, L to R): Cathy MacNeill, Andrew Fithall, Jean Prior, Jan Landgon and John Campbell (JC).

The teams that represented MUBC at this IV were:

 

Women

Jan Langdon, Woody Woodburn (later Macpherson), Julie Sievers (later Walker), Ann Compton, Sue Gravenall, Helen Ryan, Robyn O'Loughlin, Lynda Bonning, Jean Prior, Cathy Dillon, Cathy MacNeill, Ian Bett (Coach), Helen Harley (Manager)         

  

Men

Ray Watson, Jamie Keck (Skippy), Les Walker, Andrew Bett, John Campbell, Peter Dyer, Steve Nolan, Chris Macpherson, Graeme Bennie, Ian Harrington(late withdrawl), Andrew Fithall, Graeme Clarke, Henry Cooper (coach), Gary Pendlebury (Manager)

 

The highlights of the week in basketball were the men's semi vs Monash (84-81) and the final vs Adelaide (74-73 in OT). Generally recognised by observers at the time as two of the best games every staged at an IV. The Dribbling Balls reports of the two matches are reproduced here.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Semi-Final vs Monash

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grand Final vs. Adelaide