Reunion to draw hundreds as North Mt Barker relives club history

Hundreds of former players will converge on Frost Park on Saturday to celebrate the history of the North Mt Barker Football Club.

The club folded in 1993 and players from the Demons and South Mt Barker merged to form what is now the Mt Barker Bulls who play in the Great Southern Football League.

Former players at North Mt Barker include the Krakouer brothers, Phil and Jim, now retired AFL ruckman Aaron Sandilands and Phil Gilbert.

The club won a premiership in 1984 and organisers are expecting more than 200 people to attend the club reunion on Saturday night.

Former player and event organiser Paul Garbellini said it would be great to relive some of the club’s history and catch up with old teammates.

“Since North folded in 1993 a lot of the club history has slowly been forgotten about,” he said.

“We this is a great way to get a reunion happening, see some older players and display some old memorabilia and have a few guest speakers talk as well.

“North Mt Barker was a strong, staunch club for a long time.

“We are looking at between 130-150 ex-players.

“Phil Krakouer is over east and can’t make it but we are hoping Jimmy is coming.

“Phil Gilbert will be there plus Neil Randall and hopefully Aaron Sandilands.”

The day will start across at Sounness Park where they are expecting a big crowd to turn out and watch the Bulls.

The GSFL will return this weekend with the Bulls hosting Denmark-Walpole in a crucial round seven fixture.

The Bulls will be chasing a win to boost their finals chances, having lost to the Magpies in the corresponding game earlier in the season.

Royals and Railways will clash in a top-of-the-table encounter at Tigerland on Saturday and Albany host North Albany in the sole Sunday fixture.

Games this week are part of Talk To A Mate Round.