Bill Lawry joined St Kilda Cricket Club in 1972-73 on $3,000 a year
Ken Piesse | November 08, 2023
Bill Lawry's famed Test and first-class career was over when he shook the hand of president Jack Edwards and agreed to be St Kilda's new captain-coach for three years from 1972-73.
At $3000 per year he was being paid substantially more than he received in a season with Victoria and Australia.
Then 35, Lawry had played the last of his 99 state games with Victoria and his 67 Tests with Australia and was seeking fresh challenges.
"I'd been reluctant to leave Northcote," he said. "I had two young kids and a responsibility to their future. I said to the people at Northcote I didn't know what my future was going to hold. They said: 'We can't offer you any money but we can offer you a VCA delegate's badge'. That helped convince me."
Closer-to-home Carlton was also ready to pounce, but was 24 hours too late. Lawry had already made his commitment.
"It was an honour to go to St Kilda," he said. "It was a different environment and broadened my experiences as a District cricketer. Everything was brilliantly set up. St Kilda had the facilities and the practice conditions we'd never dreamt of at Northcote. The ground was always immaculate. It was like playing on a billiard table. VFA football was played at Northcote and it was far rougher.
"They were fun times. It was totally different environment to what I'd been used to. The history of the club, too, always impressed me. Northcote had one Test player Dr. (Albert) Hartkopf, who had played just once. St Kilda had a host of them, from Ponsford, Blackie and Ironmonger through to guys like Jack Hill who was an Australian tourist. The opening attack was Peter Hosking and John Edwards with Hill, Norm Lynch and Bill O'Halloran. They were always a top side."
Part of Lawry's income had ceased with his axing as Australia's captain and non-selection for a fourth Ashes tour to England in 1972. "I had a young, growing family. I was basically a $300 a week sales rep., so I took it," he said.
Lawry was immediately taken by the culture at St Kilda. The experience of the senior players made it easier for youngsters to blend successfully into the first XI.
"They had money other clubs didn't have," he said. "They had some great players, too, like Edwards, Lynch, Nigel Murch and Hosking who were all big wicket takers. O'Halloran was a great all-rounder. At Northcote we had a band of good honest triers, nothing like the names that were at St Kilda. It was good for the young guys coming in and be immediately surrounded by so much experience.
The Saints immediately improved under Lawry's no-nonsense leadership. Training was more regimented, more serious, and more intense.
"He was the best captain you could play under," said Geoff Tamblyn, "not necessarily from a coaching perspective, but in the nets, he wanted you to play aggressively and hit the ball, not be so concerned about trying to keep your wicket intact. He developed St Kilda into a very good side. It was quite a coup to get him there. At that time no-one had ever been paid that much."
Lawry also added much-needed backbone to the batting and there was a fresh discipline throughout the club, the firsts, seconds and Club Eleven all making the finals. Hosking continued as captain of the seconds, while Eric Seccombe led the thirds, continuing the tradition of frontline players figuring in key mentoring roles through the grades.
Another ex-Northcote player, fast bowler Ken Walker also walked in, playing in the seconds from the New Year. He'd played alongside Lawry in one of the most famous District grand finals of them all, when Northcote chased down 500-plus in 1965-66. In time, his son Darren was to also be a premiership player with the Saints.
"I'd played in Bendigo for four years and came back to Melbourne, was living in Frankston and wanted to have a go at District cricket again. St Kilda just happened to be closest," he said. "I played in the seconds that second half (of 1973). The younger blokes all made you feel welcome. There was no spite or nastiness about them. They were all playing for St Kilda.
"Coming from Northcote the social facilities were something I wasn't used to. You could have a drink after the game (at the Junction). There was always a dozen bottles (of beer) in your room for afterwards. There was also a great bar there. They were good guys."
Walker, a schoolteacher, had lived in Bendigo for eight years and commuted back and forth to Northcote for the first four. When he first played at North Bendigo, he took 78 wickets, a competition record.
Click on Ken Piesse website CricketBooks.com.au
?
