By JARROD POTTER
NOT many cricketers have notched up the milestone Dandenong West mainstay Ken Goodes just celebrated.
Goodes, 66, was the man of honour at Greaves Reserve as he celebrated 50 years as a Bull, since making his way to Dandenong from Merino, near Hamilton, as a 15-year-old.
The young Goodes – who fancied himself as a bowling all-rounder – brought his bat down with his tools and wanted a game of cricket alongside his work as a builder’s labourer.
The club was pretty different back then – the pavilion was still some years off being built and the players would have to trek off to Jones Road after day’s play to grab a drink.
While the developments have gone on at the Dandenong District Cricket Association (DDCA) club – as the Bulls switched from matting, to malthoid and finally onto the turf wicket – Goodes has been the common denominator and he can’t think of anywhere better to be on a Saturday.
“Just love the club,” Goodes said.
“When I first came here, I just went over to old Arthur Baker and knocked on the door looking for a game of cricket and he said ‘come over here’ and here I am … still here.
“Good people and you meet a lot of them, not only as team mates, but opposition as well.
“That’s one good thing about sport I reckon – you’ll always meet a lot of people if you get your kids into sport.”
The highlight for Goodes – and many Bulls of that era – was the Turf 1 and Turf 2 joint premierships in 1985/86 where he captained the twos, a DDCA feat unlikely to be replicated again.
“The one that stands out a mile was in 1985/86 when we won Turf 1 and Turf 2 flags, that was probably the best one of all time as we didn’t really make the four that year,” Goodes said.
“We were fifth that year and Lyndale had points taken off because they played unregistered players.
“That was a big celebration – that was back over in the old tin shed – that one stood out far and above everything else.”
He also looks back fondly on getting one over on Eddie Grace via Mankad – flicking the bails off at the non-striker’s end to take a narrow E-Grade victory after their opposition kept chirping at Goodes’ younger team mates.
His brothers – Peter and Wayne – also donned the Bulls’ cap as part of a half-century legacy of Goodes taking to Greaves Reserve.
Goodes wasn’t just a summer specialist as he was also an ardent footballer in the area – playing with Dandenong’s VFA thirds before switching to Beaconsfield and eventually Longwarry.
His best partnerships of all though is the 43 years he has been with his wife Gail – as they raised their four children Jason, Kristee, Nathan and Ryan at the club as Goodes’ better half used to score for the team.
Goodes’ son Jason, who is currently Dandenong West’s president, said his father has been the perfect clubman and cricket devotee, not just for the Bulls but for everyone across the DDCA.
“He’s been a great role model, a perfect role model for me and he’s respected throughout the club and the whole DDCA,” Jason Goodes said.
“I don’t think he’s got an enemy in the world and there would be few people in the whole DDCA who haven’t had a beer with him at one stage or another.
“He’s just a down-to-earth good bloke who’d do anything for anyone.”
