Life Membership - Mel Beswick 2023

At the Senior Presentation Night on Friday, October 6 - Mel Beswick was inducted as a Life Member of Sherwood Football Club in recognition of his extraordinary service to the club since 1962.

It would be easy to speak about “Bunter’s” contribution to the club over the years, but when reading through club history a few years back that was distributed by the late great Shane Bridley, there was a story in a 1983 edition of the “Magpie Chatter” entitled “Personality of the Month” with Mel Beswick as the subject. The author was none other than the incomparable Peggy Peirce, and we quickly filed the article hoping to use it in circumstances like this in the future.

Keeping in mind that this article documents his service to the club just up until 1983, and 40 years later he is now part of our volunteer grounds crew and raffle ticket selling extraordinaire.

The original article is shared below:

Words re-produced below:

Our ‘Personality of the month’ joined Sherwood Districts only 6 years after its inception, as a 12 year old in the Magpies Under 13 side.  He is now the longest continuing player in the club, as well as being one of our keenest clubmen.

He played in Sherwoods u13s in 1962 and 1963, the latter year under George Negus (of 60 minutes fame). He was selected in the QLD Primary Schools sides in 1962 and 1963 and in 1964 was a member of the Queensland Secondary school team and won the best & fairest.  It was in this year that Sherwood won their first ever u15 Premiership and he was a member of that team, coached by Maurie Macnamee. Known as the ‘famous 15s’, they just crept into the finals on %, then played back to back drawn Preliminary finals against Wilston Grange, finally at the third attempt, beating them by several goals in a game played at Limestone Park in Ipswich. They then went on to defeat the unbeaten Windsor Zillmere side in the Grand Final which they won in just the last few minutes of the game.  He was awarded Best in Finals in 1965

The club formed its first u17 team in 1966 and he was a prominent member of the team.  Coached by Ted Gibson, this team was noted for its club spirit, and had achieved a 100% attendance rate at club working bees.  The following year he was a member of Sherwood’s first u17A Premiership side, coached by Maurie Macnamee and that year he was awarded the ‘most versatile player’ award.  At this stage it should be noted that he was a player that could take his position anywhere on the field and give a good account of himself. He has probably played most of his football in the rucks and backs.

During his years as a junior, he always came to the fore when help was needed with a project such as working bees, collating the club magazine and raffle selling.

He went to Western Districts and played in their Premiership Colts sides of 1968 and 1969. He found time in 1969 go manage Sherwood’s u9A’s Premiership team, also coached by Maurie.  In 1970 he played Reserves and Seniors with Wests and in 1971 and 1972 he was straight back to Sherwood playing in the firsts.

In 1973 he belonged to Sherwood’s premiership reserves team and in 1974 he captained the side.  In 1975, he won the Reserves most consistent trophy and the following year he was the vice captain of the Premiership winning reserves and again won the most consistent trophy.

He was VC of the Reserves from 1977 through to 1983.  In that time the team won Premierships in 1981 and 1982.  During this time, he helped the club in team management capacity, on sub-committees and assistant coaching.  This season (1983) he is manager of the u17 side coached by Greg Adams.

He had planned to retire as players this season because of a back complaint which has been troubling him for some time; however early in the season when he saw his help was needed in the reserves, he got back on the training track and has been a regular ever since.  This move is typical of his attitude.  A TEAM man and Club man first and last.

He has watched the club grow from 4 or 5 teams in 1962 to our present compliment of teams and our QAFL entry.  Much progress has been made in all directions and he has been a part of it all, right through.  I am sure Sherwood Districts can count on his continued support for many more years and when he does ‘hang up the boots’ he’ll be there somewhere shouldering a responsibility and quietly ‘lennding a hand’.

Well – what can we say!?  Peggy Peirce sure was a wise woman, as here we are now precisely 40 years later since that article was written, and the great man is still here and helping maintain the playing surface, leaf blowing the beer garden areas and still ‘lending a hand’

It is our great pleasure to confirm Mel ‘Bunter’ Beswick as a Life Member of Sherwood Districts Australian Football Club, recognition that is long overdue!