Young Shark among those murdered by terrorists in Bali
This was the year when the Southport footy club found itself caught up in the heinous world of global terrorism.
At season’s end – the Sharks had lost the grand final against Mt Gravatt – a small group of Southport players ventured to Bali on an end-of-season trip.
There were nine people on the trip. They were football manager Bob Leslie and players Adam Devine, Jayson Pate, Ryan Venville, brothers Jake and Mitch Ryan, Dale Robson, Billy Hardy and Jamie Miles.
Only eight returned from the trip after terrorist bombs went off at the Sari nightclub, where all eight players had been partying, on October 12, 2002.
(Footy manager Leslie miraculously missed the carnage. He decided to have a quiet evening in and elected to stay in his hotel room that night).
Sadly, Billy Hardy lost his life in the human atrocity – one of 88 Australians among the 202 people killed. A further 240 people were injured.
The other seven of Hardy’s clubmates sustained various forms of injuries in a crime that served to unite the Sharks back at home.
The attack involved the detonation of three bombs: a backpack-mounted device carried by a suicide bomber; a large car bomb, both of which were detonated in or near popular nightclubs in Kuta; and a third much smaller device detonated outside the United States consulate in Denpasar, causing only minor damage.
Thankfully all seven surviving Sharks players eventually made good recoveries. Devine, Miles and Ryan (Jake) even made it back on to the playing field in time for the start of the 2003 season.
The Southport footy club was a rock in the rehabilitation of the injured players and left no stone unturned in efforts to aid mental and physical recovery.
The memory of Hardy, a bubbly teenager recruited from Coolangatta, lives on in Queensland Aussie rules.
The best player in the QAFL reserve grade grand final is awarded the Billy Hardy Medal and each year, on October 12, a candle is lit, beside Hardy’s framed football jumper, in the foyer of Southport’s Musgrave Hill social facility.
On the football field, under second-season captain-coach Scott Lawton, the Sharks were always thereabouts without ever threatening to tear the competition apart.
They recruited well, signing former Williamstown man mountain David Round, son of South Melbourne great Barry Round, and key-position utility Joe Georgiades moved over from Perth.
Rod McKay returned to Victoria but the biggest loss was when dual best and fairest Mark Bradley decided to head for greener pastures.
Forward Stephen McKeon also joined the Sharks, finishing as leading goalkicker; on-baller Mick Nguyen became the first player of Vietnamese descent to play for the Sharks; and local junior product Lee Ryswyk made his seniors debut during the season.
The Sharks finished as minor premiers but lost the second semi-final against Mt Gravatt, they rebounded to beat the Brisbane Lions Reserves in the preliminary final.
But the club’s bogy number struck again when the Sharks lost the grand final to Mt Gravatt by 61 points – the third time they had lost a State League grand final by that margin.
Their GF cause was not helped when Shaun Coughlan broke a collarbone in the first quarter, then Craig McGough was sent off after separate striking reports.
Season details: Games played 21, won 17, lost 4.
Best and fairest: David Round and Luke Jenkins tied.
Grogan Medal: David Round.
Leading goalkicker: Stephen McKeon (56).
MATCH RESULTS 2002
Round 1 (Apr 21):
MORNINGSIDE 3.7 6.8 11.13 14.15 (99)
SOUTHPORT 2.1 5.11 6.13 12.17 (89)
Southport goals: K Morris 2, S Coughlan, M Wollington, C Watts, D Wise, K Tandogac, M Nguyen, L Jenkins, J Gornall, D Round, S McKeon.
Southport best: L Ryswyk, D Round, B Fisher, C Watts, J Gornall.
At Esplen Oval, Brisbane.
Round 2 (Apr 27):
SOUTHPORT 5.3 7.4 11.7 17.10 (112)
LABRADOR 6.1 9.4 10.5 13.6 (84)
Southport goals: J Gornall 2, K Tandogac 2, J Pate 2, A Gehling 2, A Hill, L Ryswyk, M Mooney, C McGough, S Coughlan, M Wise, J Ryan, C Watts.
Southport best: C McGough, S Coughlan, A Gehling, K Morris, M Wollington.
At Cooke-Murphy Oval, Labrador.
Round 3 (May 4):
SOUTHPORT 3.0 8.2 13.6 16.13 (109)
BROADBEACH 2.1 4.4 7.7 8.11 (59)
Southport goals: S Coughlan 4, C Watts 3, S McKeon 2, C Richardson 2, C McGough, J Ryan, B Hardy, A Gehling, J Pate, L Jenkins.
Southport best: S Coughlan, A Gehling, J Pate, J Ryan, L Jenkins.
At Merrimac Oval, Broadbeach Waters.
Round 4 (May 11):
SOUTHPORT 3.7 4.9 8.17 9.18 (72)
NTHN EAGLES 2.4 4.7 4.10 4.14 (38)
Southport goals: C Richardson 2, S Coughlan, M Nguyen, L Ryswyk, C McGough, B Fisher, S McKeon, K Tandogac.
Southport best: M Nguyen, C Richardson, S Coughlan, L Ryswyk, T Crossley.
At Fankhauser Reserve, Musgrave Hill.
Round 5 (May 18):
SOUTHPORT 5.1 12.1 16.2 20.6 (126)
WESTERN MAGPIES 2.1 5.2 7.3 11.7 (73)
Southport goals: A Gehling 4, C Richardson 4, J Ryan 3, S Coughlan 2, G Mann 2, S McKeon 2, D Round, K Morris, M Nguyen, S Coughlan.
Southport best: C Richardson, A Gehling, D Round, M Nguyen, S Coughlan.
At Sherwood Oval, Brisbane.
Round 6 (May 25):
SOUTHPORT 7.3 10.6 14.11 18.16 (124)
BRISBANE 6.2 7.3 12.5 14.6 (90)
Southport goals: S McKeon 6, J Miles 3, D Eagleton 2, D Round, A Gehling, K Morris, J Ryan, S Stephens, M Wollington, S Coughlan.
Southport best: L Jenkins, S McKeon, A Gehling, T Crossley, D Round.
At Fankhauser Reserve, Musgrave Hill.
Round 7 (Jun 1):
SOUTHPORT 5.5 9.7 13.10 15.12 (102)
MAYNE 2.1 4.4 5.5 5.8 (38)
Southport goals: S Coughlan 3, A Gehling 3, T Crossley 2, S McKeon 2, K Morris, B Fisher, L Jenkins, C Richardson, J Ryan.
Southport best: L Jenkins, S Coughlan, C Taylor, T Crossley, A Gehling.
At Fankhauser Reserve, Musgrave Hill.
Round 8 (Jun 8):
SOUTHPORT 8.2 15.7 19.8 22.11 (143)
MT GRAVATT 0.0 2.3 3.4 6.10 (46)
Southport goals: S McKeon 9, S Coughlan 3, M Nguyen 3, A Gehling 2, J Pate, J Ryan, S Stephens, J Miles, L Jenkins.
Southport best: S Coughlan, C Watts, D Round, L Jenkins, S McKeon.
At Dittmer Park, Brisbane.
Round 9 (Jun 23):
SOUTHPORT 4.4 10.7 18.8 19.13 (127)
REDLAND 3.1 6.4 8.6 10.7 (67)
Southport goals: S Coughlan 5, J Miles 4, A Gehling 3, J Ryan 3, M Woolnough 2, S McKeon , S Stephens.
Southport best: D Round, C Watts, M Wollington, J Ryan, K Tandogac.
At Victoria Point.
Round 10 (Jun 29):
SOUTHPORT 2.4 5.7 11.9 15.14 (104)
MORNINGSIDE 4.2 6.4 10.6 12.7 (79)
Southport goals: S Coughlan 4, S McKeon 4, J Miles 2, K Tandogac, J Ryan, D Round, B Martens, C Richardson.
Southport best: L Jenkins, S Coughlan, C McGough, C Watts, J Ryan.
At Fankhauser Reserve, Musgrave Hill.
Round 11 (Jul 6):
SOUTHPORT 6.4 11.7 13.17 23.23 (161)
LABRADOR 2.0 4.0 6.1 7.2 (44)
Southport goals: S McKeon 9, J Ryan 2, J Miles 2, B Martens 2, M Wollington, M Nguyen, D Robson, A Devine, C Richardson, L Jenkins, T Crossley, S Coughlan.
Southport best: L Jenkins, J Pate, J Ryan, S McKeon, C McGough.
At Fankhauser Reserve, Musgrave Hill.
Round 12 (Jul 13):
SOUTHPORT 7.4 9.8 11.15 14.19 (103)
BROADBEACH 0.2 2.3 3.4 5.6 (36)
Southport goals: A Gehling 2, J Miles 2, S McKeon 2, C Richardson 2, K Tandogac, J Ryan, A Hill, S Coughlan, D Round, M Nguyen.
Southport best: C McGough, A Gehling, M Wollington, J Ryan, L Jenkins.
At Fankhauser reserve, Musgrave Hill.
Round 13 (Jul 20):
SOUTHPORT 7.6 15.8 18.10 28.11 (179)
WESTERN MAGPIES 4.0 5.0 5.2 6.6 (42)
Southport goals: J Miles 4, A Gehling 4, A Hill 4, D Round 3, J Ryan 3, S McKeon 3, A McKee 2, K Tandogac 2, C Watts, C Richardson, L Ryswyk.
Sourthport best: L Jenkins, D Round, K Tandogac, A Gehling, J Ryan.
At Fankhauser Reserve, Musgrave Hill.
Round 14 (Jul 28):
SOUTHPORT 5.5 6.13 12.15 20.18 (138)
NTHN EAGLES 4.2 8.3 10.4 12.7 (79)
Southport goals: A Hill 4, S Coughlan 3, A Gehling 3, S McKeon 2, P English 2, J Miles 2, J Pate, K Tandogac.
Southport best: D Round, A Gehling, K Tandogac, A Hill, J Ryan.
At O’Callaghan Park, Brisbane.
Round 15 (Aug 4):
SOUTHPORT 3.4 10.10 14.14 20.16 (136)
MAYNE 0.1 1.1 2.2 2.5 (17)
Southport goals: A Hill 4, C Richardson 2, S McKeon 2, P English 2, J Ryan 2, C Watts 2, M Nguyen 2, A Gehling 2, J Pate, M Wollington.
Southport best: C Richardson, J Pate, C Watts, A Hill, M Wollington.
At Anderson Oval, Brisbane.
Round 16 (Aug 10):
MT GRAVATT 3.2 5.4 9.7 12.8 (80)
SOUTHPORT 2.1 4.5 5.7 11.8 (74)
Southport goals: S McKeon 3, S Coughlan 2, A Hill 2, A Gehling, J Pate, D Round, T Crossley.
Southport best: T Crossley, D Round, M Wollington, S Stephens, C Watts.
At Fankhauser Reserve, Musgrave Hill.
Round 17 (Aug 17):
SOUTHPORT 4.3 7.6 11.10 13.14 (92)
BRISBANE 4.3 7.3 10.6 13.6 (94)
Southport goals: S McKeon 5, A Hill 3, M Nguyen, J Ryan, A Devine, M Wise, A Gehling.
Southport best: J Pate, M Wollington, S Stephens, D Round, S Coughlan.
At the Gabba, Brisbane.
Round 18 (Aug 24):
SOUTHPORT 2.3 8.6 11.8 16.15 (111)
REDLAND 3.3 4.5 4.7 4.9 (33)
Southport goals: B Fisher 5, C Richardson 3, S Coughlan 2, J Pate, C Watts, S McKeon, M Wise, J Ryan, B English.
Southport best: B Fisher, M Nguyen, C Watts, A Gehling, J Pate.
At Fankhauser reserve, Musgrave Hill.
Second semi-final (Sept 7):
MT GRAVATT 5.7 7.9 9.9 12.13 (85)
SOUTHPORT 1.5 7.7 9.13 10.13 (73)
Southport goals: S McKeon 3, C Watts 2, C Richardson, S Coughlan, A Gehling, M Wise, D Round.
Southport best: C Watts, J Georgiades, S Stephens, A Hill, P English, D Round.
At Giffin Park, Brisbane.
Preliminary final (Sept 14):
SOUTHPORT 5.2 6.3 11.9 16.17 (113)
BRISBANE 4.5 6.11 9.12 10.14 (74)
Southport goals: C Watts 4, C Richardson 3, A Gehling 3, J Georgiades 2, B Fisher 2, J Ryan, A Hill.
Southport best: L Jenkins, C Watts, D Round, K Tandogac, S Stephens, B Fisher.
Grand final (Sept 22):
MT GRAVATT 6.1 10.4 17.8 20.11 (131)
SOUTHPORT 5.1 6.6 9.7 10.10 (70)
Southport goals: T Crossley 3, J Ryan 2, C Richardson, J Pate, J Georgiades, S McKeon, L Ryswyk.
Southport best: D Round, M Nguyen, K Tandogac, J Georgiades, J Ryan, M Wollington.
At Giffin Park, Coorparoo
