Robert Allen was about 12, he reckons, when he adopted Neil Hanlon as his Red and White football hero……..
“A small group of us kids used to go down to the Showgrounds to watch Benalla’s training of a Thursday night……” he says.
“I was drawn to ‘Curly’……He was strongly-built for a smallish fellah, and always spotlessly attired, with white ankle bandages, and polished Jenkin ‘Top-Liner’ footy boots…….”
“They’d be doing circle-work…….you’d hear the thump of boot on ball, and see his drop-kicks land, lace-up, on the chest of a team-mate every time……”
Robbie, who finished with 247 games himself, is one of five players who eventually passed ‘Curly’s’ then-club-record of 209 ……He says toughness, durability and the knack of always being able to find the ‘pill’, were just a few of the Hanlon traits.
“Old-timers believe he and Jack Spriggs were the toughest Demons of all…..They named him captain of our Team of the Century a few years ago…….that’s how good he was…..”
Neil Hanlon passed away recently, aged 89….
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Former Carlton hard-man Bob Chitty was coaching the Demons in 1949 when the 15 year-old Hanlon was handed his first senior opportunity.
They’d played off in a Grand Final two years previous, but slumped dramatically to win just two games in ‘49…….One of the redeeming features of a bleak season was the form of the youngster, who played predominantly on the forward flank, with the occasional run in the centre.
The mid-field at the Showgrounds was to become his ‘second home’ over the next decade or more, as he matched it with the Ovens and Murray’s finest centremen.
When a resurgent Benalla broke Wangaratta’s stranglehold on the flag in 1953 ( they had won the previous four ) it was a former ‘Pie who was at the helm……….Norm Minns proved an inspired choice as coach, bringing out the best in Hanlon, and a new breed of Demons.
In heavy conditions at Rutherglen’s Barkly Park, they were able to hang on in a gripping final quarter to defeat Albury – 8.10 to 6.15 – and clinch their first-ever O & M premiership…….The Tigers’ cause certainly wasn’t helped during the third term, when they kicked seven points straight……
Chasing a second successive flag in ‘54, Benalla were warm favourites after outpointing Rutherglen in the second semi…..But the Redlegs had all the answers when they met in the Grand Final, leading all day, to win convincingly, by 37 points.
In the meantime, several approaches came from League clubs who courted his services…….Hawthorn had signed him mid-way through 1953, but their hold on ‘Curly’ elapsed…..There was probably a tinge of regret that he didn’t have a crack at the big-time, but his preference for life in the bush swayed him in the end…..
Instead, former Essendon star Ted Leehane, who had already coached a hat-trick of flags, lured him to Mansfield in 1955. The addition of a classy mid-fielder helped the Eagles no end, and they went through the season undefeated, with Hanlon taking out the Best & Fairest.
Thus began his extraordinary run of individual football honours…….On his return to Benalla he won the B & F in 1957, ‘58, ‘59, ‘62 and ‘64 – and finished fourth in successive Morris Medals.
Sandwiched in between was a season at Goorambat in 1961, during which he was voted the Benalla & District League’s Best Player ( a feat he replicated at the tail-end of his career, when he won the 1966 and ‘67 Medals ).
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Hanlon wore his first O & M guernsey in the Country Championships of 1957. Twelve of the side had played – or were destined to play – League football, including revered names such as Bob Rose, Des Healey, Lance Oswald, Jack Jones, and his coach at Benalla – Len Fitzgerald.
Little wonder that the O & M defeated Ballarat, to clinch the title…….It remained one of his finest football highlights……
Ranking alongside that would be the dual premierships, in which he played a crucial role in the early sixties….
The ‘62 Grand Final was a battle of the defences…….a slogging affair, in which a total of just seven goals had been kicked to three quarter-time……After Wang Rovers kicked a goal to lead by 10 points late in the game, Benalla finished full of running over the tiring Hawks, replying with three unanswered majors…..
Back pocket dynamo Richie Castles, centreman Hanlon, and ruckmen Alf Sikora and Terry Putt were the stand-outs for the Demons….
Their fans enjoyed an exhilarating ride in 1963……The Second Semi saw Myrtleford lead by 19 points at lemon-time……In a masterful coaching move, Vin Williams swapped key forwards Ian Hughes and Neil Busse with immediate effect, and Hanlon took control in the centre.
Right on the final siren Merv Sellars marked in the midst of a pack of players, and his resultant kick drew the game….
The following week’s re-play was less stressful……..The Demons booted seven goals to one in the closing stages of the game to defeat the Saints by 40 points and enter their third straight decider, against a confident Corowa.
The Grand Final was in the balance early in the last quarter, before Benalla exploded, kicking eight unanswered goals in a devastating display, to win – 17.13 to the Spiders’ 8.3….
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His final two seasons at Goorambat in the mid-sixties drew the curtain on Neil Hanlon’s playing career……
He was teaching in Wangaratta when he was enticed back to footy, as coach of the Rovers Thirds in 1973 and ‘74.
He then took on the role as Secretary of the Hawks for four seasons before departing the game…….
Benalla Football Club’s Past Players intend to gather during this season, for a re-union of the 1953, ‘62, ‘63 and ‘73 Ovens and Murray premiership teams.
No doubt they’ll raise a glass in memory of ‘Curly’ Hanlon – triple flag-winner – and arguably their greatest-ever player……..
ON REFLECTION 