Club History
Where did the Bombers come from?
Club History
The Bombers had a most unlikely birth.
In 2013 dedicated soccer player, Dale Roberts, approached Alex Nicol with the idea of forming an Aussie Rules club in Bega. Why not?
Matt Fleet, sounded out as a possible coach, agreed that,’ ‘if 12 blokes turn up to train, I’ll coach.’ More than 20 showed up on Bega’s George Griffin Oval… the soccer field… at a first training run and, with three donated footballs, the Bombers began training.
‘Fleety’s’ enthusiastic personality brought together a motley collection of AFL players looking for ‘just one more season,’ and rugby league players curious to ‘have a go.’
A search for a home ground lighted on the Bega Showground. The big advantage was its lights, the big disadvantage, show jumping interspersed with home games.
The club played its first home game on 19 April 2013 and celebrated with a cake.
Many records were set that year… most penalties awarded against a team in a match (learning the rules was picked up on the job) and biggest age spread in a junior team, anyone old enough to tie up their boots could and did get a game.
Pat Aberdeen and local Anglican Minister, Ross Gear took the juniors under their wing and, with an active Auskick program in place, the numbers began to grow.
John Café wrote the unique club song, had a full orchestral version recorded, and, on a few memorable occasions, played it long and loud.
Success came early. In 2014 the Bombers reserves faced off against Tathra in the grandfinal, loosing narrowly, but it was a false dawn. Two years later the Bombers were struggling to field a single senior men’s side each week. Time for a review.
Tathra football club was suffering the same decline. They were down on junior numbers and were having difficulty fielding two competitive men’s senior sides. Amalgamation was an obvious solution.
Discussion focused on the formation of a new, composite club with a new name and new playing colours. All the Bombers senior players temporarily transferred to Tathra and in season 2016 the seniors played in Tathra colours and the juniors in the red and black of the Bombers. Cooperation was expected to continue in 2017 but it was obvious that with a long and proud history Tathra could not give up its name or its colours and the clubs parted as friends. The Bombers decided to go it alone.
Stephen Nicol took the helm as president with the philosophy that,’ the next Bombers senior men’s team will be one we’ve bred.’
Travis Broughton, Martin Butchers and Rod McDonald took on the task of coaching juniors, and the club recruited a senior women’s team. The Bombers were reborn.
Repeated show jumping events at the show ground resulted in that venue being declared unfit for play. The search was on for a new home ground for the Bombers.
Roy Howard oval, a ground with high visibility and a good playing surface but no facilities was chosen. It’s been the club’s home ground ever since and plans have been prepared for its development.