CRICKET

BY BLAKE METCALF-HOLT

 

STALWART of the Gormandale Cricket Club and Traralgon and District Cricket Association, Gavin Foenander was recognised for his contributions to the game with an Order of Australia medal (OAM).

The lifelong cricket volunteer played north of 400 games during the course of his career and served on both club and league committees for close to four decades.

Foenander was “extremely proud and honoured” by the recognition.

“I actually couldn’t believe it, I was pretty surprised,” he told the Express.

“I think for cricket and local cricket, for someone to get recognised is fantastic. I loved playing, I loved being able to help the game … I always felt that if you had a well-run comp, your clubs would benefit, and I felt we all can.”

At seven-years-of-age, Foenander played for Centrals throughout most of his juniors with his whole family established there.

His father and former Traralgon Journal and Latrobe Valley Express cricket writer, Roy Foenander served as secretary of the TDCA for many years.

The junior Foenander recalls when World Series Cricket arrived in the Latrobe Valley in December 1978 when Australia and the Cavaliers clashed in Traralgon and Morwell.

“As a 12, 13-year-old, that was just massive,” he said.

“It packed the (Traralgon) showgrounds out. Kerry Packer put a turf wicket in … and I just remember dad helping put that in.”

This gave Foenander the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of meeting his cricketing heroes, such as Greg Chappell, Sarfraz Nawaz, Ray Bright and Wayne Daniels.

After spending two years at Traralgon Rovers, making his A Grade debut, Foenander arrived at Gormandale in 1982 and never looked back.

He has served virtually every role at the club over his time, including vice president, junior coach, curator for 36 years, and most importantly, club president from 1994 to 2021.

Foenander received Gormandale life membership in 1996 and has been named best clubman on five occasions.

As a player, he was initially 12th man for Gormandale’s first-ever A Grade premiership in 1982/83 – his first year at the club.

On that day, Gormandale set a record grand final total against Traralgon Imperials, putting on 496 and winning the flag on the fourth day.

Foenander played in three A Grade grand finals before getting over the hump in 1992/93, and then later captaining an additional grand final side in 1997/98.

Instrumental in seeing Gormandale establish a turf wicket in the early 1990s, by the time he took over as president, Foenander led the club during the biggest decision in its history.

The cricket club moved out of town from Gormandale Recreation Reserve and formed a new home at Stoddart Oval in Traralgon.

“Around 2004, we were looking over the numbers and there was only one player who was actually living in Gormandale,” Foenander said.

“The school was very, very small, and we just thought (that in the) juniors there was no future … our wicket bench was in desperate need of a full renovation.

“No one objected to it. Everyone was a bit disappointed about it, but there was no official objection, and the biggest part of it was that we got to keep our name.

“It was probably the biggest and best decision ever because we went through an absolute purple patch once we shifted to Traralgon of sustained success and attracting some of the best players (in) country Victoria that the league had seen.”

In 2004/05, Gormandale broke a 13-year A Grade premiership drought during its last season in town, before seeing a further five A Grade flags captured finishing in 2013/14.

That included a three-peat of A Grade premierships from 2007 to 2009.

Foenander played his 400th and final game at the age of 54 and did so in A Grade competition.

In 1989, he also joined the TDCA committee, going along all the way until the league merged with the Central Gippsland Cricket Association to become Cricket Latrobe Valley.

Foenander points to seeing his father undertake those responsibilities at a young age as to why he felt compelled to follow in his footsteps.

“Certainly the influence of dad doing that sort of league community work was a massive reason why (I took up administrative roles),” he said.

Serving as vice president of the TDCA for five seasons, Foenander has played the role of secretary (2010-2018), publicity officer (2010-2016), and undertook umpiring duties for three seasons.

He was awarded league life membership in 2011 and served additional roles at Gippsland Cricket as a board member for seven years, match coordinator, umpire and vice president.

Foenander still plays his part behind the scenes at Gormandale, and acknowledged the “great ride” he’s had in cricket.

“From a club-level, there’s too many people to mention – the friends and the great hard workers – but I think that my time at Gormy … I’ll cherish (those) times and the friends I’ve made,” he said.

Leongatha and District Cricket Association legend Gary Adams was also a 2026 OAM recipient for his 50 years of service.

He also taught Foenander at Liddiard Road Primary School.