On The Pine
By Aaron Kirkby-Rodier – @AzKirkby9
Bernie Dinneen – 300
“The relationships and friendships you make in footy are the only thing in footy that matters.”
Every club and league has their legends but there are not many who have achieved as much as Bernie Dinneen.
In 1985 as a seven year old Bernie Dinneen started his football journey at a local school football clinic where local dads including John Murphy would take the kids every Saturday morning. After a year of that Bernie would go on to start at Doncaster Heights Under 9s, he would stay there for four years.
“During my time at Donny Heights we got to play little league and we played for Fitzroy and I was lucky enough to get best on ground the two years that we did that which meant you got selected for a finals squad which was made up throughout the year and we were put into teams to play a knockout comp at half time throughout the VFL Finals. We won the Grand Final on Preliminary Final day and so that meant we got seats at the 89 Grand Final and we sat next to the winning Ashes squad.”
After his time with Doncaster Heights Dinneen would play some footy with Bulleen-Templestowe while playing his school footy with Marcellin. The commitments became too much and Bernie would just play for Marcellin once he hit 16.
“My mates dad was coaching Oakleigh when they first started and I was told I wasn’t good enough, so I missed out there.”
Once he finished school Dinneen would try his luck with a pre-season at Box Hill.
“The legend status Bernie has got as a player I think sums him up, not just for what he’s done in the EFL but the VAFA as well. He’s so enthusiastic and cares so much about his footy. Off the field he’s always heavily involved with functions and helping the younger guys out with extra training, he’s got time for everybody.” – Ryan Mullett, Former Vermont Champion.
“I felt like I hadn’t had much luck with the footy side of things so I trained like an animal and didn’t miss a session. I was in the top 3 for every fitness based test.”
During his first season at Box Hill, Dinneen would play six games in the reserves but felt he wasn’t getting out of it what he wanted.
“I just wasn’t being given any game time, about round 7-8 I went to Mick Kennedy our coach and just said I don’t feel like I’m part of your plans going forward and I want to prove myself elsewhere.”
Dinneen had already played in the seniors for Marcellin throughout the year when Box Hill had a week off, with some success too. Bernie would go back to Marcellin to be a part of their finals campaign.
“I played about 11 games in the seniors to finish the season and we managed to win the C grade flag and I got the runner up best and fairest so I was pretty happy.”
At the end of that season Dinneen would head back down to Box Hill again where a new coach assured him that he’d get a good look in.
“I had a few mates and my brother going to play at Marcellin and they were into me pretty hard about coming back. So in Feb I said to Box Hill I wanted to spend another year there.”
That year the Old Boys won the B Grade flag and Bernie would win his first League Medal, things were starting to progress.
“It was a great year, we won the flag and personally I won the league best and fairest and got best on ground in the state game and for the first time I was getting some interest from AFL clubs.”
Dinneen wouldn’t get drafted despite some interest from Carlton and St Kilda, he would take an overseas trip for a month and get a nice surprise when he returned.
“I was working in Vermont at the time and I got a phone call from Geelong asking me to come down and play in a practice match in their reserves against St Kilda. All went well and I ended up down there for 99.”
Dinneen would play AFL Reserves for most of 1999 but would finish the season back at Marcellin.
“It was tough, living in Doncaster and going to Vic Uni having to travel to Geelong meant I only could really get to training twice a week, if I had my time again I would probably move down there a defer uni for a year.”
“I think with about 6 games left I sat down with Geelong and asked where they were at and they pretty much said they wouldn’t be drafting me so I decided to go back to Marcellin for the remainder of the year in hope of getting drafted by another club.”
In 2000 Dineen would not play much football after a serious quad injury but would return late in the year to help Marcellin avoid relegation. In 2001 Simon Dalrymple took over as Marcellin coach.
“After Simon took over we had a dream run we won our first ever A Grade flag and it was just the greatest thing in the world. I won my second league medal and had a good season.”
In 2002 Marcellin would be knocked out in the semi but Dinneen would continue his stellar form by winning his third league medal. Dalrymple would move on at the end of 2002.
“In 2003 I ruptured my pancreas and that meant I would be out for 6 weeks and at that point I realised there’s more things in life than footy. I hadn’t seen much of the world yet and I hadn’t started my proper career, so I got my teaching degree done.”
For Dinneen 2004 would be his last season at Marcellin a move to EFL heavyweight Vermont was on the cards.
“A lot of my mates had left Marcellin and I felt it was time for a change of scenery, some people thought it was for the money but I felt like it for the first time in 2004 I wasn’t really enjoying my footy.”
“Vermont had called me every year for about 4 years and every time I had just said thanks but I’m happy at Marcellin. At the end of 04 I felt it was time and David Banfield had always been a big supporter of me when I was at Box Hill in 97 and 98 so when I knew he was coaching there that made it a lot easier.”
Walking into Vermont knowing Banfield was the coach Bernie saw a big eagle on the wall something that he holds close after he had a tattoo for his nephew that had passed away two years earlier.
“I first met him when I was playing senior footy at Box Hill and I immediately took a liking to this young bloke that was full of beans and really wanted to improve his footy. The first game I was able to coach him was Round 1 of 2005 at Noble Park, he’s laid the best chase down tackle you are likely to see and that set the tone for our whole season. I’ve always admired Bernie’s family values and how thankful he is for what they have done for him, he’s a great role model to anybody.” – David Banfield, Former Vermont Coach.
“I have a tattoo with an eagle, his name and my footy number so to walk in see that and just how professional the club was it just felt right. They were really supportive of my family coming down as well so that really made the move easy.”
Part Two – Next Tuesday