On a recent Friday morning, the Club was pleased to be able to undertake a Hall of Fame Presentation to 2024 Legend inductee David Groves. David had been unable to attend the July Hall of Fame event.
His wife, Jan, and sons Paul and Brandon joined him for the presentation at his Safety Beach home. Also joining him was a great collection of Tigers of old, including four Club Legends. Those attending were Noel Beavis. Norm Bignell, Peter Davis, Mick Eden, David Evans, Mick Follett, Rod Foy, Roger Hore, Brett Marchant, John Scanlon, and Doc Tolliday.
David also received phone calls of congratulations on the morning from his former Coach Gary Rasmussen (Premierships 1967 & 1968) and 1976 premiership player Keiran Breen, both residing interstate.
David spoke passionately about the role of the Mentone FC in his life, from his earliest memory of riding his bike to the Cheltenham Ground to watch the 1956 grand final Mentone v Mordialloc and seeing the great Tiger Ian Meckiff kick four last-quarter goals to win the game.
He also spoke about the huge impact that Hall of Famer and former St Kilda player Alan Mennie had on his career when Alan coached him in the thirds. “Alan taught us not only football skills but also life skills and was a key reason for the Club’s future senior success in 1967/68”.
David spent one year at St Kilda, then played in the 1967 Mentone flag side, was suspended in the preliminary final and missed the 68 flag and was coach of the 1976 flag team.
David’s father William “Bill” Groves, is also a Hall of Fame inductee and the Senior Men’s Best and Fairest (Club Champion) Men’s player receives the Bill Groves Memorial Trophy.
Many tall Tiger tales were told, games and people remembered, and a rousing rendition of the song of the time – Mentone Tigers is our name, was undertaken! A fitting tribute to a wonderful morning for a Legend of our Club, David Groves.
