El Presedente Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels He arrived on

El Presedente
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
He arrived on the coast Christmas 1981 on his way ‘round the block’ and we lucked
out when he locked in and decided to stay. Initially Perko took stock and lined up at
Surfers. First night at training, Des Kennedy apparently ran the blokes into the ground
and they retired to the Broadbeach pub where Perko was advised by some imbibing
locals – probably the ‘Worm’ - that footy was more enjoyable at the Cattery. Twelve
months on and our man was a committed Cat and a regular at the Broadie pub, which
in those days featured a sizeable outdoor pool for patron comfort.
Circa 1983: Our bloke is on the right with buffed and oiled tatts.
Remarkably few ‘moving pictures’ in those days.
Christmas 1982 and the Broadie blokes were enjoying a drink, the sun and their own
company at the pub, and keeping their eyes on an altercation between strangers down
the way. One of the rowdy strangers took off and returned with a double barrelled
shotgun, approached his erstwhile arguing mate, from behind if you don’t mind, and
gave him both barrels (he survived). Unfortunately Perko (and the barmaid) were in
the blast scatter. Not certain of the extent of the barmaid’s injuries but Perko copped
shot pellets in and around his left eye. One month plus in hospital and loss of sight
and Perko is still looking for the perpetrator who did 6 of 8 years inside.
Leading the Ressies out for the ’85 GF
The Original Broady Boy
Dale is really a big pussycat. A gentle family man, fiercely proud and rightly so of his adult children, whose concern for his friends and club mates goes well beyond words of comfort. But it is wise not to poke the bear; his origins and a formidable reputation reside in the Melbourne suburb of Broadmeadows. He has consigned much of those days to history, including ‘roll your FJ Holden’ parties at age 12 (as a driver!), and is reluctant to go into detail, however he was a Broady Boy, a leader of the King St Gang. The newspaper reports referencing those days are clear.
“The exploits of teenage gangs like the Broady Boys made great tabloid
fodder. The first generation of homegrown adolescents dropped out of
school during the recession of the late '70s. The manufacturing jobs were
drying up, unemployment skyrocketed, and there was little for lads to do
but form gangs and fight each other outside the railway station, mugging
for the security cameras every Friday.” (The Age, 2003)
"There was violence, no doubt about it — the most violent things I’d ever
seen were the fights on Friday nights at the stations. But having said that,
it’s like anywhere with a lot of bored kids. It was only natural, the kids of
the first estates would grow up a little wild." (Eddie McGuire in The Age,
2003)
But there were paradoxes to those images. He was a bare foot water skier behind very
fast boats on the Murray. Try it. It takes as much application, planning, resourcing
and execution as any grandiose event. And dragging his very fast boat was a very fast
’68 Monaro. You need skill and knowledge to keep one of them tuned and running on
high-octane fuel. And behind the younger Dale, was the gorgeous Heather. They have
been together since teenage days and have survived 45 years, which is remarkable
given Heather is a Tiger supporter. You need love, respect, determination,
understanding and compassion to make milestones like that.
Perko and the women in his life: Lisa, Heather and Pixie Dale The footballing Broady boy played with three clubs, all of which are now defunct. Cooleroo Rovers whose claims to infamy included a son and father, player and coach, in Carl Williams and his dad; and a senior team which included Pentridge prisoners on a day release scheme – they were bumped from the VAFA after one season in 1980. Next came the Dallas Blues. They went the way of a lot of outer suburban clubs at the time, so our footballing nomad crossed – excuse the pun -­‐ to Holy Child. There, he was part of 2 flags under Father James who apparently was the boys’ probationary officer and a mongrel footballer for Collingwood YCW. We have memories of the Wednesday YCW competition – no place for timid souls. The GC Broadie Boy Apart from two employment sojourns up north to Port Douglas and Cairns where
“…it was too bloody hot to play…” Perko has been a staunch Catter. He describes
himself as a strong, hard backman who was originally played at full forward and
kicked 40+ goals. Probably a Plugger at one end and a Wes Lofts at the other. You
wouldn't want to tangle with Perko on or off the deck. If you do try it, come at him
from his left given he copped the eyeful in ’82 and cannot see bright light from that
one. Makes it easier for him to be an absolute one-eyed Collingwood supporter with a
man crush on Eddie Everywhere.
Dale giggles as he recalls one of his coaches of those years (Harold Davies) who was a ‘Killigrew’ of sorts. His mantra was “if you don’t come off with a bit of claret, you haven’t played” and was known to resort to using ‘dead horse’ bottles at half time to illustrate his point of view! In those days blokes doubled up for the Ones and Twos and Perko estimates he played 100+ of which the standout was either the ‘blood bath’ v Cooly or the 1985 premiership. They could’ve been the same game, whatever, he was captain on the day of the flag and doesn’t recall too much of the festivities or end-­‐of-­‐season trip, a theme consistent with the adage ‘what happens on the trip stays on the trip’. Celebrating 1985 Flag
End-­‐of -­‐Season Celebration 1985
Game’s End Grand Final 1985
Family took precedence eventually and he and Heather got stuck into the task of
raising three kids: Lee, Lisa and Mark. In 2001 the family suffered the ultimate in
tragedy and devastation when Lee was killed crossing the M1 at Nerang chasing some
robbery suspects. He was just 17. The Perkins family and the Broadbeach Footy club
honoured Lee in an annual Colts game with the award of the Lee Perkins Memorial
Medal. The Medal, but not the memory, was adjourned in 2011.
Perko gave up the ‘pen and ink’ (now has shares in coke zero) and threw himself into
dedicated service to the footy club. What he hasn’t done isn’t worth mentioning.
Quite seriously, particularly since his elevation to Board member of the Broadbeach
Sports Club (2001?) and the Football Club (2007, president since 2014), if he is not
working with son Mark, his every spare moment is spent in bettering the sporting
environment for the Broadbeach community. With respect to others, (especially those
who have provided in-kind inputs and organisational management), one only needs to
gaze around the Ord Minnett Oval, wander in to the old change room area, tour the
player rooms facilities, or plant an elbow on the bar in the clubhouse to appreciate his
accomplishments. And on game day, he is at the Cattery around 7am and can be seen
around closing time that night with a broom stuck you know where, cleaning up after
him.
Along the way, if there is something to be done, he does it. Perko is the ultimate cando person. Plan facility detail, keep the QAFL executive honest, build rooms, plumb
the showers, plumb the bar, work behind the jump, install goal posts, clean up the
grounds, paint walls, roof rooms, lay carpet, man the BBQ, timekeeper, strapper,
interchange steward, drive the bus, mow the ground, room cleaner etc. etc.. And don’t
let him know where there is a job lot of anything going – it invariably finds its way to
Broady. He is also fond of hosting the ‘Goose Club’ on a Thursday night. We recall
one night in March 2011 when Heather, resplendent in David Jones Black, walked in
the door and went directly to the cash register. Did not pass Go, no jail, $100 off the
top awarded by Barrel Girl Perko.
We doubt there is any football club in Oz with a volunteer to match Perko. QAFL
volunteer of the year in 2005, he was then recognised at Broady in 2007 as Club
Person of the Year, and frankly had he not been on the Board determining that award,
he would have had a stranglehold on the title ever since. Say ‘thank you’ next time
you see him