This weekend, Cowwarr will host Heyfield with the two clubs competing for the Hollonds – Komen Cup.
The Hollonds – Komen Cup is contested each season during the first meeting of the two sides, with the winning club being awarded based on the results of the three football and six netball games.
The Cup was an initiative struck in honour of two individuals who made extraordinary contributions to their clubs and the game, favourite sons Pat Komen and Andrew ‘Angry’ Hollonds who both tragically passed away prior to the 2009 season. This year marks the 13 year anniversary.
Heyfield will pay tribute to much-loved clubman and games record holder Pat Komen who played a staggering 472 games with Heyfield Football Club.
Pat is a three-time premiership player, having played in the undefeated Kangaroos flag in 1976 which saw the side named Champions defeating Stratford in the grand final 17.18 (110) to 11.16 (82).
Pat’s love of the game and club is evident, renowned for being one of the first to arrive at the ground and one of the last to leave on dusk Komen loved to be around those at Heyfield.
Komen’s contribution to both the Heyfield Football Club and League saw him inducted as a life member of the League in 1998, with Pat also awarded life membership of both the Heyfield junior and senior clubs something which he was very proud of.
Pat was instrumental as a junior football coach taking to the reigns of the junior sides for a six year period which saw him claim two premierships and in his later years he was involved in the Gippsland Superules.
Andrew ‘Angry’ Hollonds career with Cowwarr spanned over 20 years, as a junior through to senior player.
Hollonds first pulled the boots on for the Saints as a 17-year-old in the thirds competition, where he played some 17 games, before becoming a member of the seniors and reserves list.
A local boy, Hollonds first got his taste of country football when he attended the 1987 grand final between Cowwarr and Heyfield with mate Rowan Farley.
Quick to catch the ‘bug’ Hollonds was hooked and had to do quite a bit of talking to convince his parents to let him play.
The competitiveness and determination of Hollonds saw him claim his first accolade in his debut football season being relegated to runners up in Cowwarr’s thirds best and fairest.
This become the first of many awards for the defender, with one of the more memorable seeing him claim the club best and fairest award in the reserves competition in 1990 playing from the back pocket.
Awarded life membership in 2005, Hollonds career saw him play at all levels of the game with the majority of his career (264) games played at reserve level with the Angry Saint breaking the clubs games record in 2008. Angry’s boots have remained in the Cowwarr change rooms since 2008 and will continue to have pride of place in the new rooms in honour of the great clubman.
