The 2000 season: Glenorchy Knights win the last title of the 20th Century

Photo:  Brett Pullen had a great year for Glenorchy Knights and also won the Vic Tuting Medal [PlessPix]

The year 2000 marked the end of the 20^th Century.

In Tasmanian football, there was no State-wide play-off.

Glenorchy Knights, coached by Ken Morton, won the Conference League title, the top-flight Southern competition, and Devonport City the Northern title.

Glenorchy Knights also won the Top-5 series at the end of the league campaign, beating University 2-0 in the final.

University had won the State title in 1999 under joint coaches Jimmy Kerr and Dave Forshaw, and again in 2001, the latter season with a 1-0 win over Launceston City.

University were unable to win the 2000 title, but they did make news by fielding a female player in their senior men’s team at times.

Melinda Minstrell, an American, had played at a high level in the USA and professionally in Japan.  She was well worth her place in the side.

A typical University squad of the time was:  Martin Wells, Shane West, Brook Teale, Paul Enkelaar, J McCarthy, Luke Rapley, Mark Rapley, Craig Pitt, Doug Gray, Matthew Shaw, Michael McDonald, Corey Smith, Ben Spurr, J Kent-Hume, Pantelis Cleoudis.

The Summer Cup started off the season and in the senior section final on 1 April 2000, New Town Eagles beat Glenorchy Knights 2-1.

Jim Brown netted for Knights and a penalty by David Stoddart and a goal by Julian Proud saw Eagles victorious.

The women’s final was won by Nelson, who beat University Yellow 2-1 through goals by Shelley Cook and Emily Parker.  Melinda Minstrell replied for University with a penalty.

Kingborough Lions United took out the Youth Reserve Final with a 3-1 win over University.  Kent-Hume scored for the Students, while goals by Jamie Howell, Boonstra and Grant Bourne gave the Lions victory.

The Premier League Section Final saw New Town Eagles down Kingborough Lions United 3-1 with goals by Rodney Bones, T Fotak and Stephen Bukowiecki.  Kingborough’s goal was an own-goal by Gilbert Steenhuis.

The teams for the senior final were:

New Town Eagles:  S Kruijver, D Bones, P Fong, Goninon, L De Vries, M De Vries, C Shepherd, Stoddart, A Jones, R Leszczynski, J Proud.

Glenorchy Knights:  Munro, Begovic, A Brown, Tzortzis, J Brown, J Fielding, S Hadley, N Anis, D Joiner, G Corno, B Pullen.

Metro were serious about the 2000 season.  Not only did they change their strip from the traditional yellow shirts and blue shorts, but they designed a new white strip.

They also brought in three Scottish imports to join their Scottish import goalkeeper Andy Baxter.

Midfielders Kieran Love, Craig Irving and striker Steve Pettit added skill, experience and determination to the Claremont outfit.

It was still hard work for Metro, though, as they found out on 27 May 2000 when Glenorchy Knights whipped them 5-1.

Brendan Lakoseljac put Knights ahead in the 32^nd minute, but Pettit equalised 4 minutes later.

Lakoseljac restored the Knights’ lead to put them 2-1 up at the break.  Just after the resumption, Lakoseljac set up Brett Pullen for Knights’ third and Lakoseljac then scored twice more near the end to make it five for the Knights and four for himself.

The quarterfinals of the Lakoseljac Cup were played in early June.

University beat Launceston City 2-1 after extra-time, while Glenorchy Knights overcame South Hobart 4-2.

New Town Eagles defeated Hobart Zebras 3-2, while Kingborough Lions United trounced Hobart Olympic 5-2.

The Kingborough Lions United squad was:  K Beardwood;  B Daley, N Vagg, B Reynolds, M Driessen, I Parker, M Wells, P Haig, R Iles, S Chetcuti, T Dale (Subs:  W Barker, D Palmer, M Hughes).

Hobart Olympia squad:  D Kirk;  P Kaproulias, P Tsakiris, C Tsakiris, R Benson, T Carson, A Bennett, A Powell, A Akamotakis, D Zucco, N Vavoulas  (Subs:  X Keskeridis, P Yang, M McCallum).

Photo:  Brendan Lakoseljac (left) also featured prominently in the success of Glenorchy Knights.  He is shown here with his son Bradley. [PlessPix]

Glenorchy Knights showed their title credentials on 30 June when they thrashed reigning champions University 7-0,  Brett Pullen hit a hat-trick, while Brendan Lakoseljac and Josh Fielding each grabbed a brace.

In the Lakoseljac Cup semi-finals, Kingborough Lions United downed University 2-0, while Glenorchy Knights beat New Town Eagles 4-0.

In the Lakoseljac Cup Final at KGV Park on 1 September 2000, Glenorchy Knights beat Kingborough Lions United 3-0 after leading 1-0 at half-time.  Brendan Lakoseljac [the trophy was named after Brendon’s late father, Milan] netted twice and Brett Pullen once.

Hobart Zebras were playing their games at Bell Street in 2000, but their fortunes there were mixed.  Metro hammered them 4-1 at Bell Street on 30 July with Metro’s Scotsmen prominent on the score-sheet.  Pettit scored twice and Love once, with the remaining goal coming from Adam Tassell.  John Demir scored Juventus’s consolation goal when he was put away by Honeyman and his cross deceived Metro keeper Neil Biggar, who could only help the ball into the net.

University also thrashed Juventus 5-0 at Bell Street on 12 August so my guess is Juventus were somewhat relieved when their tenure at that venue ended.

Glenorchy Knights won the Premier League title by beating Metro 5-0 on a Friday night with two games in hand, while New Town Eagles finished in second place.

It was a wonderful season for Knights.  Their striker Brett Pullen won the prestigious Vic Tuting Medal as the best-and-fairest player in the top-flight league.

South Hobart collected the wooden spoon.

Photo:  Ben Harbinson was a star for South Hobart but not even he could prevent them from collecting the wooden spoon [PlessPix]