At the Annual Dinner held in 2018
the absolute highlight of the evening was the presentation of a John Coleman jumper to the EFC Past Players Association and EFC. Committee member Barry Besanko introduced Ron Freer, a close family friend of the Besanko family who was donating the jumper. Ron who is now in his 90’s, was a very close friend of John Coleman. John was Best Man at Ron’s wedding and Ron was a pall bearer at John’s funeral. At the end of John’s playing days, John presented Ron with his 1954 jumper in appreciation of Ron’s friendship and support. The Coleman family, represented at the presentation by John Coleman’s daughter, Jenny Goullet, also gifted John’s 1949 Premiership Trophy to Ron on John’s passing. That jumper and Premiership Trophy were presented at the Dinner.
KEN FRASER RECEIVES JUMPER AND TROPHY FROM RON FREER AND JENNY GOULLET.
Ken Fraser accepted the jumper on behalf of the Past Players Association and the EFC. In his acceptance speech, Ken described some of his own memories of the great John Coleman including his memories of watching John play and as his coach from 1961 to 1967 which included premierships in 1962 and 1965. Ken went on to speak about John’s outstanding marking ability and in doing so, mentioned Aaron Francis’ s sensational mark this year and those great marks in the past by the likes of Matthew Lloyd and Simon Madden, both of whom were at the dinner. Much to the amusement of all present, Ken said that Coley used to take 4 or 5 better marks than those of Matthew and Simon every quarter.
