• 2019 memberships available now!

POWERFULLY built, tall and strong in the contest, Bob Philp was a key part of the Port Adelaide sides that won three premierships in the 1960s. 

He booted more than 100 goals during his 10-year career and won a host of awards to go with his premiership medals, yet some of his best work has come nearly half a century since he decided to hang up the boots. 

Along with a group of Port Adelaide mates, Philp and his group – nicknamed the “Swoopers” – have raised around $300,000 since 2006 for local football clubs and players by hosting a series of luncheons each year. 

“A bloke named John Reardon came to me in 2006 and said the local junior football combined side had no money for footballs and gear and asked if I could do something about it,” Philp told portadelaidefc.com.au. 

“I was in the hotel industry and could organise lunches at the drop of a hat so we organised a lunch in the front bar of the Prince of Wales Hotel with 39 people there; Warren Tredrea MC’d it and we raised $1600 which paid for all the footballs. 

“We had the time of our lives with everyone telling lies! 

“Soon we got too big for the Prince of Wales so we went to the Alberton Hotel and we’ve been there since 2008. 

“Most years we also have one lunch at the Alberton Oval, which is always well attended.” 

Among those to benefit have been local football clubs including Rosewater, Port Districts, Portland, North Haven and SMOSH West Lakes, while Philp said the recently installed seats in the Robert B. Quinn MM Grandstand at Alberton Oval were also due to a donation by the Swoopers. 

“Now we don’t have junior teams at Port Adelaide anymore so if we find a young kid, whose parents aren’t doing too well – I always say if the family’s got the arse out of their pants – we help them out by paying their registration to play footy,” Philp said. 

“Last year we chipped in a couple of grand to see a lad play in a combined state side, and if we can see a young player, who is Port Adelaide through and through and needs help, we try to help them out. 

“I remember when our zoning was Eyre Peninsula and we used to bring a team over from there, put them in the Caravan Park at West Beach, pay for training and meals and get them to play a game. 

“It was always a good breeding ground for us, even our latest recruit Scott Lycett came over on a Swoopers trip, so now we are getting paid back.” 

But the Swoopers has never been about payment or getting something in return. 

Put simply, for Philp, it has always been about a chance to give back to the community and have a meal, a drink and good yarn with some quality Port Adelaide people. 

“It’s good Port Adelaide stuff,” he explained.

“We have other clubs come and ask us how we run it and I tell them you could only run it in Port Adelaide because our people are close and we keep it in house. 

“It goes on as long as you want, you always find someone to have a drink with and some of the old Port Adelaide faces always come out. 

“We do it because we love the community and we love each other.” 

Swoopers lunches are held six times per year with the first for 2019 happening on February 28 at the Port Club at Alberton Oval because of demand. 

For $30, guests will get a two-course meal and guest speakers for the day will be former Port Adelaide captain and administrator Brian Cunningham and author Norman Ashton who recently released the book “Destiny – How Port Adelaide put itself on the national stage.” 

As well, Port Adelaide Executive General Manager Matthew Richardson will also be on hand to discuss what is happening at the club at the moment, including plans for its 150^th anniversary celebrations in 2020. 

Email Bob Philp for more information and reservations bobvivian@chariot.net.au. 

And for the record Philp has cleared up where the name Swoopers came from: 

“We got the name from a guy called Harry Beauchamp from Murray Bridge,” Philp said. 

“Harry suggested the name because it meant young magpies.”