Welcome To The Rye Football & Netball Club

VALE MICHAEL “KICKA” O’ROURKE

A Legend has Departed.

The names of Appleford, Jennings and O’Rourke are synonymous with the Rye Football Netball Club. This week we lost one of the great custodians of our club in Michael “Kicka” O’Rourke.

Mick passed away on Wednesday the 12th of March surrounded by his family after a short battle with cancer.

A Rye Football Club President for 22 years between 2002 – 2023, Mick was also Vice President of the club for 21 years, preceding his Presidency, and was still on the Rye FNC general committee this year.

On the field Mick was a tough, uncompromising back pocket / half back flank player. Who would put his body on the line each week, bleeding red and blue blood. A player who never took a backward step on the ground and in later years as a coach of the reserves, he was regarded as one of the Finest coaches of his time and his record of finals appearances and premierships as a coach, is outstanding. He played his last game at 46 years of age in the reserves in 1993, when they were short of players at Edithvale Aspendale. He had retired as a player in 1984.

All in all, Mick played 342 club games (113 senior), he played in 1 senior premiership in 1972 and 6 reserves premierships, (3 as a player 1968,71,81, 2 as playing coach1982 and 83 and 1 as a non- playing coach 1986). Mick also won two reserves best and fairest awards.

However, maybe his greatest and longest achievement of all, are the “Footy Trips”. Mick had been on 56 Rye Football Club trip away’s, as well as around 20 pre-season “camps”. Outstanding. A world record that will not be beaten.

Mick was also awarded by the AFL South East Commission in 2021 Life Membership to the AFL South East MPFNL League and in 2024 was awarded a Mayoral Commendation on behalf of the Mornington Peninsula Shire. He was of course a Life Member of the Rye FNC and Rye Sports and Social Club.

The Rye Football Netball Club the Rye community are forever indebted to Mick, for the work he contributed to our great club for over 60 years, and we have lost a Legend.

R.I.P “Kicka”.

You will be unbelievably missed, but never forgotten.

2025 MPFNL Division 2 Fixture

Click on the link below to view the 2025 Division Div 2 Fixtuire

https://ryefootballclub.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/2025-Fixture-Division-2-Mens-Football-Netball24-2.pdf

Click here for all the pictures for our Team of the Decade night for 2006 - 2015

Socially in 2025

2025 Social Calendar

Sunday March 23rd Coaches, Players and Committee Day St Andrews Beach Brewery 12.30 - 3.30pm 
Friday March 28th Season Launch Legends Luncheon Rye RSL 12.00pm - 4.00pm 
Saturday April 19th Classic Car Show Rye Football Club 
Saturday May 10th Round 5 Ladies Day 
Saturday May 31st Round 8 Past Players / Life Members Day
Saturday June 14 Round 9 Sponsors Luncheon  
Saturday June 21st Round 10 Mid Season Ball Rye Hotel Main Sail Bar

Go Demons

Founded in 1946, The Rye Football Club has played in 20 senior grand finals, winning 8 premierships. A proud and strong club on and off the field , one of the club’s outstanding achievements in its 78 years, is that there has only ever been 6 Presidents, Wilfred Rowley 1946 – 58, Clarrie Jennings 1959 – 79, Nick Appleford 1980 -95, Colin Beel 1996 – 2001, Rye legend Mick O’Rourke 2002 – 2023. Since 2024 Reg Chadwick has been our 6th President. Reg is a life member, premiership player and ex captain of the club, who is doing an outstanding job.

Netball is now an integral part of the club and since its inception in 2009, has been overwhelmingly successful, playing in 6 A Grade grand finals and winning 3. The club now has 5 Netball sides, the Under 17’s, and A, B, C and D Grade teams.