Great clubs are built on and around great people.
The bedrock of a club is the calibre of the people who support it.
Some are household names to the broader Swans community. Many others are not, and do not seek to be.
One such person was the late Malcolm James Binnie. Universally known as Mal.
Mal passed away in Coffs Harbour on the 3rd of October, aged 90.
Firstly, we offer our condolences to Mal’s beloved wife Louise, to his children and their partners - Julie and Teresa, Anita and Andrew, Kirsten, Mia and Michael and to his grandchildren - Tom and Max, and Sienna.
The funeral notice posted by the family said, “I Did It My Way.” And he certainly did.
At his 90th birthday party last year, Mal gave a beautiful speech about life and his family and his multiple friendships. It was almost like he felt that was his last opportunity to convey his love to all of those who loved him.
Mal’s first connection with the club was about 55 years ago when he would go to Melbourne on business and got to know the legendary Norm Smith who was coaching South Melbourne and, Norm’s assistant, who was one of his great Melbourne players, Ian Thorogood. Louise remembers he joined a coterie group at South’s home ground, the Lake Oval. Now that’s longevity.
When South Melbourne relocated to Sydney in 1982 one of Mal’s great mates, the late Tony Cooper, encouraged him to get involved with the Swans. As did the legendary cartoonist and caricaturist Tony Rafty, whose caricatures of Swans players in the early years are now valued collector’s items. Mal did to our everlasting good fortune.
Ken Nichols, Marketing Manager throughout the 80s and into the 90s, paid tribute to Binnie.
“Mal was a tremendous supporter and sponsor for many years. He never haggled over cost, rather was always seeing if there was anything else he could do to assist. The auction was our primary money raising function and Mal was the backbone of it, Nichols said.
“He was legendary - often bidding well over the odds for media advertising when in fact there were no other bidders.”
Anne Lockie, Membership Services Manager 1982-93, and Life Member knew Binnie well.
“Mal was one of the original Gold Pass sponsors when we arrived in Sydney in 1982. He and Louise never missed a game or function. He was a very, very generous person and supporter of our Club,” Lockie said.
Leigh Gazzard, who was the Marketing Services Manager from 1982-89, and who is still a regular at Swans and NSW AFL events said Binnie was always willing to help.
“When I started at the club in 1982, the priority was to find sponsors and establish coteries. I did a “shotgun” mailout and Mal was the very first to respond. Mal may well have been our first ever sponsor in Sydney. I went to his office at Cadillac Plastics, and he gave me a cheque on the spot! Mal and Louise were fabulous people and significant sponsors of the club, who never sought any of the limelight, for probably 35 years,” Gazzard said.
Former Board Member 1995-2016 Andrew McMaster also paid tribute.
“Mal Binnie lived and breathed the Bloods culture long before it became fashionable. He was a true team man who gave so much of himself to the Club, always putting the Swans first. Together, Mal and Louise were unwavering in their support and loyalty for almost a lifetime. Whether at matches or Club functions, they were always there, sharing in the highs, the lows and everything that makes being part of a football club so special,” McMaster said.
“Mal’s generosity, both financially and in his commitment to the Swans, was extraordinary. His passion never wavered, and he was someone you wanted beside you in the trenches — although perhaps not when bidding against him at those legendary Swans auctions in the early days!”
“As No. 1 Ticket Holders, Mal and Louise were wonderful ambassadors for the Club, an honour they both deserved and carried with such grace. The Swans have been fortunate to have had them as part of the Club’s journey for so many years. Their contribution went far beyond football, and the loyalty and love they showed the Club will not be forgotten.”
“Vale Mal. Thank you for everything you gave to the Swans. You will be greatly missed.”
In 2009 Mal and Louise became the first annual Number 1 ticketholders which has become a much-revered award.
It’s worth saying that Peter Weinert had held the position from 1995 until 2008. Peter graciously suggested that he step down to allow other significant contributors to the club to be acknowledged on an annual basis.
No one can be sure, but it is estimated that Mal and Louise attended around 300 home games at the SCG and Homebush before moving north.
Mal was basically part of every Swans related support group. Sky Lounge/Club 18/Centre Circle/Roosy’s Red and Whites (which later became John’s Red and Whites)/Liniment and Leather.
In 2010 Mal and Louise passed the baton to Trevor and Ailsa Bidstrup. The club had no knowledge that Mal and Trevor had a very close business relationship. Mal’s company Cadillac Plastics was a raw material supplier to Trevor’s company MSA which had created the hard hat a century before.
Alan Weatherhead takes up the story.
“In Australia MSA needed a reliable and trusted raw material supplier and we determined Mal and his team would be a great fit. Manufacturing the product locally, we had to produce it under Australian law which was very strict. It was a great business and personal relationship,” Weatherhead said.
“Mal and Trevor were simply two of the best and straightest people you could ever meet. On another matter, a few years ago the Swans were doing a pre-season training at a sports facility in Coffs Harbour. John Longmire was speaking at the local Chamber of Commerce luncheon. Mal and Lou suggested that my wife Marilyn and I attend as their guests. Upon entering the function, a number of Swans players immediately came over and greeted Mal like a long-lost uncle. His impact on them was obvious. On our departure the Coach was waiting at the bottom of the stairs and thanked us for our support.”
Mal worked with Cadillac Plastics for over 35 years. Cadillac distributed plastic sheet and tubing to various companies as well as engineering their own materials into parts. As General Manager, Mal oversaw the supply of bullet proof Lexan into banks, jails and taxis in the mid-1980s as well as being involved in the supply of the polycarbonate sheets used in the roof of the Olympic Stadium at Homebush for the Sydney 2000 Olympics.
Mal was a talented sportsman in his own right, who loved all sport. He was a keen surfer at Wanda in the Shire in his youth, played squash, regularly ran in the City to Surf, was a regular at his local gym, played social tennis, and was a competent golfer - shooting a hole in one on the 5th hole at the Cronulla Golf Club in December 1969.
He loved the Swans but also supported St George in the then NSWRL competition. (very convenient because he would only need one red and white scarf). He had a great interest in English football following Manchester City (notwithstanding he was born in Liverpool, UK). He also followed the Kings, the Sixers, and the NSW Waratahs.
He did however, have a special interest in Water Polo. Primarily because his daughter Kirsten, was an outstanding player, representing Australia in the 1990s. Mal sponsored a number of highly successful NSW state teams, which won National titles as well as the Australian Junior women’s team which competed at the inaugural Women’s World Junior Championships in 1995 in Quebec. He was also a close follower and sponsor of the Sydney University Water Polo club, where Kirsten played.
Mal and Louise sponsored the Best and Fairest trophy for about 5 years at the inception of the Sydney Women’s AFL from 1999-2004. In conjunction with Australia Post they enabled the NSW team to travel to the ACT. Mal’s oldest daughter Julie and her partner Teresa were both members of the SWAFL team. Our AFLW team will be fascinated and grateful that the Binnie’s were championing their cause before most of them were born.
Mal also had a significant civic involvement (he just seemed to find the time to do meaningfully just about everything where he felt he could make a difference)
He was member of the Junior Chamber of Commerce in the 1960s and was a Member of the Duke of Edinburgh award group in the 80s (and probably is the only Swans person to have met the Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Anne at Buckingham Palace). In 1990, Mal was a charter member of the Rotary Club of Silverwater and was heavily involved in the club’s philanthropic work including raising funds for the Children’s hospital and offering work experience opportunities to students from the bush. Mal and Louise also enjoyed the arts and were patrons of Opera Australia and the Sydney Theatre Company.
It was a pleasure and a privilege to know Mal and Louise and Kirsten who was a regular at the SCG.
They are the epitome of the backbone of a members-based club like the Sydney Swans.
Travel well Mal.
- Richard Colless (AM)
