Gerry Griffiths End to honour one of AFL North West's greatest servants

Before he left for that meeting in 1996, Gerry's wife Veronica asked one thing of him.

"Go to the meeting to show your support but don't take on a job," she said at the time.

Normally, defying your wife's wishes isn't the smartest thing to do but Gerry couldn't help himself - not when it came to helping out.

Gerry took up a role on the committee - the presidency no less - and AFL in the North West has always been the better for it.

He went on to be a celebrated figure within the, then, AFL Tamworth - now AFL North West - community.

The goal-kicking award is named after Gerry and he's also one of two AFL North West life members - alongside Graham Nuttall - and on Saturday his contribution to the community will be further celebrated.

Gerry, who passed away in 2016, will be honoured when the Gerry Griffiths End is officially opened at No. 1 Oval on Saturday.

Veronica will be flanked by friends and family to mark the occasion.

After that fateful meeting in 1996, Veronica didn't learn of her husband's new role until a few weeks later.

"Dave [Graham], who was one of the guys at the meeting, and his family had came around for tea," Veronica explained.

"Talk got to 'it's great, AFL is going to come back to town'.

"And Dave said 'Yeah, it'll be great and Gerry will be president'. There was this deadly silence.

"I said 'What?' and Dave said 'Oh, you didn't know about that?'."

After the initial shock, Veronica came around very quickly.

She only said to Gerry to not take a role was because he held positions with so many other groups, be it school, church or cricket - just to name a few.

But as Gerry's son Evan put it: "He's a doer."

And Gerry just wanted to see AFL in Tamworth again after the demise of the North West league in the early 1990s.

The early days saw the likes of Graham Nuttall, Billy Holder, Gordon Atkinson, Dave Graham, Tony Gillies Dave Chapman - plus others - build the competition.

The start was tough, with the new competition beginning with just four Tamworth teams in 1997. They played 12-a-side football.

"It was hard with just the four teams, some guys would have to back up and play two games," Veronica said.

"It was really fun in the early years, even though it was tough. They didn't have a lot to work with but it built.

"That was the beauty of it."

It built alright.

In 1999 the New England Nomads joined the competition.

The competition kept evolving to today where teams are spread out across the North West with Gerry playing an integral role.

Fellow AFL North West life member Graham Nuttall put it best in his nomination for Gerry's life membership.

"I would go so far to say, that without Gerry Griffiths' commitment and dedication since that night in late 1996 when he took up the reins, the Tamworth AFL would very likely not have survived let alone grown to what it now is," Graham wrote.

On Saturday, the Gerry Griffiths End will be officially unveiled.

Like it was throughout his time with the AFL North West - which included 13 years as president and 20 continual years on the league executive - it will be a family affair on Saturday.

Veronica will be there alongside children Emily, Evan and Marguerite. Matthew lives in Vancouver and isn't able to attend.

Evan called it a "great honour" and Veronica described it as "overwhelming" and humbling while both thought Gerry being honoured at No. 1 Oval was fitting as well.

"He used to say it [umpiring] was the best seat in the house and he loved No 1. It's such a great ground - beautiful. That's why it was such a great joy," Evan said.

He added: "The first season, in 1997, it started at No. 1 Oval and that oval played a pretty important part in AFL in Tamworth."

Evan also said it was fitting the Gerry Griffiths sign will be hung at the park end of the ground.

"It's great it's not down the pool end. One of his great worries was seeing a ball kicked into the pool," Evan said.

Tamworth Swans president Josh McKenzie was the man behind getting the Gerry Griffiths End sign installed.

He thought it was apt Gerry was honoured in this way.

"He was unstoppable. Generally speaking he was a hard-working man. Professionally very busy as well," Josh said.

"Any time anything needed to be done Gerry was the one stepping up to do it."

Josh first met Gerry in 2005 and from there they became great friends. They were entwined through football at a league level and with the Tamworth Swans where Veronica is still heavily involved.

"I had a lot to do with Gerry over a number of years and he's contributed a whole heap to local football," Josh said.

"He was the president for 13 years, on the executive for 20 and was an active umpire at the time of his passing.

"The growth of football we've seen in that 20 years wouldn't have been possible without the work Gerry did."

While person after person attributes the growth of the game to Gerry, the community man was the first to thank the work of others.

"I imagine he'd be very proud but the first thing he'd do is acknowledge guys like Graham Nuttall, Gordon Atkinson, Bill Holder, Dave Graham, Dave Chapman who have all been actively involved with the league," Josh said.

"Gerry was a fairly humble man, he was quick to point out other's contributions."

The unveiling will take place at 9.45am on Saturday.