Nev Fankhauser: Board Member
The only member who does not have a relly running around in Cats colours. And quite possibly the only Queenslander ???
You would have to be illiterate or an NRL supporter – quite often one in the same – not to recognise Nev’s last name when it comes to aussie rules on the coast. A tragic cats fan with a tragic piece of art work - willed to the Geebung FC - on his stomach that fortunately only his wife, Wendy, gets to see on a regular basis. Wendy, a Hawker who doesn’t mind the odd losing bet to bloods supporters, is working hard to ensure that daughters Jessie and Shannon are winning swannie fans.
Nev is in his second year on the board, as Julian Assauge’s insider at Broady, and is backing up and horsing around with TheRock and his mate Dozer. He has a history of fund collection having won an award for raising the most amount of money for the Variety Club Splash in 1998. Nev played all his junior sport at Southport before taking off to Darwin in 1986 and to Adelaide in 1988 where he played with Brighton for 2 years.
Left Oz for the Old Dart until old boy aged and returned home to play with Southport OBs winning a couple of flags with Dozer in ’95 & ’96. Retired in 1997 after teaching Dozer how to mark and handball receive, and took to coaching/running juniors in U/14s for 2 years and 2 flags. Dan Skrinis, current senior player, was in one of those squads.
For pastimes, Nev loves deep sea fishing and taking all his mates, not sleeping 3 nights before TheRock runs, and looking at The Castle over and over again. His greatest claim to fame is completing the Melbourne marathon in 2009, and no, we don’t believe it either, to look at him. Nev earns a crust as a Fire Protection engineer and is often on the job teaching fellow board member Perko, how to install sprinkler systems. And like all board members, senses a good vibe at Merrimac and is looking forward to 2011.
Laraine Sheers: Board Member
First year on the board, and while Laraine is not an owner of TheRock, she does horse around with husband Les and her latest book was Bart Cumming’s autobiography. Laraine is intent on remaining on the board until grandson Kai is playing seniors.
Married forever to Les with sons Rad and Ty (and of course grandson Kai) one gets the feeling she has a thing for single syllable males, but character sounding females (grand daughters Hannah and Mia). A former health shop advisor – make that current – and a receptionist at the Burleigh Heads Golf Club, Laraine was a Belle of the Ball at age 16 and played hard until she met Mick-Jagger–look-alike Les in ’65. Originally a Victorian, Laraine used her height well around a squash court in Syndal and later in Brighton SA, where she didn’t run into Nev, but she did knock up 200 plus games at A grade level, including premierships along the way.
A holiday on the coast while living in Adelaide convinced Laraine and Les to make the shift in 1991. A bit of a nomadic life, the Sheers also had 6 months in Wellington in NZ in 1980 and a specific sojourn for health reasons to Germany in 2010 with a reward trip to Paris on the side. After evicting Stan and Elaine Rose, the Sheers have settled just about a 5 ounce champagne glass from the club bar, and are are regulars at the club, but they do venture home occasionally to feed their treasured dobermann.
In her own words, Laraine is opinionated, passionate, smart and cryptic. We would add courageous as she stares down MS.
Last Modified on 02/02/2011 15:16