THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE AFL GAME
ROUND 5 APRIL 24-26 $4 (INC GST)
HONOURING THE
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May the ANZAC spirit live on forever. On the 25th April, we remember the thousands of men and women who fought for our great country. May their courage, strength and sense of national pride inspire and stay with us always. Love our ANZACs. Love our footy.
ROUND 5, APRIL 24-26, 2009 F E AT U R E S
28
Gary Ablett
Why his performance ranks with the greatest.
65
Anzac Day special
Ex-Bomber and Pie stars name best of the best.
72
Magpie hero
Jack Pimm’s inspirational World War II story. REGULARS
4
Backchat
Have your say about the football world.
7
The Bounce
Views, news, first person, facts, data, culture.
33
Matchday
Stats, history and line-ups.
61
Dream Team
Advice from Mr Fantasy, our Dream Team expert.
9
It’s been a long and eventful journey but Hawthorn’s Stuart Dew is set to play his 200th game in this round. Sydney’s Brett Kirk and Collingwood’s Simon Prestigiacomo are also due to join Dew as 200-game players.
84 88 92 94
Answer Man Testing your knowledge NAB AFL Rising Star Talking Point
Legacy’s connection with football. THIS WEEK’S COVER A special Anzac Day moment photographed by Andrew White. Go to aflphotos.com.au to order prints of this image.
MAKE SURE YOU SCORE A LOW FARE TO THE AWAY GAMES! Check out the fixture in the match day section to see when your team is playing their next interstate game! To follow your team around the country visit jetstar.com now.
Jetstar Airways Pty Ltd ABN 33 069 720 243.
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feedback
backchat HAVE YOUR SAY ON THE FOOTBALL WORLD
NOW A THREAT: This time last year the
Saints were being criticised.
Knee-jerk reactions I find it interesting that suddenly St Kilda is being talked about as a genuine premiership team, when this time last season, many were critical of all aspects of its game but especially coach Ross Lyon. Surely those reporting on the game can have a little bit more perspective and report on more than just one game, one effort, one result? IVY, VIA EMAIL
Reaching flash point I cannot watch televised games from AAMI Stadium in Adelaide. Those irritating flashing
AFL CHIEF BROADCASTING & COMMERCIAL OFFICER Gillon McLachlan AFL CONSUMER PRODUCTS MANAGER Scott Munn AFL RECORD MANAGING EDITOR Geoff Slattery AFL RECORD EDITOR Peter Di Sisto
boundary billboards distract me so much that I have to turn the television off. JACK, VIA EMAIL
Power restored Apart from the fact it defeated the reigning premier, one of the most promising signs from Port Adelaide’s victory over Hawthorn was its last-quarter effort. With the scores level at three-quarter time, the Power kicked seven goals to three in the last term. While in 2008 they would most likely have tired, in this game Port finished strongly to complete a consistent four-
PRODUCTION EDITOR Michael Lovett WRITERS Nick Bowen, Ben Collins, Jim Main, Peter Ryan, Callum Twomey, Andrew Wallace SUB-EDITORS Gary Hancock, Howard Kotton STATISTICIAN Cameron Sinclair CREATIVE DIRECTOR Andrew Hutchison DEPUTY ART DIRECTOR Sam Russell
HAVE YOUR SAY Send us your feedback on the Record and matters relating to the game, the clubs and the players. The best letter in each round will receive a copy of thee AFL Record Season Guide 2009. Email aflrecordeditor@slatterymedia. com or write to AFL Record, Slattery Media Group, 140 Harbour Esplanade, Docklands, VIC, 3008.
quarter effort. This indicates that Port have improved dramatically from last season, and will make a return to the finals.
EDITOR’S LET TER
The ultimate sacrifice Earlier this week, Australian Football researcher Stephen Rodgers confirmed the details of another League player to have fallen while on active service. According to Rodgers’ research, former St Kilda player Otto Lowenstern was killed in France on December 1, 1917, while on duty with the Canadian services. Lowenstern, born in Melbourne on December 7, 1888, played 12 matches for St Kilda from 1910-11. He is believed to have left Australia for Canada between 1911 and 1914. Confirmation of Lowenstern’s death while on active service brings to 150 the number of League players known to have been killed while on duty. The AFL Record this week spoke with various Australian army officers around the world. Every day these men and women continue to perform courageous tasks, sometimes in hostile and dangerous environments. Each wanted to talk about two things – family and football. Sergeant Dean Johnstone has been in Afghanistan for “six months, two weeks and one day”. He said he dearly missed his wife Kylie and their daughter Ella. He plans to be home for the Collingwood-Carlton match on July 24. “I’ve already got my tickets.” PETER DI SISTO
DANIEL, VIA EMAIL
DESIGNERS Jarrod Witcombe, Alison Wright PHOTO EDITORS Natalie Boccassini, Melanie Tanusetiawan PRODUCTION MANAGER Troy Davis PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Stephen Lording DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Adele Morton COMMERCIAL MANAGER Alison Hurbert-Burns
NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Nathan Hill SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER James Hickey AFL CLUB ACCOUNT MANAGER Anthony Palmer ADVERTISING SALES COORDINATOR Deanne Horkings Advertising (03) 9627 2600 PHOTOGRAPHY AFL Photos (03) 9627 2600 aflphotos.com.au
PRINTED BY PMP Print ADDRESS CORRESPONDENCE TO The Editor, AFL Record, Ground Floor, 140 Harbour Esplanade, Docklands, Victoria, 3008. P: (03) 9627 2600 F: (03) 9627 2650 E: peterd@slatterymedia.com AFL RECORD, VOL. 98, ROUND 5, 2009 Copyright. ACN No. 004 155 211. ISSN 1444-2973, Print Post approved PP320258/00109
4 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au
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the bounce VIEWS NEWS FIRST PERSON FACTS DATA CULTURE
The AIS-AFL Academy program and the under-18 talented pathway around Australia are improving every year NORTH MELBOURNE TALENT MANAGER CAMERON JOYCE, WHO SELECTED JACK ZIEBELL (LEFT) LAST YEAR.
N E X T G E N E R AT I O N
Youngsters making fast transition It certainly hasn’t been a case of stage fright for some of the young talent to emerge from recent NAB AFL Drafts. C A L LU M T WOMEY
W
ith four rounds of the season played, trends are starting emerge. Geelong, despite losing key personnel, has proven difficult to beat, St Kilda appears ready to mount a serious challenge, and the Demons are improving. Importantly, it appears younger players are seamlessly making the transition from junior football to AFL ranks. Already this year we have seen the emergence of several teenagers apparently capable of mixing it with the
best at the elite level. The Brisbane Lions’ Daniel Rich looks every bit a senior player; Blue Mitch Robinson kicked three goals on debut against Richmond in front of close to 87,000; Essendon defender Michael Hurley curtailed veteran Port Adelaide forward Warren Tredrea in his first game; North Melbourne’s Jack Ziebell has the composure of a seasoned star; and Adelaide’s Patrick Dangerfield has shown strength and class. At Hawthorn, Cyril Rioli continues to delight observers with his skill, speed and ability to read the play. We know football is more
and more a young man’s game, but the ability of juniors to make an immediate impact is nevertheless intriguing. North Melbourne talent manager Cameron Joyce believes a culmination of factors is helping young players make a quick transition. “The AIS-AFL Academy program (which identifies elite juniors and provides them with intensive development) and the under-18 talented player pathway around Australia are improving every year. The (junior) coaching’s also getting better,” says Joyce, who picked Ziebell at last year’s draft. Joyce also points to
young players’ confidence in their skill and ability to compete as significant factors. “Not many young players are overawed now.” Although Ziebell’s first month in AFL ranks has been exciting – he performed well against Essendon last week in just his fourth match – Joyce says the club tries to take a long-term view with its drafting. “We don’t put a huge emphasis on them being able to step straight in,” he says. “Obviously, when you’re drafting, you’re looking to try and get a 100-game player CON T IN U ED NE X T PAGE
AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au 7
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thebounce
VIEWS > NEWS > FIRST PERSON > FACTS > DATA > CULTURE
every time you have a pick. It’s not always achievable, but that’s what you’re aiming for.” Former Geelong champion Garry Hocking, who coaches the Geelong Falcons in the TAC Cup under-18 competition, agrees that an improving junior system, coupled with more younger players believing they are capable of making an impact at the highest level, can partly explain why clubs are willing to try young players early in their careers.
Young players don’t have any fear. They don’t lack confidence and they’re just prepared to play, attack the footy and learn GARRY HOCKING
“I think the TAC Cup programs and the clubs themselves are certainly advancing every year and getting better,” Hocking says. “We look at giving players a lot of game-based information and also work heavily on their skills and decision-making.” Hocking coached Dangerfield at the Falcons, focusing on teaching him about making quick and correct decisions, skills needed for the elite level. Those who have seen Dangerfield play would confirm he certainly knows what he is doing, and he looms as a genuine star of the future. “The game does get quicker every year too, whether it’s ball movement or the players’ speed and mobility,” Hocking says. The success of Hawthorn’s Rioli – he has played every game since debuting in round one last year – may have convinced other coaches that they can confidently give young players opportunities sooner rather than later. “Coaches are giving these kids their opportunity. (Young players) don’t have any fear. They don’t lack confidence and they’re just prepared to play, attack the footy and learn,” Hocking says. “They understand they can play and they just go out there, leave (non-football) stuff behind and put everything on show.” NEWS TRACKER
THE MARK
Logan’s leap
HANG DOG: Tom ‘Junkyard Dog’ Logan defied gravity when he took this spectacular mark last week.
NICK BOW EN
I
n the third quarter of last Saturday’s Hawthorn-Port Adelaide match at the MCG, the Power’s Tom Logan made an early claim for mark of the year, although teammate Daniel Motlop was quick to respond with another screamer later in the game. With a free run at a long Brett Ebert kick into the Power forward line at the Richmond end of the ground, Logan launched himself on to Hawk opponent Luke Hodge’s shoulders and, arms outstretched, took a super mark that had the crowd on its feet. Former Port Adelaide skipper Warren Tredrea was also in the action, and the pair this week recounted Logan’s towering effort. LOGAN: Hodge dropped off me and looked as though he was going to go up for the mark, so I thought I had to as well. I just jumped and things went my way. The whole thing’s a bit of a blur. After I took it, Warren said, ‘Make sure you go back and kick the goal’. I think he was just happy Hodge hadn’t outmarked him. At that stage I was pretty pumped up and on a bit of a high, which I don’t think helped me with the shot for goal (Logan kicked a behind). I saw the mark for the first time in our review (on Monday) and I was a little bit disappointed because the boys had been pumping it up and saying how high I’d been. TREDREA: I got a shove in the back and thought I might get a free. Then Hodge went flying forward and I looked up and there was the ‘Junkyard Dog’ (Logan’s nickname at the Power) on his shoulders claiming mark of the year. I probably had the best view of all and it was a pretty special mark.
Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade set to become just the sixth person to have played 250 AFL matches and coached 250 AFL games.
8 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au
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PA S S I O N R E K I N D L E D
Dew’s hooked, for life
RESURRECTED: Stuart Dew continues his football rebirth when he plays his 200th game this week.
GLENN McFA R L A NE
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he first time Stuart Dew retired, he didn’t care to watch another football match, let alone play in one. The next time he retires – the last time he insists – Dew says the game will be in his blood for life. That fact alone says much about the monumental change in mindset the 29-year-old has experienced over the past 18 months. It has been a remarkable transformation – physically and, more importantly, psychologically – for the immensely skilled former Port Adelaide and now Hawthorn player, who is due to play his 200th match this weekend, against West Coast in Launceston. So much so, that had someone dared to predict just a few years ago that he would one day reach a second century of games, Dew would have wondered how long they had been “sitting at the bar”. “There’s no doubt it’s something I’ll be proud of. I never thought I’d get there,” Dew says. “When I retired (at the end of 2006), I had got to a point where I needed to look after myself first. I thought it was best for me (to retire). It was probably tough for people to understand at the time, (but) I’m a human first and a footballer second. “I just had to walk away. d because it had That was sad been such a big part of my adult or life, right back and my junior ed to watch to when I used dad play (in the South mateurs and Australian amateurs ictoria). in country Victoria). “It sounds funny, but the next timee I retire, nd watch I’ll still go and nd I’d love local footy, and ved in a to stay involved pacity. I think coaching capacity.
NEWS TRACKER
I think I bring a lot of good qualities, and my fitness probably isn’t one of them, but I do have a few other qualities out the last year of his contract with Port Adelaide by going through the motions. The harder option was to walk away in order to win his life back. “I could have just clocked on and off, got the pay cheque and walked away, but that wasn’t my style,” he says. Dew wanted to experience aspects of life football had denied him. The Power, though, made him sign a waiver that restricted him from playing with a rival AFL club in 2007. “I would have signed it for however long they wanted me to,” he says, “because I was never going to play again.” Dew spent several months with his dad in the United States. He enjoyed himself, didn’t worry about stepping on the scales and soon found his chunky frame had become a whole lot more chunky. But when he returned HAPPY HAWK: Stuart Dew after last year’s premiership. to Adelaide, a new form of hunger won him over. Almost
I’ve got a unique story and I’ve got a bit to give back.” Dew was a teenage prodigy with the Power, debuting in the club’s maiden season in 1997, aged 17. The solidly built Dew established himself as one of the Power’s barometers, his prodigious kicking becoming a trademark. He was a key player in Port Adelaide’s 2004 premiership team. But after 180 games, he had had enough of life in the fishbowl that is footy-mad Adelaide. The game was weighing him down, an and he needed to ma make a clean brea break. The eas easy option wou would have been to play
thebounce
inexplicably, after a stint as a radio special comments person, Dew realised his love of the game was slowly being rekindled. “I was really enjoying analysing the game,” he says. “I looked at it in a different light; if a team was losing, I would try to look at what I would do if I was the coach.” The radio gig led to a desire to play SANFL football again. In late 2007, he received a phone call from Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson, a former Port Adelaide assistant. Dew had supported the Hawks as a kid. “He’d heard through a few connections that I was thinking of having a kick again,” Dew says. “I knew I was a long way off (playing AFL). There were definitely no assurances. It was just a general inquiry. “I didn’t know I had been drafted by Hawthorn until I checked my mobile on draft day. I was finishing up one of the last things I was doing for Port Adelaide. “I was out on a fishing boat with some sponsors. I didn’t have any reception because we were a long way out. I had about 30 missed calls.” Dew was selected with the 45th pick in the 2007 draft. The Hawks’ decision to pick the out-of-shape Dew drew criticism from some. “It was always going to happen,” Dew says of the controversy surrounding his ample girth at the time. “But if it was going to bother me, I wouldn’t have nominated for the draft. “I think I bring a lot of good qualities, and my fitness probably isn’t one of them, but I do have a few other qualities.” Still, fitness was not an issue on Grand Final day last year. Dew had been troubled by a hamstring injury early in the year but progressively built his fitness, shedding weight along the way. He was a key player in Hawthorn’s first premiership in 17 years, becoming the 27th player to win AFL premierships with different clubs. Before the finals, the Hawks CON T IN U ED NE X T PAGE
Geelong to recognise 12 millionth fan to watch a League match at Skilled Stadium. AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au 9
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conscripted him into their leadership group, and his finals experience proved significant for the young group. “The good thing about our leadership group is that we are all different characters and we all have our opinions and we come up with solutions to help the side,” he says. Interestingly, Dew played his first game against West Coast, and lost; and his 100th game against the Eagles, and lost. He hopes the trend doesn’t continue this weekend. He’s contracted until the end of this season and would like to play in 2010. “That will depend on form,” he says. Whatever happens, Dew will leave with his passion for the game intact.
Other ‘Next Goal’ participants Matt Egan (Geel): Building Will Thursfield (Rich):
Fishing charter operations Sharrod Wellingham (Coll):
Architecture
Simon Prestigiacomo (Coll) :
Landscape design
Matt Maguire (St K):
Architecture
Sam Gilbert (St K): Plumbing Cameron Bruce (Melb):
Business marketing
NEW CLUB
Thunder in QAFL action
THINKING AHEAD
Planning for life beyond the game
A NDR EW WA L L ACE
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HANDS ON:
A NDR EW WA L L ACE
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he concept of AFL players taking it “one week at a time” is far from reality away from the playing field. Even a No. 1 draft pick such as Carlton’s Matthew Kreuzer, who many predict will be a star for at least the next decade, is already looking towards his post-football life. As part of AFL SportsReady and the AFL Players’ Association’s ‘Next Goal’ program1, the 19-year-old is bending his back with teammate Nick Stevens’ company, NJS Signature Landscapes. “The AFLPA and the club really encourage us to be doing something outside of footy, whether it’s university or part-time work,” Kreuzer said. Having completed his year 12 studies only 18 months ago, the athletic ruckman wasn’t too keen to get his head back in the books. “I didn’t want to be sitting in NEWS TRACKER
Matthew Kreuzer is enjoying his work as a landscape gardener.
I love getting out there, and it takes your mind off footy a bit. I could definitely see myself doing something like this down the track another classroom on my day off, because I wasn’t the biggest fan of school,” he said. “I just wanted to get outside and have a bit of fun.” Where possible on Thursdays, Kreuzer is working on a major landscaping project at Eaglemont in Melbourne’s north-eastern suburbs, learning new skills to complement the ones he’s honing the rest of the time at Carlton. “It’s really good, because I was working the first day they started on the job, so I got to see what it looked like beforehand,” he said. “We ripped out every bit of the backyard and plans for a
pool have been put in place. You see the progress in a week or two and it’s massive – there’s new pavers and walking areas, and hopefully later on we can get on to laying the grass and garden beds as well.” Kreuzer is yet to discover a downside to the job, and views landscape design as a career possibility when his playing days eventually draw to a close. “I love getting out there, and it takes your mind off footy a bit. I could definitely see myself doing something like this down the track.” 1
The Next Goal program is designed to allow players to be matched with a suitable employer to undertake work experience in either a 10- or 30-day work placement.
team representing the Northern Territory is this season playing in the Queensland Australian Football League competition for the first time. The new team is called the Thunder, the name also used by the state’s under-16 and under-18 representative teams. It was developed after several years of planning and is being coached by Michael McLean. “It’s the first time the Northern Territory has a senior side in a state league competition, so I’m rapt to be a part of something so special,” McLean said. “We’re trying to get this club into a state of semiprofessionalism, to do everything right on and off the field with our coaching and support staff to show people we can be competitive.” Aside from the challenge of moulding a team of players from far and wide across the Territory, the Thunder had a pre-season campaign lasting only two weeks, following the end of the NTFL season in late March. “A month ago, these blokes wanted to kill each other, now we CON T IN U ED NE X T PAGE
Some 120 Victorian country clubs to use pink footballs in matches in May to support the Breast Cancer Network Australia.
10 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au
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VIEWS > NEWS > FIRST PERSON > FACTS > DATA > CULTURE
want them to play as a team,” said McLean, a member of the AFL Indigenous Team of the Century. “This year is about management and maintenance of the players, making sure they’re fresh in their minds and don’t get too fatigued.” The Northern Territory started in the best possible manner, defeating QAFL giant Southport by two goals at Darwin’s TIO Stadium. However, while the Thunder’s lightning speed, exquisite skills and ball movement were lauded after their debut, the team received a reality check last MILES TONES – ROUND 5
250 games coached Rodney Eade Western Bulldogs
200 games Stuart Dew Hawthorn Brett Kirk Sydney Swans Simon Prestigiacomo Collingwood
150 games Adam McPhee Essendon Michael Avon Field umpire
150 Club Games Craig Bolton Sydney Swans
weekend against the Brisbane Lions reserves at the Gabba, going down by 88 points. “The Lions are the yardstick of the competition, and they should be – they’re professionals playing against amateurs,” McLean said. “We got hurt with their strength and height, but playing against AFL-listed guys was a great experience and opportunity for our boys.” The former Footscray and Brisbane Bears star believes the Northern Territory team will provide an additional pathway for talented youngsters to the elite level, particularly with the new Gold Coast Football Club able to sign up to three Northern Territorians before the 2010 NAB AFL Draft. Off the field, it is a requirement for all listed players – most of whom are under 25 – to have employment, with the club assisting them to find meaningful roles. The group includes several familiar names, with McLean’s son Mark and nephew Nathan running around, as well as Aaron Motlop, a cousin of exciting Port Adelaide forward Daniel. So focused is McLean on the present, he will not yet think about the chance of a Northern Territory team in the AFL in the future, but it is possible the first small step has been made. “That’s the wildest of wild dreams, but I think it’s important to keep it short-term, keep it simple and aim to continue to get guys drafted,” he said. AFL lists this year feature 82 indigenous players, or about 11 per cent of the playing group.
100 Games Matt Maguire St Kilda Adam Selwood West Coast Matt Stevic Field umpire
C O M PA R I S O N S
Staying in the middle BEN COL LINS
50 Games Josh Drummond Brisbane Lions Joel Selwood Geelong
NEWS TRACKER
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his decade we have been blessed with three of the greatest midfield groups to grace the game – the Brisbane
LAPPING IT UP:
Matthew Lappin has been impressed with Geelong’s midfield.
Lions ‘Fab Four’ of Michael Voss, Simon Black, Jason Akermanis and Nigel Lappin; West Coast trio Chris Judd, Ben Cousins and Daniel Kerr (you could add ruckman Dean Cox to that mix); and, of course, the current Geelong midfield, studded with stars Gary Ablett, Jimmy Bartel, Joel Selwood, Joel Corey, Cameron Ling and Paul Chapman. Not coincidentally, this trio of engine rooms has powered their clubs to a combined tally of eight Grand Finals for five premierships. Pondering the question of “who’s best?” would take a lot more space than we have here, but one man with a rare insight into the respective merits of at least two of these groups is former Lions champion Nigel Lappin, now an assistant coach at Geelong. When asked to compare the two, the modest Lappin is as evasive as he was during his 279-game, three-premiership playing career “I’ll let everyone else make those comparisons,” he says. “But no doubt there are a lot of similarities in the way they
They’re (Geelong’s midfield) right up there obviously. It’s a very similiar balance to some of the best midfields of the past go about it and the types of players they have.” Well, just how good is this Geelong midfield? “They’re right up there, obviously,” he says. “It’s a very similar balance to some of the best midfields of the past. “There are various players in the midfield group who can do it all – hard-ball winners, class finishers, with a great balance of attack and defence. “Even the older guys in the group seem to have at least three good years left in them, and most of them have more than that. We want to keep topping it up and adding a few different types in there.” If things had been different – ie. had Lappin accepted the offer of former teammate Michael Voss to play on this year – he might have had the CON T IN U ED NE X T PAGE
Hawthorn has placed defender Trent Croad (foot surgery) on its long-term injury list.
12 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au
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We’ve kicked a few goals over the years JELD-WEN is the name behind the St Kilda Football Club. And we’re also the name behind iconic brands like Stegbar and Corinthian – leaders in door, window and showerscreen manufacture, supply and installation. Great club, great brands. jeld-wen.com.au
M A J O R PA R T N E R
DISEGNO STE2928
VIEWS > NEWS > FIRST PERSON > FACTS > DATA > CULTURE unenviable task of plotting against the Cats. However, the possibility of his ageing body sustaining more injuries convinced him to stay retired and pursue coaching. And he hasn’t regretted it. Lappin, who hails from the north-east Victorian country town of Chiltern, was always going to return to his home state one day. Geelong was the perfect fit. The prospect of working and learning at an AFL heavyweight, combined with the countrified lifestyle and the relative proximity of wife Claire’s parents at Anglesea to help raise their four daughters (ages ranging from 18 months to five years) was too good to resist. He feels privileged to have been given an opportunity at such a club. No doubt the feeling is mutual. It has been an almost seamless transition, although he adds: “Nothing compares to playing. As a player, you have a lot more control over what happens on the ground than you do as an assistant coach.” Lappin generally assists Geelong midfield coach Brendan McCartney and focuses on stoppages. Surely it’s a plum job because the Cats midfielders would coach themselves. “There is still an element of teaching the young guys – mind you, we haven’t got a lot of young midfielders coming through,” he says. “It’s mainly a facilitating role. The guys are pretty much in maintenance mode – they are very good at what they do and we want to keep them at that level for as long as possible. “It’s just a matter of tinkering with the system a little each week to make it less predictable to the opposition.” So where can the Cats improve? “If I told you that, ‘Bomber’ (coach Mark Thompson) would kill me!” Come on, give us something. “Well, you can always improve in general areas. We’re really keen to stay ahead of the competition, and this club should be successful for a long time. But I seriously can’t give anything away.”
NEWS TRACKER
TOUGH GIG: Alipate
Carlile had the big task on Lance Franklin last week.
CHALLENGES
Bob for the job SH A NE McNA L LY
T
he big jobs don’t worry Alipate Carlile, as he showed against Hawthorn’s Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin at the MCG last Saturday. He relishes the challenge and sometimes, like last week, his efforts on the best in the business are an important part of Port Adelaide’s success. Carlile – ‘Bob’ to his friends who once struggled to pronounce Alipate – is one of the new breed of dynamic defender. He can match it with the big bodies, sprint like a midfielder and he’s not scared to back himself, as he showed when he ran the length of AAMI Stadium for a first-round goal against Essendon. Fijian-born Carlile, 22 next week, has travelled one of the AFL’s great football journeys. He came to Australia as a baby and played soccer and Australian Football in north-eastern Victoria, before footy won out. He learned to kick a ball – or perhaps punch it away from
forwards – with the Wangaratta Rovers before joining the Murray Bushrangers in the TAC Cup and attracting recruiters’ interest. He was picked by Port Adelaide at No. 44 in the 2005 draft. The move was smooth for the second cousin of Port midfielder David Rodan and, with the guidance of coach Mark Williams and former champion full-back Darryl Wakelin, he was quickly moulded into a defender to be feared. He cemented his spot as a Power regular last year, winning a NAB AFL Rising Star nomination and the Gavin Wanganeen Award for the club’s best player under 21. One of Port’s few good news stories in an average 2008, Carlile is excited about the season ahead, despite the club’s one poor game against West Coast in round two – a result he puts down to a lack of pressure, not enough “heat” and even nerves. “When we bring what we call heat, tackling pressure, we know we can do a lot of damage on the scoreboard and help out a young defence,” he says. “We know if we bring our game every week, we’re up there with the best of them. “We were down key players against Hawthorn so other players had to step up and put on the pressure.” Carlile is looking forward to
thebounce
the prospect of playing on Nick Riewoldt this week, or at least playing his part in reducing the champion’s impact. He knows subduing the St Kilda captain or Franklin or Carlton’s Brendan Fevola often requires a team effort, but he’s ready for the key responsibility. “Every week, you come up against a superstar forward,” he says. “Whether Troy (Chaplin) gets Riewoldt or I get him, we’re not really fussed because we both know we have to bring our best to beat him. We look forward to it. “When (backline coach) Adam Kingsley told me I was playing on Buddy, I was rapt. He’s so strong and quick – he’s pretty much the complete package. “But the midfielders helped me out a fair bit by dropping into the hole and we had Nathan Krakouer free for most of the day, cutting off leads.” Working together, Carlile says, is an essential element in Port’s defensive structure. So is taking the initiative to run the ball fast out of defence when the opportunity arises. “Defending is the first option but all the backline guys try to push up the ground when the situation presents itself and get some touches to help out the midfielders,” he says.
REUNION
Celebrating a grand old flag BEN COL LINS
T
here was a lovely coincidence at the MCG last Sunday that linked a rare, modernday Melbourne success with the now almost mythical glory days of the Norm Smith era. While the Demons won their first game of the season on the hallowed turf, upsetting Richmond to claim just their fourth win in coach Dean CON T IN U ED NE X T PAGE
Sydney Swans and Fremantle playing for Redkite Cup; Redkite is a charity supporting young people with cancer. AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au 15
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Bailey’s 26-game tenure, they were urged on by a group of club legends who were celebrating the 50-year reunion of their 1959 premiership side. Seven of the 14 surviving members of the team – captain John Beckwith, Ian Thorogood, John Lord, Dick Fenton-Smith, Alan Rowarth, Geoff Tunbridge and Clyde Laidlaw – attended an MFC/MCC members’ luncheon in the Jim Stynes Room. (Other players, including such notables as Ron Barassi and Hassa Mann, were unavailable due to other commitments or the tyranny of distance.) Truth be told, it wasn’t actually a reunion because these former teammates, along with many members of the other five Demon premiership sides of the 1950s and 60s, get together for lunch, and much mirth, each month at the Bentleigh Club. Many have remained close mates throughout the intervening decades. The 1959 triumph was the Demons’ third flag in four seasons. It was seen as a year of redemption after the club’s famous shock loss to rank outsider Collingwood in the previous season’s Grand Final. Melbourne coach Norm Smith, the sternest of disciplinarians, reacted savagely to the humiliating defeat, driving his players harder than ever in ’59.
NEWS TRACKER
For the first time, he ordered every player to do summer training. The result was that very few teams could keep up with the Demons for four quarters, as was evidenced in the Grand Final. Essendon – which Laidlaw believed was a classier outfit than the Demons – led by 20 points early in the second quarter but was eventually overpowered by 37 points. Melbourne’s best were their big guns. Barassi atoned for a poor performance the year before, slotting 4.3 from his 22 kicks in a best-afield display (his fourth top-three rating in a Grand Final, and he was just 23!), while ruckman/forward ‘Big Bob’ Johnson contributed 3.1 from 18 kicks. The premiership was only a small consolation for Smith. At the celebration dinner that night at the MCG, he took aside wingman Frank ‘Bluey’ Adams, a professional sprint champion, and asked him to take a group of players for sprint training because he felt the side was severely lacking pace. The most successful people are never satisfied. OLD TIMES: 1959 Melbourne premiership players (standing L-R) John Lord, Ian Thorogood, Dick Fenton-Smith, John Beckwith and, front, Alan Rowarth (left) and Geoff Tunbridge with president Jim Stynes.
AC H I E V E R
On the field, Simon says nothing A NDR EW WA L L ACE
A
t times in 2008, it appeared a serious foot injury might end Collingwood defender Simon Prestigiacomo’s career, leaving the Magpies cult hero stranded shy of 200 games. Unfashionable he might be, but one need only consider Prestigiacomo’s effort against Brisbane Lions captain Jonathan Brown last week to understand his value to the Magpies. Moved on to a rampaging Brown – who had booted two first-quarter goals on Collingwood namesake Nathan Brown – ‘Presti’ did not concede enowned another, using his renowned ight closing speed and tight everal checking to effect several crucial spoils, whilee also ngly sure displaying surprisingly nditions, hands in greasy conditions, all and attacking the ball ferociously. Likely to line up on yd or either Matthew Lloyd rday’s Scott Lucas in Saturday’s ac Pies-Bombers Anzac at Day meeting in what w be his 200th match, atch, will Prestigiacomo this week er that reflected on a career started at the other end of the ground. “I hadn’t played full-back in my life until I got to Collingwood,” hee said. “I came from the Northern C Cup) as Knights (in the TAC rd, and a centre half-forward, ollingwood’s) Danny Frawley, (Collingwood’s) 96, put me at reserves coach in ’96, full-back for a gamee and I didn’t go too badly.” uickly learned Prestigiacomo quickly sses of life in to adapt to the stresses aying on key the backline, but playing forwards who can turn a game in an instant still isn’t fun. joy the actual “I never really enjoy
game,” he said. “You’re just trying to concentrate on your role and, even if we’re 10 goals up, you still want to hold your man out and not let him get a goal or two in the last few minutes.” The 31-year-old accepts there are times when he is going to get chopped up by the game’s champions, and in such situations wills himself to bury past events and simply compete well at the next contest. Quietly spoken off the field, Prestigiacomo is near mute on it, and sledging the defender has proven about as useful as a political discussion with a goal post. “‘Fev’ (Carlton’s Brendan Fevola) doesn’t mind a bit of a chat when he’s up and going and the small forwards don’t mind getting in your face, but I guess they know they won’t get too much out of me,” he said. “I don’t get mixed up in that sort of stuff – I’m just trying to focus on my job.” QUIET PLEASE: Simon
Prestigiacomo lets his actions speak, rather than his words.
Geelong midfielder Cameron Ling is expected to miss up to a month with an achilles injury.
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TRENDS
Making the link PETER RYA N
M
ore and more, we are thinking of stoppages as our game’s opportunity for set plays: the chance to make something from nothing. Nick Davis’ match-winner for the Sydney Swans in the dying seconds of the 2005 semi-final against Geelong is a perfect example. However, the emphasis on zoning and teams’ ability to make a quick transition from defence to attack has increased the importance of stoppages; teams have an opportunity to get the ball moving before the opposition can set up numbers behind the ball. It doesn’t matter where a stoppage occurs on the field; get it wrong, and the opposition can quickly score. An average of five goals a game are scored from stoppages each week. They are defi ned as a goal coming from unbroken possessions after a centre bounce, boundary throw-in or ball-up. Geelong and Carlton are the best – they score a goal from a stoppage eight per cent of the
time. Port Adelaide is also a strong performer in this area, particularly when it comes to scoring directly from a centre bounce. The poorer teams in this area – Richmond, Fremantle and, surprisingly, North Melbourne – score a goal from a stoppage less than 4.5 per cent of the time. The individual who can dominate at stoppages is invaluable. Essendon’s Jobe Watson is the competition’s outstanding player when it comes to starting a chain of possessions that leads to a goal. Significantly, he has managed this even though Essendon has had fewer stoppages than any other team this year. The Sydney Swans have two players in the top five – Adam Goodes and Jarrad McVeigh – although that is partly because the Swans have more stoppages than any other club. Carlton champion Chris Judd and emerging Lion Jed Adcock round out the best five at starting a chain of possessions to score. PLAYER Jobe Watson
SCORE* 7.3 (45)
B A R R AC K I N G
Statement made
Collingwood fans Michelle and daughter Triantafillidis, photographed at Docklands. A NDR EW WA L L ACE Tell me about your outfits. Michelle: Everything you
Being so conspicuous, what is your exit strategy?
see comes from the Lexus Centre. We buy a new jumper every year, and we’ve put in a lot of hard work getting the signatures at VFL games.
Even when we lose, we always stay to the end. After a win, we linger and really enjoy it.
And the headwear?
It’s a new thing for Collingwood – we reallyy want to stand out from every other ust team. These have only just been released. What about fans who don’t don the colours?
They’re just wimps. You’re ’re ng never too old or too young to dress up.
Everyone seems to hate Collingwood, but I don’t don t know why. We’re actually not as bad as people think; we’re just very passionate about the club.
GO PIES!
Have you ever made a fashion mistake?
Last year in the finals wee early made glitter hats that nearly d us, blinded everyone around n. so we won’t do that again. ments There were a lot of comments coming from the crowd, but at least we stood out.
Chris Judd
6.4 (40)
Jarrad McVeigh
6.2 (38)
How has your look evolved? ed?
Adam Goodes
6.1 (37)
Jed Adcock
6.0 (36)
I used to have a mullet way ore. back, but I don’t any more. ria When we were at Victoria oat Park, I had the duffle coat and ugg boots.
*What the player’s team has scored after the player has started a ‘chain’. Statistics courtesy Champion Data.
What kind of comments do you get?
KNOW EVERY GAME PLAN.
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VIEWS > NEWS > FIRST PERSON > FACTS > DATA > CULTUR CULTURE RE
SUPER SWAN: After an early
PERSEVER ANCE
Living for the moment
struggle, Brett Kirk has made the most of his career to reach 200 games.
PETER RYA N
S
ydney Swans midfielder Brett Kirk will have no regrets when his football career ends. He does not have to tell you that; you just know when you hear these words from him: “I’ve been playing every game as though it’s the last game of my career for a long time now.” His 200th game is upon him this week, but he will attack the match with the same 100 per cent effort he gives each time he pulls on the red and white jumper, a consistency of performance that makes him one of the Swans’ greats. He has finished no lower than second in the club’s past six best and fairest counts, was equal fourth in the 2004 Brownlow Medal and earned a premiership medal in 2005. Those achievements are normally the domain of the naturally gifted, not the career details of a man who was sent back from the Swans as a 19-year-old at the end of 1996 to play football for North Albury for the next two seasons, only to re-emerge late in 1999 as a 22-year-old debutant bobbing up against North Melbourne as the Swans battled to play finals. Kirk never gave up; he just made the necessary changes to help him reach the elite level. In simple terms, he learned to only worry about the things he could control. “Early on, my career was not smooth sailing and, as a young player, you worry a lot about whether you’re going to get a game and what people think of you,” he says. “I guess I got caught up in too much of that stuff and you can’t sleep. (I learned) to let go of things and really just enjoy the moment.” NEWS TRACKER
Early on, my career was not smooth ooth sailing g and, as bout whether you’re a young player, you worry a lot about ople think of you going to get a game and what people The moment. It underpins everything. So when Kirk talks about the inner qualities one needs to reach 200 games, the words are raw, earthy, tough and real: “Perseverance, work ethic and your desire and your want.” Words to give each moment purpose. The enduring image is of Kirk the scrapper, standing over a contest, waiting to stick his head in the trough to win the clearance, then getting to the next one, then the next, then the next until his mere presence becomes an inspiration. At times, he reminds watchers
eat of a great rugby union half-back eam surges, as his team yer ready to the player hem forward. push them He iss always talking, mainly he says to maintain the team’s ures around stoppages structures but, he also admits, to keep the energy on the field flowing. icks with a left leg that He kicks mes swings like a baseball sometimes bat, butt he is effective. se who play against Those ow they can’t break him know entally. “I used to fight him mentally. ity, particularly adversity,
early on, but now I flow with it a bit more,” he says. His memorable performance after halftime in the 2006 Grand Final loss encapsulated all his fighting effor qualities, his efforts that day a high point for lovers of Australian Football. He was, as most people sa like to say, trying his guts out. It’s alw what he always wh does. It’s what has made him great.
Former North Melbourne star Corey McKernan made a citizen’s arrest last Monday after a thief tried to steal his car.
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I N D U S T RY G R O W T H
Framing the odds MICH A EL LOV ET T
M
y earliest memory of football and the punt was listening to Melbourne’s racing stations 3DB (now extinct) or 3UZ (now Sport 927) as they tried to cover both the races and the football on Saturday afternoons. Invariably, it would end up something like this: “And Skilton’s got the ball, heads to goal with the scores all tied and … they’ve jumped at Caulfield!” as a racing voice would jump all over the footy commentary. Today’s football punter doesn’t even have to leave the comfort of his lounge room. And if he does, the smoked-filled TAB outlets of yesteryear have been replaced by state-of-the art venues that offer everything from a beer to an exotic mix of odds and sports. If you fancied a flutter on the monster trucks, I reckon you could get set. The earliest forms of football punting were, not surprisingly, illegal and stories abound of teams “playing dead”. Eventually, governments and
authorities moved in and put an end to the backyard bookie by legalising sports betting and, in the process, opened up the floodgates for betting agencies to sprout everywhere, from Darwin to Devonport and Sydney to Subiaco. In 1990, former greyhound and harness racing bookie Gary Davies (below), his brother Geoff and John Collins – son of legendary racecaller Bill Collins – operated the Victorian TAB’s first football betting licence. Today that business – TAB Sportsbet – is a multi-million dollar operation that caters for the needs of football punters around the country and the globe. Davies, now the Victorian media manager for TAB Sportsbet, shakes his head when he contemplates how the industry has grown over the past two decades. “In 1991-92, our first financial year, we held about $2.7 million; last year we turned over about $140 million,” he said. A big game would normally attract more than $750,000 in head-to-head betting alone. A further $4 million or more would be wagered on the 20 or so betting options – first goalkicker, quarter quads,
under and over 39.5-point margins to name a few. “We start early each Monday morning, three of us in Melbourne and two in Sydney via a phone hook-up,” Davies said. “We check to see who is injured, reported, who might be cited, and we work from a list of players coming back from injury and suspension. We also look at the stats on teams’ performances at grounds. “Each person comes up with their own head-to-head odds; we put them in a spreadsheet and it spits out the average. Then we have one more round table discussion and put up the odds at about noon.” Today’s football punter is smarter – and younger. “If you get it right, not much will happen because most of the money comes later in the week when the teams come out,” Davies said. The betting demographic is changing from middle age to young: TAB Sportsbet’s major demographic used to be 35-54; now it’s 25-44. Of course, there is still the loyal, one-eyed fan who can’t see black from white, or in this case red from blue. “The first bet we wrote on the Brownlow Medal this year was (Melbourne youngster) Jack Watts for $5 at 500-1,” Davies said. Watts, who is completing secondary school, played in the VFL last weekend and is yet to see AFL action.
QUEENSLAND FOOTBALL
SOLID CLASS Ben Warren, who earned big wraps from coach Dean Laidley after he debuted for North Melbourne last Sunday, was the 13th member of the 2006 Queensland under-18 squad to play at AFL level. Warren follows the 2006 Queensland captain Albert Proud (Brisbane Lions), vice-captain Ricky Petterd (Melbourne), deputy vice-captain Brent Renouf (Hawthorn), David Armitage (St Kilda), Gavin Urquhart (North Melbourne), Kurt Tippett (Adelaide), Shaun Hampson (Carlton), Jesse White (Sydney Swans), Scott Clouston and Daniel Dzufer (Brisbane Lions), Rhys Magin (Essendon) and Sam Reid (Western Bulldogs). Warren didn’t play in the 2006 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships because of a broken thumb, but featured in lead-up games. Two others drafted from the same group are still in the system: Haydn Kiel (Hawthorn rookie) and Adam Spackman (Brisbane Lions rookie). PETER BLUCHER
KICK EVERY GOAL.
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C O U R AG E U N D E R F I R E
Petterd past the pain TOM MINE A R
A
s Ricky Petterd booted Melbourne’s final goal last Sunday, Richmond fans groaned as they watched their team slump to its fourth consecutive loss, a painful start for the Tiger faithful. Only moments earlier, Petterd had braced himself for pain; luckily, he escaped unscathed. In 2007, Petterd suffered a collapsed lung against Carlton. Simply stating the injury does no justice to the gravity of the situation – the young Demon was minutes away from death before the club’s doctors provided delicate, life-saving medical care.
Pressure, pressure, pressure – that’s what (coach) Dean (Bailey) wants from me Much time has passed since, but one could not help but consider that day’s trauma as d Petterd courageously backed into a marking contest in thee final quarter of Melbourne’s first victory of 2009. ook He was crunched, but shook us off the hit and laid a ferocious d tackle, which was rewarded l. with the match-sealing goal. Speaking after the game, I’m Petterd was still feeling it: “I’m n, a bit sore, but when you win, there’s a lot less pain.” That’s certainly the case for the Demons as well, who finally shook off their recent losing ee habits – they’d won only three of their past 25 matches – to find some solace after a tough summer on the track. ober “We’ve trained since October ould 13, and the boys knew we could
NEWS TRACKER
do it,” a relieved Petterd said. “We just had to go through the processes, and ignore the score, and it paid off. We’re a young group and this does give us confidence, but we’re also a mature group and we realise that it’s just one game.” Increasingly, there are signs Melbourne is improving, with more consistent effort and the emergence of a vibrant core of key youngsters. Petterd is part of that, having moved from the midfield into a new role across half-forward, where he has been instructed to close down opposition playmakers and create attacking opportunities. “Pressure, pressure, pressure – that’s what (coach) Dean (Bailey) wants from me,” Petterd said. While enjoying the change of scenery – and succeeding, with his heroics against the Tigers complementing a lively display against North Melbourne in round one – Petterd ultimately wants to return to the midfield. It would be hard to deny his ambition; managing a return to professional sport was a much tougher journey, which Petterd conquered. “I’ve forgotten about the injuries a bit now; sometimes they take a toll, but the coaches have confidence in me and I love doing my job for the team,” he said.
DEE-LIGHTFUL: Ricky Petterd celebrates a goal with teammate Brad Miller and (above) slots through one of his two goals.
St Kilda has appointed Matt Vagg its general manager of communications and community relations.
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C O M E B AC K
Early start for O’Loughlin J IM M A IN
V
eteran Sydney Swans forward Michael O’Loughlin made a rare appearance for the club’s reserves in an AFL Canberra competition match
against Ainslie at the SCG last Saturday, and later joked about it. Asked if he could remember the last time he played for the reserves, he said: “When I was about five.” O’Loughlin (right) added, on a more serious note: “It was in my first year with the Swans, in 1995. Gee, that’s a long time ago.” O’Loughlin took the field for the second half in the reserves, his first match in more than seven months. He split an ankle bone down the centre in the Swans’ round 16 game against
Carlton at Docklands last year. O’Loughlin looked lively and, although he kicked only one goal, created several for his teammates in their three-point win. The 32-year-old hopes to be back in the Swans side as soon as possible, as he is within reach of a huge club milestone. He is the club’s games record-holder (286) and, barring further injuries, could play his 300th game this season. Several leading Carlton identities enjoyed the Swans’ hospitality at the chairman’s lunch in the newly opened Victor
Trumper Stand last Saturday. luded former They included presidentt John Elliott ther keen and another pporter, Dr Blues supporter, Geoffreyy Edelsten, ns’ the Swans’ or 12 owner for months from 5. late 1985. Otherss at the function were wans former Swans and Bluess players David nes and Rhys-Jones vans. Bernie Evans.
DOROTHY KIX
ADVICE ON FOOTBALL ETIQUETTE AND CULTURE FROM THE AFL RECORD’S RESIDENT SAGE.
Keep it simple One of the skills I’ve learned to apply liberally in recent years to football observations is selectivity – there’s far too much analysis for anyone to take it all in, unless one aimed to live a life anthropologists might in the future, when we’re all long gone, describe as “socially abnormal”. These days, some of the things that attract us to the game in the first place – the pure skill, the pace, the unpredictability of the ball’s bounce – still dazzle, but I’m becoming increasingly intrigued (and on many occasions even bemused) by the terminology applied to facets of the game, and the way we quickly add these terms to the vernacular. This year, the regular use of two new football terms has both startled me and made me laugh (with significant bodily force). “Frontal pressure” and “to transition the ball” are terms that have been uttered with dead-pan seriousness by players and coaches, and spread gospellike by the football cognoscenti, who for the most part, appear to have lost their feel for irony, or never quite grasped the concept of self-awareness. Frontal pressure might once have been medical code for someone struggling with
NEWS TRACKER
FRONTAL ATTACK: St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt about to apply frontal pressure on Fremantle’s David Mundy.
stomach bloating caused by rapid over-eating. (In a case of this nature, an Alka-Seltzer tablet or two dunked in a tall glass of water and drunk rapidly as the fizziness floated around your nose would quickly alleviate what the Italians call agita, or heartburn.) Telling a colleague you were suffering from “frontal
pressure” also might have been a polite way of saying “I need to go the toilet”. Apparently, its football application refers to a team’s (or player’s) ability to apply pressure to an opposition ball carrier heading their way. To “corral” an opponent is so 2007; let’s apply some frontal pressure instead! No longer, it appears, is it good enough for a team “to move the ball well”, as we might have observed in less enlightened times. Of late, references to ball movement have been made citing levels of efficiency and the like, with complementary statistics measuring distance covered by kicks. And those fascinated by a belief in supernatural powers might be gladdened to know teams can still be “supersmooth” or “super-quick”. But recent straight-faced insistence from a coach that his team was still working on how best “to transition the ball” has taken it to an all-new level. Weren’t we always told football was really just a simple game?
Catching my eye The exuberance displayed by Brisbane Lion Justin Sherman (below) when he kicks a goal on the run. The ongoing masterful displays by Hawthorn’s Cyril Rioli. The fact Richmond’s Mitch Morton makes me think of 1980s Tigers star Jim Jess. Notwithstanding Brendan Fevola’s all-snow white boots and the ongoing flirtation by some players with bright, flamboyant colours, there’s an apparent movement back to traditional black boots. The ultra-tight jumpers worn by Adelaide, Collingwood and Essendon players. Are skin-tight body suits next?
HAVE YOUR SAY dorothykix@slatterymedia.com or write to AFL Record, 140 Harbour Esplanade, Docklands, Vic, 3008
Young West Coast ruckman Nick Naitanui, the No. 2 pick in last year’s draft, set to play for Swans Districts reserves this week.
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IN THEIR DROVES:
Hawthorn is enjoying the support of a record member base.
MEMBERSHIP
Hawks reach target
E
A
NEWS TRACKER
Spirit lives JOHN T UR NBU L L
A NDR EW WA L L ACE
lthough Hawthorn’s premiership defence has started slowly, its ambitious plan to attract 50,000 members – which would have drawn laughter when the club was on its knees financially – was achieved this week. Adelaide has twice achieved this feat, but the Hawks are the first Victorian club to reach the figure. The Crows’ mark of 50,976 in 2007 is the AFL record. To understand how Hawthorn has bettered ‘big four’ clubs (Collingwood, Essendon, Carlton and Richmond) in the membership stakes, it is worthwhile looking back to 1997, when Ian Dicker took over as president following the failed merger with Melbourne. Having budgeted for 17,000 members, the Hawks exceeded all expectations by signing more than 27,000, thanks mainly to the tireless work of a large team of membership volunteers. According to Dicker, the club targeted countless schools and junior clubs with its programs and promotions, pushed the concept of membership tents outside grounds, and clearly identified its potential boom region. “We put a great big map of Melbourne up on the wall, and we put the original 12,000 in dots and the 27,000 in dots,” he said. “It showed that the southeast of Melbourne was the key.” Despite the closure of Waverley Park as an AFL venue at the end of 1999, Hawthorn’s membership hit 32,120, leading Dicker to imagine what might be possible. “One of the reasons I was always confident was because there were plenty of people, including my own children, who had never been members or never been asked. All the kids who had supported ‘Dermie’
FA M I LY T I E S
(Dermott Brereton) and ‘Dipper’ (Robert DiPierdomenico) through the ’80s, we knew they were out there.” In 2001, Dicker made one of the great predictions in We Are Hawthorn, a pictorial history of the club. “We aim to recruit more supporters to membership and dream of 50,000 members in the next 10 years,” he wrote. The Hawks’ push into Tasmania in 2001 also proved a masterstroke, with 6700 (13 per cent) of the club’s members from the island state. Dicker, who stepped aside for Jeff Kennett at the end of 2005, insists the move was only successful because the club primarily looked to establish itself in the community. While he refuses to claim Hawthorn is now the most powerful Victorian club, Dicker is understandably proud of the progress made. “I think it’s a good thing for the competition, the fact that we
set these new hurdles and targets; it has shown other clubs that membership is an asset to draw on.”
Towards 50,000 Hawthorn membership 1996-2008 1996
12,484
1997
27,005
1998
27,649
1999
32,120
2000
26,879
2001
30,140
2002
33,319
2003
31,500
2004
31,255
2005
29,261
2006
28,003
2007
31,064
2008
41,436
2009
50,000*
very football community across Australia – probably every club – knows a ‘Philpy’, the type of person who embodies the spirit of the game. As we reflect this weekend on the Anzac spirit, the story of Philpy and his like certainly resonates, perhaps more so when a ‘secret’ family connection is explained. The Philpy I know lives on a remote island. He is a valued community member and coaches a local football club, the Hounds. When I told Philpy I was writing about his value to grassroots football and the local community, he typically insisted his full name not be revealed, for he has never sought the spotlight. I’ve known Philpy for more than 30 years, but only recently did he divulge that Lieutenant Tom Derrick (awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal and Victoria Cross), the man described as Australia’s “finest fighter” and a “larrikin with raw courage”, was his uncle. Tom ‘Diver’ Derrick is widely regarded as the greatest Australian Digger and the soldier who best embodies the Anzac spirit. Born in 1914, Derrick played football for Semaphore Park and Berri in South Australia and for his battalion while on duty. Those who saw him play described him as a “flying forward” who preferred the crash-and-bash approach. Mortally wounded in action on May 23,1945, on the island of Tarakan, Borneo, he continued to direct his platoon against a Japanese counterattack and, finally, when being stretchered out, he asked a mate to write, firstly, to his wife and then, amazingly, to Richmond Football Club to thank it for making him an honorary member. For “refusal to admit defeat
* Announced last Wednesday.
CON T IN U ED NE X T PAGE
Port Adelaide’s Matt Thomas suspended for one game for recklessly making contact with an umpire.
24 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au
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&2 +" PDF 0-
Kevin ‘KB’
Bartlett
AFL Legend 403 Games, 778 goals,
5 Premierships, 88 Games as Coach of Richmond
“Norm Smith Medalist�of the Award Winning 1116 SEN AFL Commentary Team
First at the Footy and Last to Leave. Melbourne’s New Home of Footy ON-LINE SPORT HAS A NEW HOME .com
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VIEWS > NEWS > FIRST PERSON > FACTS > DATA > CULTURE
in the face of a seemingly impossible situation” at Sattelburg Ridge, New Guinea, on November 23, 1943, Derrick was awarded the Victoria Cross. Derrick’s platoon was confronted up an almost perpendicular slope by enemy machine gun pits with room for only one attacker at a time. Ordered to withdraw, he shouted “Bugger the CO” and with supporting sections providing covering fire and clinging to the cliff face or a piece of vine with one hand, he unerringly grenaded enemy positions and followed up with deadly rifle fire to knock out 10 enemy bunkers. It was an epic charge on a one-man front. Previously in Tobruk and El Alamein, his courage, fearlessness and initiative were recognised with a Distinguished Conduct Medal. Among many exploits, he charged German machine gun posts standing exposed on a machine gun carrier vehicle and knocked them all out. On other occasions, he hunted down enemy tanks on foot and slapped ‘sticky’ bombs on their blind spots in apparently suicidal actions. Derrick was a unique fighting soldier and leader and, by all accounts, an exceptional person. He was known as a complex man – both a larrikin and a deep thinker. His formal education was certainly limited, yet he has been described as “born educated, able to argue forcefully and logically on a wide range of subjects and issues”. He was also deeply religious and spiritual, wrote verse, kept
PHOTO COURTESY RIVERLAND WEEKLY
thebounce
Derrick was a unique fighting soldier and leader and an exceptional person a detailed diary and collected butterflies in every theatre of war in which he served. Derrick was a people person with a capacity to make lasting friendships. As a leader, he was resourceful, aware, humane, forever bending over for his men, a careful planner with infectious confidence. But Diver was a larrikin; there are many stories, but muted descriptions by his sisters suffice: “He was a bright, happy chappy. He was a bit of a lad. Cards, blind double, two-up, greyhounds, a racehorse. If there was any mischief around, you could bet Tom was at the bottom of it.” He also was a boxer, a cricketer, enjoyed rowing and cycling, swimming and diving in both the Port Adelaide and Murray rivers, and the fastest runner in his training company.
During the Depression, he and his mates rode their bikes to Berri in the Riverland to pick fruit and he lived there – and played footy – for years. The TC Derrick VC DCM Memorial Grandstand at Berri Oval was erected in his honour in 1952. Recently, Port Adelaide Football Club, in deference to Derrick “relinquished the right to have one of the new Port River crossings named the Power Bridge” after strong community agitation. It was officially opened as the ‘Diver’ Derrick Bridge on August 1 last year, with his youngest “sis”, Rose Stirling, in attendance. Philpy never knew his uncle but resembles him physically, and is also a larrikin. My first involvement with him was at a South Australian football club during the 1970s. He was the classic salt-of-theearth club person, even though he wasn’t representing the senior team. He had the club’s equipment in his panel van, he
TRIBUTE: The grandstand at Berri Oval in South Australia is named after Tom Derrick.
never missed a training session, the end of pre-season barrel was his baby, he welcomed recruits – and their girlfriends – to the club. Post-match, at the Dover Castle Hotel, he was a continual and much-loved source of humour, club spirit and energy. He may not have known, like Wazza, every word to the 1979 pop classic Cool for Cats by Squeeze, but he was sensational in leading the troops through a rendition of Ian Dury and the Blockheads’ Hit Me with your Rhythm Stick! At the time, Philpy was a student teacher and uncertain as to whether teaching was his caper – and in the conservative and patriarchal lecturing staff’s eyes, he had no hope. He offended their suburban sensibilities with his irreverent exuberance but persevered and now is a respected assistant
Phone: 1800 80 10 70 www.cambridgeaustralia.com
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principal in a regional rural school where he has helped establish numerous programs (including a barramundi growing aquaculture business), contributes to the police and community service club aquatic youth camps and serves on country education fund committees and the community road safety group. But he still finds time to dive out of planes, he has run marathons and triathlons and still coaches football. This year, his club is celebrating its centenary. Having lost the Grand Final last year, the club is hoping for a flag and the well-coached crew of cray fishermen, shearers, farmers, vineyard workers, tradies, barmen and schoolboys are having a real crack. Not once in the more than three decades that I’ve known Philpy has he dared skite about his famous uncle, a true Australian hero. Many others probably would have. John Turnbull played and coached football in South Australia, was Hawthorn’srecruiting manager and is now an industry consultant on talent identification.
WAT C H I N G F R O M A FA R
Thousands of Australians are serving around the world and this week the AFL Record spoke with three football fans among them. NAME: Sgt Dean Johnstone, 32, Australian Army, Afghanistan Collingwood supporter from Adelaide Tasmanian-born Sgt Johnstone is in Afghanistan, working with the 1st Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force. He is one of 47 Australians at the Patrol Base Buman. One of his roles is training members of the Afghan National Army, which “comes with its own cultural challenges”. Sgt Johnstone has been stationed at posts around Australia; he was previously in Darwin as an infantry platoon sergeant. He says he wears his Collingwood cap whenever he can, and follows games via the internet and on Fox Sports. “I was raised by my grandparents and my grandfather was a big Collingwood man, so I’ve always followed the club. Sgt Johnstone is due to return to Australia in a few months and has already told his wife Kylie not to expect him home for “several days” if the Magpies win the Grand Final. NAME: Pvt Tim Reid, 23, Australian Army, Solomon Islands, Collingwood supporter from Melbourne Pvt Reid stays in regular touch with Collingwood’s fortunes via newspapers and on the internet, but hopes to enjoy a rare chance to watch this year’s Anzac Day game live on television. “It’s a great rivalry. Before the game when the national anthem is played, you can see in the players’ eyes how proud they are to be there and you know they put in 100 per cent on the day.” NAME: Pvt Greg Sargeant, 20, Australian Army, Solomon Islands, Essendon supporter from Melbourne Pvt Sargeant is a passionate Bombers supporter and has fond memories of Anzac Day matches, most memorably the 2000 clash, when he was at the MCG to see James Hird and Michael Long lead the Dons to a commanding win. “It is definitely a game I have followed closely over the years, coming from a family of mostly Essendon supporters. The passion that’s shown on the day by the two teams and their fans is great.” See Anzac Day tributes starting page 65
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achievers
The
stats speak for themselves The figures don’t lie: last week’s sensational 46-possession display by Geelong superstar Gary Ablett rates as one of the best individual performances in League history. MICHAEL LOVETT
G
ary Ablett went out of his way to retrieve the match football after his 150th game last weekend; if the statistics were anything to go by, it should have been stuck to his hands. In a match of the highest quality – and that might sound strange given Geelong defeated Adelaide by 48 points – Ablett was the outstanding performer, operating at a significantly higher level than most of the 43 others involved in the game. “Unstoppable” was the headline in the Herald Sun newspaper on Monday. Former Melbourne and North Melbourne star and ex-St Kilda coach Stan Alves left ABC radio listeners in no doubt what he thought of Ablett’s 46-possession, three-goal performance, describing it as the best individual performance he had “ever” seen. Ablett had 13 kicks and 33 handballs, a record number of disposals by hand since Champion Data started recording statistics in 1999. It can be argued that in today’s high-possession game, players can suck out the back and pick up disposals at will. But in the heat of a packed AAMI Stadium and against an aggressive Adelaide team that ran the lines and tried valiantly, Ablett reigned supreme. He dodged, weaved, ducked and
BALL ON A STRING:
Gary Ablett had a career-high 46 disposals last week in a performance some rated as one of the best ever.
bounced his way to a career-best performance and was one of three Cats to record doublefigures in contested possessions. Ablett had 14, Joel Corey 13 and Jimmy Bartel 10, as the powerful Geelong took its running game to another level. Given Alves’ comments and coach Mark Thompson’s
observation that it was Ablett’s finest game in the blue and white hoops, it begs the question: was it the greatest individual performance of all-time? Using the resources of Champion Data and AFL consulting statistician and historian Col Hutchinson, we have listed some of the great
individual performances since basic stats were first published in the 1930s. It should be noted that Champion Data has been the official supplier of AFL statistics since 1999 and previous records came from newspapers or via statisticians such as the late Ray Young.
28 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au
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VIRTUOSO PERFORMANCES: From left, Hawk star Jason Dunstall kicked 17.5 against Richmond in 1992; Tiger champ Matthew Richardson took 21 marks against Fitzroy in 1996; brilliant Swan Greg Williams had 53 disposals against St Kilda in 1989; and Magpie Nathan Buckley had the ball 46 times against Fremantle in 2001.
Goals Melbourne full-forward Fred Fanning holds the record for most goals in a game. He kicked an amazing 18.1 against St Kilda at the Junction Oval in 1947. There have been two hauls of 17 goals – Jason Dunstall (17.5 for Hawthorn v Richmond, 1992) and Gordon Coventry (17.4 for Collingwood v Fitzroy, 1930). Dunstall’s performance inspired some to drive to Waverley Park at half-time when news of an imminent goalkicking record started to spread. On 17 goals and with the Hawks well in control, Dunstall chased his Richmond opponent downfield, deep into the Tigers’ attacking zone and probably cost himself any chance of equalling Fanning’s record. Tony Lockett (16.0 for Sydney v Fitzroy, 1995) might have gone close to the record but benched himself for about eight minutes in the second quarter when the runner had told him to “cool it”. Lockett thought he was being dragged by coach Ron Barassi, so he headed to the interchange bench.
Marks Long-time football watchers will tell you it’s pretty easy to rack up uncontested marking statistics in the modern game. That assessment was even supported by former Adelaide defender Nathan Bassett,
who took 22 marks against Collingwood at AAMI Stadium in 2006. “Marks are just a number – in a lot of cases they’re no different to handball receives,” Bassett told the AFL Record’s Ben Collins at the time. Bassett’s 22 marks were then the most recorded by Champion Data since 1999 but that has since been passed by Brian Lake (24 for the Western Bulldogs v the Brisbane Lions, 2007) and Joel Bowden (23 for Richmond v Port Adelaide, 2008). According to pre-Champion Data stats, Carlton’s Alex Duncan holds the record with 33 marks against Collingwood in 1927. South Melbourne star Ron Clegg took 32 – including 23 in the second half – against Fitzroy in 1951.
Disposals Ablett was just four disposals away from joining the exclusive two-man 50-possession club last Saturday night. Greg Williams had 53 disposals for the Sydney Swans against St Kilda in 1989 and Peter Featherby had 51 touches for Geelong against Melbourne in 1981. Ablett’s total is third on the all-time list, equalling Brownlow medallists Bob Skilton (46 for South Melbourne v St Kilda, 1967) and Nathan Buckley (46 for Collingwood v Fremantle, 2001).
Handballs Ablett’s total of 33 handballs is a record, post- and pre-1999. Matt Priddis had 30 handballs for the West Coast Eagles against Hawthorn in round 14 last season and Western Bulldog Daniel Cross had 29 against the Hawks in last year’s qualifying final.
All-round He might be better known for his colourful calls on Melbourne radio station 3AW, but Rex Hunt figures prominently in some of the best all-round games by an individual. In 1974, Hunt had 24 disposals and took 18 marks for Geelong against North Melbourne and two years later, playing for St Kilda, racked up 28 disposals and 21 marks against Collingwood. Geelong high-flyer Bill Ryan had 32 disposals and 22 marks against Hawthorn in 1968, while Richmond star Matthew Richardson had 28 disposals and 21 marks against Fitzroy in 1996. While Richardson was the star, the game is best remembered as being the Lions’ last in Melbourne. Of course, statistics can be dissected and interpreted to suit most situations but Ablett can safely sit back in the knowledge that his game last weekend ranked among the greatest individual performances we have seen.
HAVE YOUR SAY Where does Ablett’s performance rate among the all-time individual games? What’s the best individual performance you have seen? Or perhaps you have some old newspaper clippings that highlight an outstanding individual game. Email michaell@slatterymedia. com or drop a line to AFL Record, AFL House, 140 Harbour Esplanade, Docklands, 3008.
Some recent match highs Disposals 46 Gary Ablett (Geel v Adel) Rd 4, 2009 46 Nathan Buckley (Coll v Frem) Rd 2, 2001 45 Peter Burgoyne (PA v NM) Rd 22, 2008 45 Scott West (WB v Adel) Rd 20, 2006 45 Matt Priddis (WCE v Haw) Rd 14, 2008 Handballs 33 Gary Ablett (Geel v Adel) Rd 4, 2009 30 Matt Priddis (WCE v Haw) Rd 14, 2008 29 Daniel Cross (WB v Haw) Rd 23, 2008 28 Kane Cornes (Port v Frem) Rd 17, 2008 27 Scott West (WB v Coll) Rd 9, 2006 * Since 1999, when Champion Data became the AFL’s statistical provider.
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the interview
Brian Cook’s influence at Geelong cannot be underestimated. Since crossing from West Coast in 1999, where he steered the Eagles to their first two premierships (1992 and 1994), Cook has turned the Cats’ fortunes around. The club is flying off the field, and the 2007 premiership was a culmination of years of hard work. Now in his 20th consecutive season as a club CEO, Cook says he still has plenty to achieve. C A L LU M T WOMEY
The immediate priority was to just survive. It wasn’t to have some grandiose plan of overwhelming success in the short-term – it was simply to survive. The walls were falling down, we had $10 million of liability, we had a situation of losing $1 million that year, we had an ageing list, we had too few players taking up too much of the salary cap, and most of those were older players in their last year or two. We also had the captain, Leigh Colbert, leave that year, which was a real issue for us. We had a financial problem, an on-field problem and a culture problem. One thing we were very good at was being average. The main issue was, however, to get enough cash to survive. Did you try to introduce some of what had worked at the Eagles?
There’s no doubt we brought some of the templates we used at the Eagles to Geelong, but in terms of cultural development, they’re two different clubs. You just couldn’t transpose one template across the other and expect it to work. One, for instance (Geelong), was a member-based organisation, a very traditional club. And the other was shareholder and member-based. West Coast was actually owned by 7000 shareholders in its origin.
There were certainly parts of it that we implemented in Geelong. One of the easier and most obvious strategies was making sure that people who had seasonal seats were members. It was as simple as that, and it probably made about half a million dollars for us overnight. Which of the three premierships was most satisfying to be involved in?
The first at each club, I’d put together. But probably Geelong’s is a little ahead because it just took so much hard work for everyone at the club. We developed a really close connection between our staff and our players and I think over that time that was probably the most pleasing thing. People just don’t realise how much it takes to go from being near the bottom to winning the premiership. It just takes years, and good planning and good people, and lots of sacrifices, not only from people at the club but the families they are attached to. What are the key qualities you need to succeed in football administration?
You really have to live the values. You’ve got to walk the talk. I think you have to plan really well and then implement the plans. I think that’s where a lot of people lose their way. They don’t follow a plan, or they get sick of the plan after they’ve had three losses in a row and they throw out the baby with the bathwater.
I think it’s really important to be dedicated to a plan. You are known for having a passion for the game. Is it important to have that genuine interest for someone in your position?
I think it helps – it keeps you happy and interested. I actually just go to a game of footy and love watching it, watching the game unfold, and I get into it. Other CEOs might prefer to be hosting their sponsors, which you must do, but I much prefer to be watching the game, which is both a strength and a weakness. What you’ve got to make sure is the passion doesn’t get in the way of business acumen and clear thought, particularly at the board table because the cocktail of passion and business is not always a good one and they tend to get in each other’s way a bit. The Gold Coast club offered you a position last year. What were the reasons for knocking back the role?
Very simple – I’ve got my children in Victoria, and my eldest daughter Jodie had a young boy, Micah, my first grandson. And while it would have been an unbelievable challenge for me to go to the Gold Coast, and one I would have truly enjoyed, when the crunch-time came for me to actually make the decision, I couldn’t make the choice to move away from my kids and grandson. It was a family-based issue, nothing else.
Was the club rocked by last year’s Grand Final loss?
There’s no doubt we’re OK now; there’s no issue. But there probably was a bit of turbulence for a couple of weeks. But we started with the theme, ‘We win together, we lose together’, so we really have shared the loss and there’s been no search party for heads or anything like that. Do you often look back on what you have achieved at the club?
The thing we need to be most proud of (other than the premiership) is becoming a club of great people. It’s a good place to be, it’s a good place to live, the coaches are fantastic, and the board is great. It’s taken 10 years to handpick them, but I just couldn’t be happier with my staff, and I couldn’t be more satisfied working at Geelong than I am at the moment. What specific challenges remain at Geelong?
The challenges are different now. It’s not about survival any more. We’ve moved from being survivalists, to a fair club to a good club. But I don’t describe us as a great club. And so our biggest challenge now is moving from good to great, and having sustainable success over decades, and building a culture seen in the corridors of the offices, seen on the grass of the stadiums, and on the walls and in the rafters, so that it’s an in-built culture that stays there forever. That’s the big challenge.
PHOTO: MICHAEL WILLSON/AFL PHOTOS
You came to Geelong in 1999 when the club was in a precarious financial position. What were your immediate priorities?
30 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au
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We’ve moved from being survivalists, to a fair club to a good club. But I don’t describe us as a great club
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Honouring the
ANZAC SPIRIT
Many heroes have emerged in the Anzac Day clashes since 1995. But who are the best of the best? In an extract from Badge of Honour, former skippers Gary O’Donnell and Gavin Brown weigh into the debate, respectively selecting their ‘bestof’ Essendon and Collingwood Anzac Day teams. NICK BOW EN
any players from both sides have shone brightly on what is now one of football’s biggest stages. The names James Hird, Nathan Buckley, Matthew Lloyd and Saverio Rocca come to mind straightaway. But if each club were to select its own ‘best-of’ Anzac Day side, who would make the cut? To find out, we entrusted a former great from each side to select his club’s best 22 players from those who have played at least one Anzac Day match since 1995. The men in question, Gavin Brown for Collingwood and Gary O’Donnell for Essendon, are as well qualified as anyone to act as selectors. Brown played 254 games for the Pies, including five Anzac Day games from 1995-2000
M
and the 1990 Grand Final win, won three best and fairests and was captain from 1994-98. O’Donnell took the field for the Bombers on 243 occasions, including four Anzac Day games from 1995-98, was captain from 1996-97 and won the best and fairest in the Bombers’ 1993 premiership season. O’Donnell and Brown are automatic inclusions in their club’s respective best-of sides, but they chose to remove themselves from consideration. There was no debate on the coaches of the ‘all-star’ teams – Kevin Sheedy and Mick Malthouse are standouts. Brown and O’Donnell have provided their personal insights into the players they have chosen, and have included players they deemed unlucky to miss out.
BEST OF ENEMIES:
Essendon star David Hille gets the first touch against Collingwood rival Guy Richards in the 2006 Anzac Day clash, but the Magpies prevailed by 17 points. AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au 65
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RUCKS
Essendon All-Star Team
Steven ALESSIO
James HIRD
GARY O’DONNELL’S SELECTION THOUGHTS Criteria My basic approach to selection was to look at the number of Anzac Day games a player had played and the contributions he had made in those games. So a player like David Calthorpe, who played only three Anzac Day games but was Essendon’s best player in 1997 and among it’s best in 1996, gets in. On the other hand, a club legend like Mark Harvey, who would be an automatic selection in the best Essendon team from the era I played in, misses out because he played only one game. Likewise, Damian Cupido misses out despite kicking five goals in his one game. I also tried to select a well-balanced team with a good mix of players in their proper positions.
THE TEAM Backline Dustin Fletcher picks himself at full-back, having played the most Anzac Day games (12) and being so dependable in that time. Danny Jacobs had a reputation at the club of being a really good Anzac Day player so, without looking too much at the match results, he was in. Overall, the backline is probably a bit tall but players such as Damien Hardwick and even Fletcher could play on smaller forwards; they’re all pretty adaptable. Hardwick and Dean Solomon add a bit of muscle, Sean Wellman and Adam McPhee some class and defensive drive.
Midfield We’ve got a little bit of run in the midfield. James Hird was the easiest pick by far – his record on Anzac Day is the best of anyone on either side. Andrew Lovett gets in for his scintillating game on the wing in 2005 and another good game in 2006, and Michael Long, who played only three games, gets in as a sheer match-winner. Joe Misiti was a perennially
COACH
Jason JOHNSON
Dustin FLETCHER Dean SOLOMON
BACKS
50
Kevin SHEEDY Danny JACOBS
50 Sean WELLMAN
HALF-BACKS
Damien HARDWICK
Michael LONG
Joe MISITI
Adam McPHEE
Andrew LOVETT
CENTRES HALF-FORWARDS Mark McVEIGH
50
50
Mark MERCURI
SELECTOR
Scott LUCAS
INTERCHANGE
FORWARDS
Blake CARACELLA David HILLE
David CALTHORPE
Adam RAMANAUSKAS
Justin BLUMFIELD
consistent player, as was Jason Johnson. Of the two ruckmen, Steve Alessio probably just shades David Hille at this point so he starts, but in five years’ time, Hille looks like being the automatic selection the way he’s headed.
Forward line Matthew Lloyd and Scott Lucas pick themselves in the key forward posts, because of the number of Anzac Day games they have played (12 and 11 respectively) and the contributions they have made in them. Mark Mercuri was another perennially good player in Anzac Day games, Blake Caracella had that ability to bob up when needed and Mark McVeigh adds some flexibility with his ability to move into the midfield. Paul Barnard, who kicked four goals in the narrow 2001 loss, also gets in.
Gary O’DONNELL
Paul BARNARD Matthew LLOYD
EMERGENCIES
Mark JOHNSON
Interchange All the players here offer flexibility – Hille can go forward as well as play in the ruck; Calthorpe could play a crumbing role on the forward line or go on to the ball; and Adam Ramanauskas and Justin Blumfield could play midfield or go back.
Emergencies Damien Peverill, who would have been useful as a run-with player, and Mark Johnson were particularly stiff to miss out, while Dean Rioli saved some of his best games for Anzac Day.
TEAM ASSESSMENT It would be a very competitive team. It’s got some balance and a tough backline that would be hard to get through. It’s got some good competitors, with a bit of flair with Hird, Mercuri and Lovett. I haven’t gone with an out-and-out run-with
Damien PEVERILL
Dean RIOLI
player and it’s probably lacking the zippy, modern-day small forward but it’s flexible enough to cover that.
Coach Kevin Sheedy was the automatic choice as Bombers coach in Essendon’s All-star Anzac Day side. Aside from coaching the Dons in 13 of their 14 Anzac Day clashes with Collingwood, Sheedy virtually was the face of the annual blockbuster from its inception in 1995 until the end of his career with the Bombers in 2007. He spruiked, sold and cajoled to make the fixture one of the most important on the football calendar. Like a general organising his troops and planning tactics, he was always looking for the path to victory and guided his side to six wins, six losses and a draw on the big day. No one respected the Anzac Day tradition more than Sheedy.
66 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au
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RUCKS
Collingwood All-Star Team
Damian MONKHORST
Scott BURNS
COACH
Dane SWAN
Simon PRESTIGIACOMO
GAVIN BROWN’S SELECTION THOUGHTS Criteria I found this to be a difficult task given the quality of players I had to choose from. The criteria I used to help with my selection were players needed to be flexible and capable of playing in a variety of positions, they also had to be able to play today’s game as well as yesteryear’s and their previous form in Anzac Day games came into consideration. Their ability to perform on the big day and at the MCG was also important, as was team balance – the team must actually function together – and picking the best player in a particular position. If undecided between certain players, I went for the one with the best credentials, e.g. Copeland Trophies, premierships. When weighing up a player, I considered him when he was at his very best, and tried to pick a team that could win an Anzac Day game.
The team
James CLEMENT
50
50 HALF-BACKS
Mick McGUANE
Paul WILLIAMS
Nathan BUCKLEY
Heath SHAW
Graham WRIGHT
CENTRES HALF-FORWARDS Travis CLOKE
50
50
Alan DIDAK
SELECTOR
Anthony ROCCA
INTERCHANGE
FORWARDS
Leon DAVIS Josh FRASER
Scott PENDLEBURY
Paul LICURIA
Harry O’BRIEN
Forward line
I have selected a backline that has the lockdown capabilities of Simon Prestigiacomo, as well as the run and rebound of Gavin Crosisca and James Clement. It also has pinpoint ball use off half-back through Mick McGuane, and the intercepting and playmaking ability of Heath Shaw. Together with the hardness and intimidation factor Craig Kelly provides, this is one extremely capable defensive unit.
The forward line consists of three key strikers in Travis Cloke as the hit up half-forward, Anthony Rocca as the bail-out, stay-athome option who would station himself 30 metres from goal, and Sav Rocca, the full-forward who has kicked more goals in Anzac Day games than any other Collingwood player. Waiting at their feet for any crumbs, we would have the uncanny Leon Davis, the young exciting Dale Thomas and, to cap all this off, the brilliance of Alan Didak lurking near goals.
The midfield combines the ball-getting power of Nathan Buckley and Dane Swan, and the hardness of Scott Burns. It also has speed and penetration on the wings to complement this, through Paul Williams and Graham Wright. And to make it even stronger, it would get first use of the ball through Damian Monkhorst.
Mick MALTHOUSE Gavin CROSISCA
Craig KELLY
Backline
Midfield
BACKS
Interchange I have selected an adaptable bench that boasts a mobile ruckman in Josh Fraser, which gives the side the ability to change the dynamics of its ruck combination. To aid the midfield rotations, there is the unflappable Scott Pendlebury, a lock-down, run-with player
Gavin BROWN
Dale THOMAS Saverio ROCCA
EMERGENCIES
Shane WAKELIN
in Paul Licuria, who would be vital in case one of the opposition’s midfielders got on top, and Harry O’Brien, a hard-nosed defender with the flexibility to play on talls or smalls, and out of the goalsquare or further afield.
Emergencies Shane Wakelin, Shane O’Bree and Tarkyn Lockyer were stiff not to be in the 22 but could comfortably fill many roles.
TEAM ASSESSMENT Overall, the side has a good blend of youth and experience, talent, speed, hardness and leadership. To lead the side I have selected co-captains in Buckley and Burns, the ‘general’ and the ‘gladiator’. Both have played more games for the black and white in this period than any other player. My apologies to some of the great players who missed out.
Shane O’BREE
Tarkyn LOCKYER
Coach Like Kevin Sheedy, Mick Malthouse is a relatively easy choice as coach, having been at the helm for nine of the 14 matches. From 2000-2008, he has led the Pies to four wins (including the past three games) and five losses. But, beyond the huge part he has played in the success of the fixture as a football contest, he has also done much to ensure its success as a tribute to the Anzacs. Malthouse has embraced the occasion as both a chance for his players to gain finals-like experience and to learn about the Anzac legend. “It’s a judgmental day. I will certainly be judging players on their capacity to play before a big crowd and (on) the occasion,” he said before the 2007 clash. It is a test Malthouse has been regularly prepared to assign his young players and, more often than not, they have justified his faith.
68 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au
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ESSENDON v COLLINGWOOD 1
Anzac Day matches by the numbers 14 Games: Collingwood has won seven, Essendon six and the inaugural 1995 game was a draw.
1,138,151
People have attended the 14 Anzac Day games at an average of 81,296 a game.
94,825
Attended the first EssendonCollingwood Anzac Day game in 1995, which is the second highest home and away attendance in VFL/AFL history.
5
and from 2003-05. Next best is Collingwood’s Nathan Buckley with eight votes.
13
Players have played in the 14 Anzac Day games, 102 for Collingwood and 81 for Essendon, while another four players (Blake Caracella, Andrew Ukovic, Scott Cummings and Mal Michael) have represented both clubs.
Coaches have been involved – Kevin Sheedy and Matthew Knights for Essendon, and Leigh Matthews, Tony Shaw and Mick Malthouse for Collingwood. Anzac Day games as coach – former Essendon mentor Sheedy holds the record for the most games coached, followed by Collingwood’s Malthouse, who before this year’s game, had coached nine games.
12
54,294
Games is the record for players, shared by Essendon’s Dustin Fletcher and Matthew Lloyd, ahead of Scott Lucas (Essendon) with 11 and James Hird (Essendon) and Scott Burns (Collingwood) with 10.
23.16 (154) Is the highest score,
Player who took part in the first match in 1995 is still playing in the AFL – Fletcher.
Is the lowest attendance, which was recorded in 2004 when the MCG’s capacity was reduced during its redevelopment.
recorded by Collingwood in its 2003 win.
66 Points is the lowest winning score, recorded by Collingwood (9.12) in 2002.
73
Points is the greatest winning margin, achieved by Collingwood in 2008.
66 Points is Essendon’s greatest winning margin, achieved in 2003.
36 Goals is the overall record held by Lloyd, followed by Magpie Saverio Rocca (25), Hird (20), Lucas and Magpie Alan Didak (both 13).
9
Goals is the biggest haul in a game, kicked by Rocca in 1995. He also kicked bags of seven in 1998 and six in 1996.
6 Goals is the most kicked by an Essendon
33
Points is the lowest score, notched by Essendon in its 2002 loss.
3
Straight wins is the longest winning streak – Collingwood (1996-98 and 2006-08) and Essendon (1999-2001 and 2003-05).
1999
Marked Essendon’s first win, after it drew the first match, then lost the next three. BEST OF THE BEST: Magpie Nathan Buckley
and Bomber James Hird (far right).
1
player in a game – Lloyd in 1999 and 2003, and Lucas in 2000.
187
8
Players have made their debut on Anzac Day: Jason Wild (Collingwood), round four, 1995; Lucas, round five, 1996; Matthew Banks (Essendon), round five, 1997; Dean Solomon (Essendon), round five, 1998; Craig Jacotine (Collingwood), round five, 1999; Cameron Cloke (Collingwood), round five, 2004; Travis Cloke (Collingwood), round five, 2005; and Sharrod Wellingham (Collingwood), round six, 2008.
7
Players have celebrated major milestones on Anzac Day: 100th game – Sean Denham (Essendon), round four, 1995, Michael Symons (Essendon), round five, 1999, and Ryan Lonie (Collingwood), round four, 2006; 150th game – Gavin Brown (Collingwood), round four, 1995, Scott Russell (Collingwood), round five, 1997; and 200th game – Darren Bewick (Essendon), round five, 1999, and Joe Misiti (Essendon), round 5, 2003.
7 Anzac medallists – Hird (2000, ’03, ’04), Chris Tarrant (Collingwood, 2001), Mark McGough (Collingwood, 2002), Andrew Lovett (Essendon, 2005), Ben Johnson (Collingwood, 2006), Heath Shaw (Collingwood, 2007) and Paul Medhurst (Collingwood, 2008).
12
Brownlow votes is the highest tally of any player, a record held by Hird, who received the maximum three votes in 2000
AVAILABLE NOW Badge of Honour ($15) is available from AFL Record sellers at this weekend’s Essendon-Collingwood match at the MCG, all major bookstores, newsagencies, the Bomber shop and slatterymedia.com/books
1 The
statistics above relate to Essendon-Collingwood Anzac Day matches since 1995. The League first played on Anzac Day in 1960 when Fitzroy defeated Carlton at Brunswick Street Oval, 9.17 (71) to 9.10 (64); 101 matches have been played on Anzac Day since.
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70 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au
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From the
to a Military Cross A N Z AC S P I R I T
Jack Pimm, 88, is a World War II veteran with the increasingly rare distinction of having played top-flight football on either side of one of last century’s greatest conflicts. A quick, high-marking centre half-forward at Collingwood, Pimm lost six years of his playing career – and almost his life – serving his country in Papua New Guinea and Bougainville, earning a Military Cross for his courage. ANDREW WALLACE Early days I grew up just out of Diamond Creek in Melbourne, a red-hot Collingwood area. Syd and Gordon Coventry came from around there.
I was playing local footy at Diamond Creek – always at fullforward or centre half-forward – and after finishing school at Melbourne High, started working with Ron Todd at the Transport Regulation Board. In the late ’30s, he took me down to Collingwood, which was a new world for me but a bit of a rough area. Ron introduced me to the legendary Jock McHale. Another notable bloke starting out at the same time was Lou Richards, who was a couple of years younger than me. Every time I see him nowadays he says, “I got you a few goals, Pimm,” but he got a few off me, too!
PHOTO: SEAN GARNSWORTHY/AFL PHOTOS
Debut
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I came through the seconds and made my debut against North Melbourne at Arden Street in round four, 1940. But I didn’t kick a goal and the next week was down in the seconds again.
It took me until round 15 to make it back, and I booted four goals against North at Victoria Park. A couple of weeks later, Essendon’s Wally Buttsworth gave me the greatest hiding I ever got in my
life at Windy Hill – he marked absolutely everything – and to this day I keep a photo to remember it by. I guess I shouldn’t feel too bad, because I think he had about 35 kicks in a final a couple of weeks later. We missed the finals that season, and I wouldn’t play again for another six years.
The War Before I came of age (21), you could see a difficult time coming in Europe.
My dad (Ira) always said that it looks like war, so you’d better prepare yourself, so that’s what I did. I was a volunteer cadet in the Diamond Valley detachment and used to join in all of the camps and training right up until the fighting broke out in the Pacific. When I came of age, I joined the 57/60th Battalion as a full soldier and ended up going over to New Guinea in 1943. We were initially stationed in Moresby and had a rather defensive role there with the battalion. Every now and then, I used to catch up with Norm Oliver, another Melbourne High boy who had played with Collingwood. He was a Boomerang pilot in the RAAF and would sometimes show me photographs of his strafi ng runs. One day, Norm didn’t come back.
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It’s a frightening situation being under fire, and there were times when bullets and shrapnel were flying around, and nobody would say a word
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M I L I TA RY C R O S S C I TAT I O N
Lieutenant Jack Pimm, 58/59th Australian Infantry Brigade South Bougainville – Monoitu Area
Training In mid-1944, i I came back to complete my junior officer training at Cowra (NSW).
Our camp was only a short distance from where Japanese POWs were being held, and we left only just before the mass breakout that August. I finished my officer training later that year in South Australia and was switched to the 58/59th Battalion. I was posted to Bougainville.
Wounded Our job was to drive the Japanese right down the Buin Road and out of Bougainville.
There was very dense scrub, real jungle it was, and hardly any open ground. Still, I would rather that than being in the desert with absolutely no cover at all. I pity the poor fellows who had to fight there.
An Anyway, the Japs were becoming limited in their resources and lines of communication, and we were strengthening all the time. But the harder we pressed, the more they fought. It’s a frightening situation being under fire, and there were times when bullets and shrapnel were flying around, and nobody would say a word. On one patrol, one of our boys got wounded and wouldn’t stop screaming in the night. We were terrified he would give our position away, so we gave him a shot of the morphine we used to carry. Trouble is, we gave him far too much, and knocked him out for two full days! The medics said later we could have killed him, but fortunately he pulled through OK. I was wounded myself in the end, caught a piece of shrapnel
For inspiring and gallant service on patrol when he obtained vital information on enemy positions for a battalion attack, and fought off enemy attacks with great distinction and courage. On May 20, 1945, Lt. Pimm was in command of a reconnaissance patrol along the Aitra track to gain vital information for a battalion advance to encircle the enemy holding the Hongorai River. While observing a creek crossing, the patrol came under intense fire from the opposite bank. Realising the importance of his task, Lt. Pimm, showing great devotion to his duty, outflanked the enemy and crossed the creek to obtain details of the enemy position necessary for the success of the battalion advance. Displaying great courage and audacity, Lt. Pimm made a personal reconnaissance ance
penetrating deep into the enemy territory. He crawled forward into the enemy positions, locating dispositions of enemy pillboxes and machine guns. With exceptional coolness, he snatched a machine gun from a post while the enemy were sitting in groups talking and smoking. As the patrol withdrew with its important information, the enemy again opened up with heavy fire, wounding one of the patrol who fell into the enemy fire lanes. Showing remarkable courage, Lt. Pimm stood up in the dense undergrowth and directed the fire of his patrol against the enemy. With unselfish bravery he then rushed forward and dragged the wounded man to safety. Lt. Pimm’s valuable information of the enemy greatly contributed to the success of the battalion’s operations the next day. He displayed personal courage, and audacious and forceful leadership in achieving eving his difficult task. diffic ult ta task sk.
BEYOND THE Y: CALL OF DUTY:
Above left, photographs off wood former Collingwood mm player Jack Pimm during his armyy and football careers;; and ry right, his military ng honours, featuring the Military Crosss (far left).
74 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au
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Moresby and Torakina, and you were always physically fit but, of course, it was a different standard.
Aftermath The shrapnel wound in my stomach and overall tension caused ulcers, and I spent a lot of time in Heidelberg hospital.
PROUD PIE: Jack Pimm
always looks forward to Anzac Day and took part in the motorcade at the 1995 game.
in the belly and was sent back to hospital in Torakina. My belt buckle actually took most of the hit and saved my life, but I never thought to save it as a keepsake. After three months in hospital, I went back into action, but only for a short while and then, of course, the war finished.
Homecoming It was great to get back home, and Collingwood didn’t seem so rough after that.
I realised that I’d lost the best part of my playing years, but after resigning from the army in ’46, I was lucky to play another 50 or so games over the next five seasons. Collingwood was very, very good to its servicemen, and
My belt buckle took most of the hit and saved my life, but I never thought to save it as a keepsake towards the end of the war had sent notifications sheets explaining where other players in the services were. Hence I got to see Phonse Kyne when I was away, and it helped a lot. When I came back I played one seconds match and was straight back into the side. I played the rest of the season there, so I didn’t really know what was going on. We’d been playing in football competitions on impromptu grounds in
My wife Esmae reckons I was a bag of nerves when she met me, and that I used to get a bit worked up about the ins and outs at Collingwood on a Thursday. About 10 years after the war, I said to her that I could never do now what I did back then. It was just a psychological thing; if you see someone who needs support you’d rush over without thinking about it, but it does take a lot out of you.
Anzac Day I was in the motorcade at the Anzac Day game in 1995.
It was a great feeling for everybody in it, and I just sat up there and so many people recognised you as you drove around the ground. Jack Jones, who played for Essendon, was in the next car; I’d met up with him during the war in Bougainville. No wonder they kept the day going. I always used to march in the Anzac parade with either the 57/60th or the 58/59th, but I’ve had some health problems over the last couple of years and my legs aren’t what they used to be.
F O O T Y FAC T F I L E
Jack Pimm Born: October 7, 1920 Recruited from: Diamond Creek (DVFL) Debut: 1940 Height: 183cm Weight: 82kg Games: 58 Goals: 113 Honours: Leading club goalscorer 1949 (34); life member. M I L I TA RY FAC T F I L E
Lieutenant John Huggett Pimm MC Service: Australian Army Place of birth: Avoca, Victoria Date of enlistment: August 3, 1943 Date of discharge: May 27, 1946 Wartime postings: New Guinea, Bougainville WWII honours and gallantry: Military Cross
Collingwood invites me to all of its Anzac and other functions, and I hope I’m feeling well enough to get along to the game this year. It’s a long day and the big crowds tire me out, but the club has been very good and appreciates the efforts of all of the wartime footballers. Full compliments for the way the AFL do it, they give a really good show in the centre of the ground at the start of the matches – it’s all very emotional.
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theinterview I was devastated. I’d had one year of football, playing with legends like (Polly) Farmer and (Billy) Goggin. Then I get a letter requiring me to serve in the army for two years and possibly go to Vietnam
TOUR OF DUTY: Former
Geelong star Wayne Closter’s disappointment at falling short of 200 games because of national service was eased when the AFL admitted him into the 200 Club in 2007. 78 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au
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VIETNAM VETER AN
Wayne Closter’s war A Geelong star’s dazzling 191-game career was interrupted by a tour of duty in Vietnam. M AUR ICE GAU L
PHOTO: LACHLAN CUNNINGHAM/AFL PHOTOS
W
ayne Closter still seems surprised as he recalls how he burst into VFL football in round one, 1964. “I couldn’t believe it. One day I was a country footballer, the next I was running out on to the MCG to play for Geelong against Melbourne in front of 60,000 people.” “At 19, I was the only newcomer to the 1963 premiership side. I was terribly nervous,” he says. A near best-on-ground performance on the wing launched a sparkling 191-game career. “Next day I was interviewed on Nine’s Tony Charlton football show and that was a big deal.” Closter played every game that year until an injury in the first semi-final against Essendon saw him miss the preliminary final. Outside football, he did clerical work and studied accountancy at night. Early in 1965, he was called up for national service in the infamous birthday ballot. “I was devastated. I’d had just one year of football, playing with legends like (Polly) Farmer and (Billy) Goggin. Then I get a letter requiring me to serve in the army for two years and possibly go to Vietnam. I didn’t take it real well,” he says. Closter’s accountancy studies gave him a three-year deferment but he bristles at the injustice of selective conscription. “It seemed totally unfair that one 20-year-old in 10 was asked to give up two years of his life and perhaps be sent to war.” He played on until May 1968 when he began his 10 weeks basic
training at Puckapunyal. “It was a miserable time,” he says. He played two games while on leave, a handful later in the season then six more in 1969 after jungle warfare training at Canungra. “Geelong was very good as I couldn’t train with the club,” he says. In July, he flew via Saigon to coastal Vung Tau to work in ordnance at the Australian supply base. There, he procured the arms and supplies shipped in from Australia, stored them and distributed them to units at nearby Nui Dat. “We were next to a monstrous American air base,” he says. “Their Phantoms would come scooting in from the South China Sea then zoom straight up at 90 degrees over the mountains behind Vung Tau. They were cowboys, those fellows.” Closter’s time in Vietnam was uneventful, but he saw the horror of war first hand. “I was in hospital once and the guy next to me had been in an armoured personnel carrier that had hit a mine. He’d lost both legs and an arm, and for a week he didn’t speak a word to me, the doctors or the nurses. “I can’t remember his name but I’ll never forget the look in his eyes. He just stared straight ahead. I’ll never forget that.”
He holds no bitterness over the anti-war protests at home and the union blackbans on mail. “I knew it was an unpopular war. I recall our beer was blocked in Darwin and it looked like being a dry Christmas. However, the Americans came good and gave us their Budweiser.” He fondly recalls the local football competition. “We played a five-week season, 14 a team, on soccer grounds, in steaming heat. It was serious stuff, no mucking about, and my team wore jumpers sent over by Geelong. “We met the Nui Dat engineers in the grand final. I’d kicked 12 in the semi so the word was out: ‘Get Closter.’ Early on, my eye ran into Glenn James’ elbow. Years later, Glenn, then a top VFL umpire and a good mate, said he was sorry – sorry that I’d got up! I kicked 11 and we won.” Closter’s year of duty ended five months prematurely when a skin complaint flared up in the relentless humidity. “I was sent to an American specialist in Saigon who said ‘You’re going home’, and I was delighted to be out of it. I was home in a week.” His homecoming was decidedly low key. “We landed at night in Sydney then four of us were knocked back by three hotels displaying vacancy signs. “We tried to sleep on the grass outside the airport but at midnight it started to rain. It was pretty ordinary.”
1
FAC T F I L E
Wayne Closter Born: February 26, 1945 Recruited from: Darley Debut: 1964 Height: 180cm Weight: 81kg Games: 191 Goals: 72
In February 1970, he was back training at Geelong. “I was in terrible physical shape after Vietnam and didn’t touch the ball in the first practice game, but I played the first three games before dislocating my collarbone.” Incredibly, no one at the club asked him about his time in Vietnam. “Even opposition players, who would comment freely on your haircut or your girlfriend, didn’t mention it,” he says. “I then had four good years but by 1975 I was on the skids. Early in 1976, I couldn’t get out of bed one Saturday so I hobbled down to see the club doctor who said: ‘Wayne, your time’s up, son’.” Closter stayed on as the Cats’ specialist coach then as assistant coach to Rod Olsson from 1977-79. “Later I joined the 3GL commentary team with the great EJ (Ted Whitten), a terrific fella,” he says. His one career regret was falling just short of 200 games. “Then, in 2007, the AFL admitted me to the 200-game club with two other players whose careers were also disrupted by war (Essendon’s Jack Jones and Geelong’s Joe Sellwood. I was delighted.” Maurice Gaul teaches journalism at Holmesglen. He has a particular interest in sport and military history.
AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au 79
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A COLOURFUL LIFE
A larrikin Bomber Bill Pearson’s football career was delayed by war service and cut short by injury. But the larger-than-life character made a lasting impact. BEN COL LINS
ill Pearson is as forthright a character as you’ll meet. The centreman in Essendon’s 1946 premiership side has always said exactly what he thinks, with little room for diplomacy. We’re sitting in the loungeroom of the Moonee Ponds unit Pearson shares with his wife of 61 years, Joan. One of their six children, son John, is also there to jog his father’s memory. When Pearson is asked how much trouble his mouth has got him into over time, his wife and son break into raucous laughter and shake their heads. Pearson, 86, simply rolls his eyes. “He never hid behind a door when he had something to say,” Joan says with a giggle. “At least people know what I’m thinking, love,” is Pearson’s response. “There’s no mystery.” But there is mystique. For those who can remember, Pearson’s is a ‘what might have been’ story. Due to war service, he didn’t start his League career until he was 22, and then played just 51 games over three seasons (1945-47) before knee injuries curtailed his career. “Until I did my knee, I couldn’t have done anything any better,” he says. He was a brilliant centreman who, it is said, could dropkick prodigious distances with precision on either foot. (He was such a prolific dropkick that his big toenails
PHOTO: MICHAEL WILLSON/AFL PHOTOS
B
STRAIGHT SHOOTER:
Bill Pearson, a brilliant centreman in Essendon’s 1946 premiership, played it hard on and off the field, and also served his country (inset).
would go black and he had them surgically removed.) Pearson had a tough upbringing that manifested itself in his football. An only child to a divorced couple, he hardly saw his father, Harry Pearson, a hard-up boxer who won a state middleweight championship. During the Depression, his mother couldn’t afford to raise
him, so he lived in orphanages under the firm hand of Christian brothers, who freely wielded “the strap”. Pearson was expelled from numerous schools for wagging. He says: “I was good at school … when I was there!” Nuns regularly escorted him to class in a hansom cab. “I was close to being escorted out of there too,” he says. “I was highly-strung.”
Footy was in the blood. Pearson was a cousin of Collingwood’s three Twomey brothers – Bill, Pat and Mick – whose father, Bill senior, played for the Magpies and Hawthorn. “Bill (junior) gave me a bath in the centre one day,” Pearson admits. “He belted hell out of me. Who says blood is thicker than water?” AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au 81
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Pearson’s first club was the exotically named La Mascotte club, which competed in the Essendon district league. They wore a blue guernsey with a yellow stripe down the middle. There wasn’t a yellow streak down his back though. He was a 14-year-old boy against men. One opponent warned: “Kick another goal and I’ll break your legs.” It didn’t deter him – one afternoon he amassed a league record 28 goals. He says: “I’m glad somebody took notice because I was kicking so many that I lost count!” War service robbed Pearson of a teenage start to his League career. As an 18-yearold in 1941-42, he was sent to Dutch New Guinea. He entered the services with perforated eardrums, which were aggravated by duties as a gun-layer on a warship, using a double-pronged, anti-aircraft Bofors gun. He was always on edge. “I couldn’t sleep. I was petrified. I was just a kid. I thought they were coming to get me.” Mosquitoes did get him. “They ate you alive,” Pearson cringes. “I got fly-blown.” He actually contracted tropical dermatitis, and recovered in Caulfield Military Hospital. Unlike many ex-servicemen, he says he isn’t proud of his time at war. “I hated it. It was awful. I couldn’t get out of there quick enough.” He lost many mates in battle, lamenting: “Not many came back.” However, he is proud of his efforts in a services football match while stationed in
BEAMING BOMBER: Pearson, now 86, with his 1946 premiership medallion (left) and an Essendon memento.
Perth. Pearson was the star of a team scheduled to take on a side led by Norm Ware, the Footscray ruckman and 1941 Brownlow medallist. It was a big deal. The colonels in charge of each team had a sizeable wager on the outcome. On game day, one of the colonels was horrified to discover Pearson was in the military lock-up for being ‘regimentally undressed’, in that he was caught still doing up his fly after he’d left a toilet. The colonel was desperate for Pearson to play, so he sent his driver to pick him up from “the clink”, but Pearson sent word back that the colonel could “stick his footy match where the sun don’t shine”. Ultimately, Pearson agreed to play only on the proviso he was granted weekend leave and four-bob (40 cents). Not lacking confidence, Pearson told the colonel: “We’ll poop it in; double your bet,” and was best-afield in an easy win.
That effort attracted admiration from the colonel and Ware. The colonel later became a real estate agent and got the Pearsons a house at virtual mates’ rates, while Ware wanted Pearson to play with him at Footscray. Pearson couldn’t care less who he played for, but Essendon claimed him as a player from its district and he debuted for the Bombers in 1945. He was a regular senior player almost immediately. Born in Carlton and a Blues fan in his youth, he starred against the Blues in his third game, bagging four goals in a win at Windy Hill. On another occasion, Carlton fans spat in his face and called him a traitor. Pearson also had his moments with Essendon captain-coach Dick Reynolds, who opposed Pearson earning money (betting and clocking sectionals) at greyhound racing on Friday nights.1
“I earned more money at the dogs than playing footy,” he says. “It was a necessity – I had six kids to feed.” Pearson was in career-best form in 1946 – he missed four games with a shoulder injury but still received 13 Brownlow votes, just six behind Melbourne winner Don Cordner. At half-time of the Grand Final against Melbourne, with the Bombers three points down, Reynolds moved Pearson from a forward flank into the centre. Essendon slammed on 11.8 to 1.1 in the third quarter as ‘Whopper’ Lane took control up forward. At the final break, Pearson told Reynolds: “If you’d started me there in the first place, the game would have been over by quarter-time!” Pearson couldn’t separate Reynolds and Bill Hutchison as players, but preferred to play alongside ‘Hutchy’ because he was “more of a team player”. Pearson gave top marks for team-orientation to teammate Jack Cassin. In the 1946 drawn second semi-final against Collingwood, Pearson set up an easy shot at goal for Cassin, who inexplicably missed. In the showers, Pearson asked Cassin how it happened. “I missed on purpose,” Cassin said. “We’ll thrash Collingwood next week and get another £4!” 1 Bill
Pearson started the Greyhound Form – originally known as The Gold Guide – in 1958. In 1996, it became National Greyhound Weekly. Pearson was recently inducted into the Australian Greyhound Racing Association Hall of Fame.
AT AFL CLUBS, AFL STORES AND GOOD SPORTS SHOPS
82 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au Untitled-1 1
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AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au 83
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time on Answer man
AFL history guru Col Hutchinson answers your queries.
Unhappy hunting ground for Demons
CH: Since its first visit in round
members of a winning team in the City of Churches are Cameron Bruce, Brad Green, James McDonald and Russell Robertson. Richmond has also struggled at AAMI Stadium, losing 10 consecutive matches at the venue from 1999-2005.
LAST SHOUT: The Demons belt out the
club song after their last win at AAMI Stadium, in round two, 2001.
WRITE TO ANSWER MAN The Slattery Media Group 140 Harbour Esplanade Docklands, 3008 or email michaell@slatterymedia.com
P L AY E R I N F O R M AT I O N S E A R C H
Are you, or do you know, a descendant of former player Thomas ‘Gunboat’ Smith? A famous boxer of that era, Edward ‘Gunboat’ Smith resulted in Smith being given the same nickname. Recruited from Barrabool (on the outskirts of Geelong), he played six games
p92
NAME GAME
Edgy Player
The Demons seem to have difficulty winning matches at AAMI Stadium. What is their overall record in Adelaide? Chris Thomson, South Yarra, Vic
10, 1991, Melbourne has played 26 games at AAMI Stadium for just five wins and 21 losses. Its most recent victory at the venue was by three points, against Adelaide in round two, 2001. Since then, it has experienced 13 consecutive losses by an average margin of 56 points. The Demons have struggled against both co-tenants, winning only three of 14 clashes against the Crows and two of 12 matches against Port Adelaide. The only current Melbourne players to have been
NAB RISINGAFL STAR
for the Cats as a 174cm, 77kg wingman/half-back flanker in 1919, wearing guernsey No. 8. Two other ‘Tom Smiths’ have played at AFL level – one for South Melbourne in 1898 and the
other for Essendon (1936) and Footscray (1937). Should you have any information on Smith, including his date of birth, contact Col Hutchinson on (03) 9643 1929 or col.hutchinson@afl.com.au
Richmond youngster Alex Rance (right) might be a player who likes to play on the edge. Rance is a form of Rands, meaning “son of Rand(e)”. Rand was a short form of any of the Germanic names beginning with Rand-, e.g., Randolph. Rand usually meant the edge or rim of a shield. The name was also given to someone who lived on the edge of a settlement or of a river. Again, Alex is appropriately named. Recruited from Swan Districts in Perth, he is now with Richmond, a suburb which has the Yarra River as one of its borders. Diminutives of Rand include well-known AFL/VFL names – Rankin (Cliff, Bert and Teddy at Geelong), Rendell (Matt, Fitzroy and Brisbane Bears) and Rantall (John, Sydney, North Melbourne and Fitzroy). Only one other Rance has played League football – Alex’s father, Murray (Footscray and West Coast). K E VA N C A R ROL L
visit afl.com.au
NAB AFL Tipping - Win $20,000 The official tipping competition of the AFL The round four winner was Kim Harper, who tipped eight winners with the exact margin. The round four celebrity competition winner was Geelong Cats’ Joel Selwood, who tipped five winners. There are fantastic cash prizes to be won every week – join in the fun now at afl.com.au
84 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au NAB_Tipping_60x179_Rd 5.indd 1
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Relive the game over a meal in the city. After the final siren, head into the city and relive every kick, tackle and goal over a meal or a beer. With so many great pubs, bars and restaurants, you’ll find the perfect place to talk footy. And next week, why not kick off with a drink or bite to eat in the city before the game? For ideas on where to go, visit thatsmelbourne.com.au
COM0050/C
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COLLECTABLES WITH RICK MILNE
Just the ticket A weekly look at collectables, memorabilia and all footy things stored in boxes and garages. RICK’S RARITY
I found old North Melbourne membership tickets at my grandfather’s house while cleaning. They are from 1945, 1954-64, 1966-67, 1982, 1984-92 and 1994-95. I was wondering whether they have any value. CAROLYN, VIA EMAIL RM: The value varies according
to date. The very old ones, like the 1913 South Melbourne membership ticket pictured here, are worth up to $1000. Your earlier ones might be worth $10 or so, but the rest have only sentimental value. I have a collection of Football Records from West Coast matches since the Eagles’ first game in 1987. The collection is almost complete, but I am missing about 20. Could you please give me a value and some tips on finding the missing editions? KHAN, VIA EMAIL
TICKETS PLEASE: Early membership
tickets such as this 1913 one for the Swans are valued at up to $1000.
RM: Well done, as this is an
amazing collection and worth up to $3000. Send me a list of the ones you still need and I’ll try to track them down for you.
The player’s photo pops up when the card is squeezed. Value? FRANK, VIA EMAIL RM: The market value
I have cards issued by Ansett for the 1998 pre-season competition and featured AFL stars include Geelong’s Garry Hocking and Carlton’s Stephen Silvagni.
is $10 each. I recently came across a ticket for the 1976 HawthornNorth Melbourne Grand Final
and, surprisingly, it had never been used as the perforated halves are still intact. The ticket is in mint condition. Value? ADAM, VIA EMAIL RM: I have had quite a few
of these over the years and their value is a modest $25.
The WAFL has a long and proud history and one of its first superstars was Dave ‘Dolly’ Christy, seen here in the blue and white striped guernsey. This series of cigarette cards was issued in 1909, the year after Christy’s East Fremantle defeated Perth 5.7 (37) to 0.8 (8) in the 1908 Grand Final. The card featuring Christy was more in demand than other cards in the series but now are extremely rare and are worth more than $200 each.
CONTACT RICK MILNE mrpp@iprimus.com.au or drop him a line: 5 Cooraminta St, Brunswick, Vic, 3056 or call (03) 9387 4131. One query per reader.
WATCH BEFORE THE GAME SATURDAY NIGHTS ON TEN
beforethegame.com.au LADDER ANDY MICK SAM DAVE LEHMO STR AUCHANIE
22 18 18 21 21 12
TIPSTERS
MICK St Kilda Essendon Hawthorn Fremantle Richmond Geelong Cats Western Bulldogs Adelaide
86 b4thgame_RD05.indd AFL RECORD visit afl1record.com.au
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LEHMO St Kilda Collingwood Hawthorn Sydney Swans North Melbourne Geelong Cats Western Bulldogs Adelaide
DAVE St Kilda Collingwood Hawthorn Fremantle North Melbourne Geelong Cats Carlton Adelaide
STRAUCHANIE Port Adelaide Essendon West Coast Eagles Fremantle Richmond Brisbane Lions Carlton Melbourne
SAM St Kilda Collingwood Hawthorn Sydney Swans North Melbourne Geelong Cats Western Bulldogs Adelaide
ANDY St Kilda Collingwood Hawthorn Fremantle North Melbourne Geelong Cats Carlton Adelaide
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TESTING YOUR KNOWLEDGE AC R O S S 1 3
Muscle in lower leg, a young bovine (4) Garden ornament, often in team colours (5)
6 To .... your way back into a match; crabs have them too (4)
11 A brave act, which usually results in a turnover (7)
12 A less common term for rookie (7) 13 Essendon half-forward Scott ..... (5) 14 Seven-time Bulldog best and fairest (5, 4)
15 19 20 22 23
Those who pick the team (9) Umpires used to be the men in ..... (5) Controls the club finances (9) Old rival (3) Even footy clubs need an Australian Business Number (3)
24 The centre half-forward is the ..... point for attacks (5)
25 When time-on is called in the last quarter, there are just ....... to play (7)
26 Former Blue, Cat, Docker Stephen ....... shares same surname as former Test spinner ‘Tiger’ (7)
27 The number of points for a pre-season super-goal (4)
28 Carlton’s Eddie ..... (5) 29 A red one is a signal for send
DOWN 2 Former Demon Andrew ......... Think Italian (9)
4 A utility is neither short, ... tall (3) 5 One of two Victorian teams competing in National Under-18 Championships (5)
7 Former Blue ..... Whitnall (5) 8 Players can be fined if they ....... (7) 9 Abbreviation of Brownlow’s given name (4)
10 South Melbourne Brownlow Medal winner Herbie ........ (8)
11 “..... a dummy” (5) 14 Renowned skipper of Hawks, later saved the club (5)
16 Former Collingwood defender James ....... (7)
17 Carl played in Collingwood’s 2002 Grand Final side (9)
18 Blake the Bomber, Lion, Magpie (9) 19 Sean ......., former Essendon defender (7) 21 Free kick paid downfield is a ....... free (7)
22 Loves the team (3) 23 Walkway between rows of seats (5) 24 Nickname of former Tiger Dale Weightman (4)
off in International Rules (4)
In your face!
Scrambled footballer Sick male
THIS WEEK’S ANSWERS
Cryptic footballers 1. Richmond player:
This face is made up of three different players. All three are Brownlow medallists. Name them below:
“Thanks, Doctor Ling.” 2. Bill’s partner in romantic
activity has comeback desire with the Bulldogs. 3. Hood’s holy man at Hawthorn. 4. Messy, messy Adelaide player. 5. Unfortunately, Leo died at
Punt Road. 6. Hawk not picked up by,
2.CATS 3.LIONS
e.g., Mick Jagger. 7. Smart Magpie. 8. Dolly injured at Windy Hill. 9. Troubled Shane gets second
injury with West Coast. 10. Holy man paying $2 on
SCRAMBLED FOOTBALLER: Malceski CRYPTIC FOOTBALLERS: 1. Tambling 2. Cooney 3. Tuck 4. Symes 5. Deledio 6. Moss 7. Maxwell 8. Lloyd 9. Hansen 10. Stevens IN YOUR FACE: 1. Adam Goodes, 2. Jimmy Bartel, 3. Simon Black
1.SWANS
TAB at Carlton.
88 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au
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WHERE’S WALLY
Tropical delights A month is a long time in football, especially in the AFL’s northern outpost. A NDR EW WA L L ACE
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he rosy-cheeked middle-aged man behind me leans over: “I came up on a four-week holiday,” he says. It is half-time of last week’s Brisbane Lions-Collingwood game at the Gabba and a plastic cup or three of red wine has this Magpie fan in a chatty mood. Taking the bait, I ask him when he arrived. “Twenty-eight years ago!” he says, laughing. It’s easy to see why masses from the south make the move to Queensland, with its balmy weather and laid-back lifestyle. However, one need only glance around the grandstands of the Gabba to realise that the gurus who delivered the ‘beautiful one day, perfect the next’ marketing campaign weren’t telling the whole story. Cyclonic summer storms have torn down a large section of the venue’s unique sailcloth coverings on the third level, while locals recount that during Easter the rain came and, like a shower with a bung washer, simply refused to stop. But despite the odd tropical glitch, there’s a lot to be said for watching night footy in short sleeves – even if it does scream ‘SPOT THE VICTORIAN’ to amused, rugged up Brisbanites. At the Lions, the supporter groups are every bit as passionate – and wacky – as those from so-called traditional footy states. Take the Brisbane Reserves Infamous Travelling Squad. The BRITS, who have been around since the Brisbane Bears, pride themselves on watching every club training session and reserves match, as well as occasionally cooking dinner for the entire list on a Wednesday, sponsoring a young Lion and sending cards to players who are injured or celebrating a birthday. The predominantly female group holds its own presentation
night at season’s end, handing out humorous awards based on player appeal, along with the slightly more serious best senior and reserves player. The Gabba itself has the on-top-of-the-action feel and amplified noise level of a packed house at Melbourne’s Docklands. The distinctive blue, yellow and red seating bays are designed to make the venue appear full for television audiences, but this wasn’t necessary last Friday, with the Lions falling only 2312 fans short of breaking their all-time attendance record of 37,224. Before the first bounce, the home players are introduced to the crowd over the loudspeaker, with kids (and those at heart) encouraged to finish the announcer’s sentence: “Wearing number 16 is captain courageous, Jonathan …” “BROWN,” they yell in unison. And although most in the crowd were ultimately disappointed with Collingwood’s win, locals and visitors alike dove into the popular ‘entertainment quarter’ after the game, swarming on to the arena for a kick of the footy, handball competitions and live music. Maybe it’s time I took a “four-week” holiday up north. Andrew ‘Wally’ Wallace travelled to Brisbane courtesy of Jetstar.
Gabba matches in 2009 Rnd
Date
Visiting team
6
May 2
Ess
8
May 16
Adel
11
June 6
Carl
13
June 27
Melb
15
July 11
Geel
17
July 25
N Melb
20
Aug 15
W Bull
21
Aug 22
P Adel
NORTHERN EXPOSURE: Fans enjoy a postmatch kick of the footy on the Gabba, while Wally catches up with the BRITS supporter group and Lions mascot Bernie ‘Gabba’ Vegas. Unique ‘Green Cabs’ are a feature of Brisbane streets, with patrons able to negotiate a fare with a pedal-pushing cabbie. The Southbank area of the city is a great place to lap up the Queensland sun on a man-made beach or take a ride on Brisbane’s answer to the London Eye.
JETSTAR, AUSTRALIA’S LOW FARES AIRLINE! To book visit jetstar.com 90 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au
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PM 5:09 8/4/09, 1 Page SPS2036_AFL_FPC.pdf
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NAB AFL RISING STAR
Déjà vu for Pies Exciting Magpie speedster Jaxson Barham reminds Pies fans of his dad. A NDR EW WA L L ACE
C
ollingwood greybeards had to do a double-take last weekend at the sight of a Magpie No. 43 dashing down the wing with Sherrin in hand. Such moments from the Brisbane Lions-Collingwood clash immediately brought back memories of club favourite Ricky Barham, who was famed for his run and carry in 151 games with the black and white from 1977-86. As they should have; the new boy was in fact Barham’s son. Jaxson Barham joined a long line of recent Collingwood debutants to make an impressive entry to the AFL in round four, racking up 28 possessions and nine tackles in his side’s gritty 17-point win over the Lions at the Gabba. The performance earned Barham this week’s nomination for the 2009 NAB AFL Rising Star Award. Unlike most nominees, the youngster has followed a less-than-conventional path to reach the elite level. Growing up in Barwon Heads on Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula, Barham’s relaxed attitude and love of surfing could have consigned him to merely being a good local footballer, but his selection for TAC Cup team the Geelong Falcons as a 19-year-old proved a catalyst. “Getting that opportunity to play at the Falcons was when I decided this could be a pathway for me to follow, so
NAB AFL Rising Star nominees Round 1 - Daniel Rich (BL) Round 2 - David Zaharakis (Ess) Round 3 - Patrick Dangerfield (Adel) Round 4 - Jaxson Barham (Coll)
HIGH FIVE
Having watched his dad’s stash of VFL highlights, he acknowledges their similarities. 2 Is excited about the prospect of playing in front of 90,000 fans on Anzac Day. “It would be a huge honour,” he said. 3 After playing the majority of 2008 in the VFL, was encouraged when listed as an emergency in round 22.
1
DRINKS ARE ON YOU: Jaxson Barham soaks up the winning feeling after
his exciting debut against the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba last week.
He took me to the right spots and showed me a lot about how hard you have to run and where to run to I just went out and gave it my all,” Barham said. His efforts caught the attention of Collingwood recruiters, and he was eventually taken under the father-son rule at a somewhat speculative pick No. 61 in the 2007 NAB AFL Draft. Throughout last season, the Magpies worked on ironing out the midfielder’s perceived
deficiencies in the VFL, particularly focusing on his foot skills. “I actually don’t think my kicking is that bad, it’s just that sometimes my decision-making when I kick isn’t over the top,” he said. “(VFL coach) Gavin Brown has helped me out a lot, and after training I do extra sessions with him, so it’s definitely coming along.” Barham received further education from an unlikely source last Friday, with opponent Luke Power giving him a lesson in the art of midfield play. “It was huge, because Luke’s such a champion and a
Has received guidance
4 from former Lion and
Magpie assistant Brad Scott with his tackling. Father Ricky was away 5 on business and could not make Jaxson’s debut. He called to congratulate him afterwards.
premiership player,” Barham said. “He gave me a few extra possessions because he took me to the right spots and showed me a lot about how hard you have to run and where you have to run to. “It was a great opportunity to play on someone like him.”
Each week throughout the home and away season, a panel of judges will select the nominee for the 2009 NAB AFL Rising Star. At the completion of the season, one outstanding player will be chosen as the 2009 NAB AFL Rising Star winner. He will receive an investment folio, a dedicated personal banker, a financial planner and the Ron Evans Medal, all courtesy of the NAB. The NAB Rising Star award is the final stage of the NAB AFL Rising Stars Program, which supports grassroots players and football communities and helps young Australians fulfil their dream of playing in the AFL.
92 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au
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TALKING POINT
A lasting legacy For more than 80 years, Legacy has been supporting the families of Australians who died at war or on their return. GLENN McFA R L A NE
R
on Barassi and twins Brad and Chris Scott have much more in common than the clusters of premiership medals they won at Melbourne and the Brisbane Lions respectively. For a start, their fathers fought bravely for their country in conflicts a generation apart. Barassi’s father died in action; the Scotts’ dad passed away years after returning to Australia from Vietnam. They were fortunate enough to possess mothers who were fiercely determined, inspirational women capable of overcoming their loss to do the best for their children. Importantly, Barassi and the Scott family were also assisted by Legacy, an organisation that remains just as relevant today – more than 80 years after its inception – supporting families of Australians who have been killed at war or who died when they returned home. Barassi’s story has been well documented. His father Ron snr played in Melbourne’s 1940 premiership side and was killed at Tobruk in 1941 when his only child was just five. While his mother, Elza, refused to accept financial assistance, and supported her son by going back to work, Barassi became a junior legatee and received significant help, including health care and psychological support. “Legacy is one of the most marvellous groups in Australia,” Barassi acknowledged half a century later. Such was his belief in the organisation that he once jumped out of a plane to launch fundraising for Legacy, and donated the profits of a tribute night to mark his 50 years in the game to it. The story of the Scott family
GREAT SUPPORT:
Chris (left) and Brad Scott have forged succcessful careers with the help of Legacy.
As kids, we wanted for nothing. Mum did a fantastic job bringing us up. She was amazing. But I realise now how much Legacy did for us as a family, and how much they supported Mum BRAD SCOTT is less well known, but its experiences with Legacy have been just as profound. Colin Scott was a Vietnam War hero, winning the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1967 for repeatedly flying at tree-top level through heavy fire and rain to direct airstrikes against the enemy. He returned to Australia and raised a large family with his wife, Lynne, before passing away, aged just 40, in 1985. His wife was left to raise five young kids – daughter Lisa and sons Andrew, twins Brad and Chris, and Ben. “I was only eight when he
died, so I didn’t know too much about him and the war,” Chris said early in his career. “The effects of wars don’t stop when people come home,” Lisa Scott says. “Some of the boys coming back now, their families will be living with the implications for years to come and Legacy will be around to help.” Lisa says her mother went back to work to help raise the family, but could always rely on having someone to talk to. “Mum didn’t really have a social life after Dad died. She did a fantastic job in raising us, but she also got great support
from Legacy,” she says. The Scott children got the chance to participate in numerous activities and camps with Legacy, just as Barassi had. They gave children an outlet and their mother a muchdeserved break. “As kids, we wanted for nothing. Mum did a fantastic job bringing us up. She was amazing. But I realise now how much Legacy did for us as a family, and how much they supported Mum,” Brad says. Lisa says from the earliest days her brothers were fine sportsmen, and that it was a wonderful release for them. “I do wonder how hard it was for the boys when, at half-time, all the other boys’ dads would be out there, and Mum and I would be sitting in the stands.” She is in no doubt their experiences growing up made the whole family more determined to achieve. “You have an obligation to try and do your best in everything you do because you have been given opportunities.” Brad and Chris played in two of the Lions’ three flags, in 2001 and 2002, an achievement the whole family celebrated. Brad is now an assistant coach at Collingwood, with Chris in a similar role with Fremantle. This weekend will mark Brad’s third year involved in the Collingwood-Essendon Anzac Day matches. “It’s a very special day for my family,” Brad says. And there is no doubt he will be thinking not only of the sacrifices both his parents made, but also those made by the people who still make Legacy such a vital organisation for Australians. Glenn McFarlane is a reporter for the Sunday Herald Sun. VB IS SUPPORTING LEGACY AND THE RSL DURING APRIL. GO TO RAISEAGLASS.COM.AU FOR MORE INFORMATION.
94 AFL RECORD visit aflrecord.com.au
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Aurion V6: In a league of its own
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The rules of the Big 6 game have been re-written. Now it's a game of power and efficiency, performance and control. The Toyota Aurion V6. The most fuel efficient big Aussie 6 at 9.9L/100km,* while also pumping out 200 kW. An aerodynamic body that’s F1 inspired. Plus, Driver Assist Technologies including Vehicle Stability Control, Traction Control and Active Braking with intelligence, all standard. No wonder the Toyota Aurion changed the game. *ADR81/02
combined cycle. Actual fuel consumption may vary depending on driving style and conditions.
oh what a feeling!