I get the feeling as I get older that we take so much for granted in our lives and we take little time to celebrate effort as opposed to just outcome.

As the new building at Avalon Airport Oval or Chirnside Park as us oldies know it is completed, I think every player who played at the club over the past 52 years should understand and celebrate their place in history and not just the 1993 team. At a recent catch up in Geelong with teammates and not all premiership players, you suddenly realise the amount of time, travel, physical and mental challenges you invested together over the seasons has formed an intrinsic bond that has, and will always be there.

There is always that little bit of reservation when you haven’t seen guys for 20+ years, but any fears are soon allayed with that first warm greeting or in my case questions as to whether I have eaten my own children! As a non-drinker these days, I also have the added question mark as to whether I will enjoy a catch up as much, but I find that hasn’t been an issue because firstly most of the guys are terrified of their wives and secondly they know I’m good to drive them home! Most importantly the conversation and laughter flow steadily as the stories of past glories are relived and stretched!

Next year is a huge year for the club as it goes back to stand alone in the VFL. I’m concerned that the focus over the last couple of decades has been skewed to the success of 1993. Well, I’m here to tell you that without several “sliding doors” moments, that premiership was never going to happen! What are you talking about I hear you say? Well allow me to explain how lucky you need to be to win a flag:

  • Donald McDonald’s enthusiasm
  • Tony Fury and Dennis Davey managing that enthusiasm
  • One of the VFA/VFL’s best-ever players, Tim Rieniets strolls quietly into the club
  • Now head coach, John Lamont, in an out of the side all year, plays his 2 best games in the 2 most important games of the year
  • A skinny kid from Melbourne via Riddells Creek, Matt Power comes down for a trial pre-season, tossing up whether to play for Port or Werribee. What if his pace was used at Port?
  • An aging imbecile from Brunswick, Neil Connell brings humour and along with Tim Harrington and Frank Lesiputty, hardness to our young running defenders.
  • Jack Aziz kicks a winning goal on the siren of the Preliminary Final clearing Jack Clarke’s hand by 3 inches!
  • And finally, the defining moment for me, it rained all week and the morning of the Grand Final! Things could have been completely different on a dry deck!

The point I’m trying to make is that so much needs to go right. There have been so many good teams play at our club who just didn’t have that level of luck when they most needed it. I immediately think of the next generation of teams who played in a couple of grand finals that housed names like Churchill, Satterley, Faulkner, Saunders, Puli, Robertson and Frost. Boy, these guys could play! All these individuals and teams deserve just as much acknowledgment as anyone for their contribution to the club.

As 2018 approaches, can I urge anyone and everyone who has played at the club to drop in and catch up with some old familiar faces. Michael “not my problem” McMaster and President, Martin “yes I still look magnificent after all these years” Carter have assured me that the new club will have a mantra based on wrapping its arms around past players. No doubt the greatest MC in the history of mankind, Kevin “I know my 90’s mullet was a disgrace” Hillier will be an integral part of what will be the start of an era that is focused on inclusion and recognition of all those who played a role no matter how small he or she may think it is, over the past 52 years.

Congratulations and thank you to everyone involved in the Avalon Airport Oval project and the best of luck to our 2018 team for pre-season and beyond. Looking forward to seeing as many past players as possible over the coming years.

Cheers

Willow