by Les Everett
THE FootyAlmanac.com.au story about Zephaniah Skinner by Tavis Perry provided inspiration for the 2010 Almanac Perth launcher Steve Hawke.
Hawke wrote one of the great footy books, Polly Farmer: A Biography, but another of his works – Noonkanbah: Whose Land, Whose Law – was also relevant at this footy function. Noonkanbah is located in the Kimberley region of WA and was the centre of a clash between traditional owners and mining interests that came to a head in 1980. Zephaniah Skinner hails from the Noonkanbah Blues.
Hawke admits that his interest in the AFL has waned over the years but he’s excited about following the progress of Skinner at the Bulldogs just as he has been about Melbourne’s Liam Jurrah. In endorsing the Footy Almanac Hawke said it played an important role in ensuring footy stayed in the hands of the people.
Photo: Paul Daffey with Steve Hawke in the boardroom of the Subiaco Football Club.
Polly Farmer: A Biography by Steve Hawke was published by Fremantle Arts Centre press in 1994. Noonkanbah: Whose Land, Whose Law by Steve Hawke & Michael Gallagher was published by Fremantle Arts Centre press in 1989.
About Les Everett
A Footy Almanac veteran, Les Everett is the author of Gravel Rash: 100 Years of Goldfields Football and Fremantle Dockers: An Illustrated History. He is the footyalmanac.com WAFL correspondent and uses the money he makes from that role to pay for his expensive websites australianrules.com.au and talkingfrankie.com and fund the extravagant Vin Maskell at scoreboardpressure.com
You looked better without the gold sash at WFC Daff.
Yes, I remembered my jumper this time.
Les Everett wire a Grayland Teachers College jumper from 1975. He looked quite spiffing.