Gareth Andrews has been a great friend of the Almanac over many years. He was one of our speakers at the Footy Almanac Grand Final Lunch. His insights as a premiership player for Richmond (1974) were terrific. Two steaks and four eggs instead of one steak and two eggs for Grand Final morning breakfast – because it was a Grand Final.
As I mentioned at the lunch, Gareth has done many things, in sport, media, professionally and in the community. He has not been afraid to alter direction. Nor has he ever accepted what he has perceived as injustice and inequity. His work as a key instigator (with Geoff Pryor and others) of the then VFL Players’ Association is a good example of that.
In recent times Gareth has taken the reins at the Lord’s Taverners in Victoria too.
Finally I want to mention the organisation which Gareth set up and for which he is the driving force. It’s called Life Again – and it’s worth having a look at.
Thanks again Gareth. We really appreciate your ongoing encouragement and support.
About John Harms
JTH is a writer, publisher, speaker, historian. He is publisher and contributing editor of The Footy Almanac and footyalmanac.com.au. He has written columns and features for numerous publications. His books include Confessions of a Thirteenth Man, Memoirs of a Mug Punter, Loose Men Everywhere, Play On, The Pearl: Steve Renouf's Story and Life As I Know It (with Michelle Payne). He appears (appeared?) on ABCTV's Offsiders. He can be contacted [email protected] He is married to The Handicapper and has three school-age kids - Theo, Anna, Evie. He might not be the worst putter in the world but he's in the worst four. His ambition was to lunch for Australia but it clashed with his other ambition - to shoot his age.
On the basis that I’ve also demonstrated some support for the Footy Almanac over recent years (search ‘Hooke’ in the Site Search engine), I’d like to highlight a little history regarding Gareth Andrews, not that we’ve actually ever met.
When I arrived at Prep School in 1964 Gareth was Vice Captain of School (Some guy called Paul Sheahan was Captain – he could play a bit of footy too but took the other alternative). We in Prep didn’t see too much of these (significantly) older boys. But then Gareth went on to play for Geelong and Paul joined the Australian side after a couple of years. Using the excuse that attending games at Kardinia Park was one way to escape Boarding Life, we attended whenever we could. And Gareth didn’t let us down, except when he moved to Carlton, but I’d stepped out of Geelong by that stage.
On a posting to the Philippines many years later I ran into Gareth’s brother, whom I’d known at school but can’t recall his name. We had an interesting conversation.
And in between, David Clarke, was another hugely talented school footballer who was recruited into the Geelong side direct from school. I used to claim he was one of the few players ever to play for Victoria in his first year – not sure now about that. But he did win the Club B&F in his first year and was All Australian in his second. A great footballer.
And my three brothers and one sister grew up to be staunch Geelong fans (I’ve used other adjectives in the past). And me? Black and White, all the way.
Anyone else see the humour in the talk about Watts joining Collingwood after his ‘reception to AFL footy’ in the Queen’s Birthday game a few years back?
Thanks, as always, John.
Go Pies!
When i watch th4 74 GF, it’s Andrews and Sheedy who stand out in addition to my Royce fixation. He took mark after mark intercepting Nth attacks. a prototype Lever?
as your previous posts attest, he seems a cracking fella, too, so , yes, a big ta to GA.