Almanac Footy History: Chris ‘Tractor’ Prime

 

 

 

 

Chris Prime, country goal-kicking phenomenon, made a huge impression in his three seasons at The Parade. He’s a man who truly cares deeply about all levels and ages of the game. Genuine character and hard worker are all terms which apply to Chris ‘Tractor’ Prime’s footy career and life in general.

As always, back to the beginning.

Chris is the son of Geoff and Kath and is the youngest of four behind Peter, Beth and Andrew. Chris attended Wharminda and Cleve schools before going to Westminster College to finish his schooling doing Years 10 to 12 there.

Chris started playing footy for Port Neill Under 12s at the age of seven or eight and his first major memory of kicking a goal is having his team remarkably not kicking a goal against this side for the season is kicking a sausage roll to win his team the flag (who said one goal in mind doesn’t count big time). Chris thinks he was ten at the time.

Chris appreciated the help of ex-Rooster captain David Tiller and his First 18 coach, ex-State Cricketer Kim Harris while studying at Westminster.

Chris’ senior footy career started for Port Neil enjoying success, playing with his brothers from 1986 to 1988. Peter retiring opened up the chance for Chris to play full forward.

Port Neill amalgamated with Arno Bay to form Ports in 1989 and Chris kicked his first Don Bradman with 118 goals. He ended up playing for Tasmans in 1990 and 1991, kicking 119 goals in 1991.

It was around this time training in December (bloody December!) under ex-Bays long-kicking utility Greg Caldwell down at Port Lincoln that Twiggy said
“It takes a while for you to get going, you’re slow, bloody hard to stop and you’re from the country, we will call you ‘Tractor'” and to say the nickname has stuck is an understatement (like myself as Rulebook a lot of people don’t know or remember Chris’ real name, which is fine).

Chris played a representative game at Crystal Brook kicking six goals, with both Port and North Adelaide inviting him down to play the next week in the reserves, while Norwood invited him out to do a couple of weeks pre-season. Chris made the very mature decision accepting Norwood’s offer realising he wasn’t fit enough to perform at his best at that stage at SANFL reserves level.

Chris arrived at The Parade in 1993 and thought he was in good physical condition with a high fitness level but it was a rude awakening for him, given the Redlegs were coached by fitness guru and one of the fittest footballers in history himself in Neil Craig!

 

 

Norwood had the bye in Round 1 so Craigy picked a squad of 30 to go to the Ponderosa to watch Centrals v Sturt and Tractor didn’t make the squad. At this stage he wasn’t working and didn’t see much future and was ready to go home. His mum Cath talked him into staying, saying play a couple of games first (good old mum!).

Ironically Anthony Pierri and Mark Ducker were injured during the week and as Tractor was just about to run out onto the track when Craigy told him he would debut that week. And didn’t he deliver, kicking seven goals with a highlight being marking a Craig Balme long bomb out the middle and kicking his first goal in front of a packed Coopers Hill! Tractor had a fantastic year, kicking 87 goals and forming a two-pronged attack with Mark Ducker, with the highlight being the brilliant preliminary final win over Port Adelaide. The grand final was a cliffhanger at the opening bounce with Woodville-West Torrens proving far too good (Tractor and Plugger Pierri in particular looked fine cut sensational athletes in those bloody lycra guernseys). Tractor won the McCallum trophy as best first year player.

 

 

Chris correctly was rapt to be made vice captain in 1994 and performed solidly again, kicking 53 goals. His final season at Norwood was in 1995, the call of going home to help run the farm was too strong. Unfortunately Tractor had a lot of groin problems during his time at The Parade, restricting the amount of training he could do, we will always wonder what his output would have been if his body had coped better with the rigours of League footy. Chris ended up with the more than respectable 53 games for 182 goals for the Redlegs. Tractor also endured himself to the Norwood faithful, always ready for a chat and a beer – a much loved character at Norwood FC.

 

 

Chris found his hardest opponents to be Roger Delaney from Port Adelaide, Jason Spehr from Woodville-West Torrens and Chris Thredgold from Sturt and said it was a privilege to run on to the ground with Garry McIntosh, that he was awe-inspiring and what ever Macca said you did without question.

 

 

Chris made the mature decision to return home, thinking long-term, realising that footy wasn’t going to be the income needed to base his life upon.

The original home farm and Poll Merino stud are named Nantoura. The Primes purchased the block next door (his current home place) at the end of 1995, hence the reason and need to come home. Tractor currently grows wheat, barley, canola and lentils, alongside the sheep program.

Chris has played 458 country games and kicked 2089 goals, mind blowing, ridiculous figures! Goals v cans of West End could be a photo finish! Tractor kicked the ton on seven different occasions, with a top haul of 150 sausage rolls in 2007. The best individual haul was 19 playing for Tumby Bay against Cummins Kapinnie in the Port Lincoln League. Chris has won two Mail medals as best and fairest of the association in seasons 2007 and 2008 (interestingly didn’t win his own club’s best and fairest in either year). Chris has played in seven senior premiership sides ranging from a youngster at Port Neill in 1986, 1987 and 1988 right through to even playing in a reserves flag for Tumby Bay in 2022.

 

 

Chris has done the scoreboard, boundary umpired as a youngster and as an adult has served on the management committee at Ports, been Tumby Bay President
is currently the Chairman of Eyre Pensinsula juniors, liaising with Norwood footy club as the Eyre Peninsula is now part of the Redlegs zone (previously it had been Port Magpies zone). Remarkably now Chris is bar manager of Tumby Bay FC while he returned to his original club Ports to finish his career concurrently! Only a person MASSIVELY respected and who truly sees the WHOLE picture of footy could do such a thing!

A significant moment in Tractor’s footy career occurred at the end of 2006, he was frustrated with Ports, they had three or four very good players but fell away dramatically and without the 6-6-6 rule was certainly the focus of attention, his coach Trevor ‘Boof’ Grenfell was fantastic and thought it was in the best interests of Chris to go elsewhere so he could really enjoy his footy, there may have been a write-up inferring that Chris might struggle as a 36 year old to keep up with the young bucks, that was a red rag to a bull, he got himself the fittest he had been since his time at The Parade and the results speak for themselves with 150 goals, his career really exploded, certainly shows a full forward needs good players to deliver the pill and finish the passage of play with the desired result.

Chris said playing Mortlock Shield was a great experience representing your league with highlights both on field and off field. Chris went to a Sunday morning recovery session (cough cough) at one of his old clubs, Tasmans, where you were given a schooner glass at 10am and it was free beer till 11.30, a casual 22 schooners was a fair effort, he stood Geoff Phelps the following day he may have kicked 1 goal 9, the yips well and truly set in!

Overall Chris is an ornament to the game, he has performed just about every role in the game – ALWAYS seeing the whole picture and doing his best not only for his club but for EVERYBODY re association and the game overall – massively respected is a huge understatement. Character is putting it mildly! Let’s fill the Almanac with your favourite memories of the Tractor! Thanks Chris!

 

Questions to Chris

Biggest influences on career:

In 1986 I was a 15 year old coming into a successful A Grade side (after a long premiership drought 1964 next one 1984). Bruce Hines was the coach he installed in me a strong work ethic (Amanda would say not for cleaning the house) and a belief that we could always win. I have never enjoyed losing.

I think the teachings of Hinesy lead to the connection I had with Neil Craig. Craigy’s methods and ideology weren’t ever player’s cup of tea, but he struck a chord with me. He got as much out of me as a player as anyone could have.

My parents Geoff and Kath probably had the biggest effect on my career specially post career (whenever that might be). They taught me that not everything happens on the football field, clubs need people around them running the going on behind the scenes. I look at my local clubs now and see it the presidents, secretaries are mostly sons and daughters of people who have done it before, it is one of the biggest challenges for country football clubs to recruit and train new people into these rolls.

Mum and Dad gave me two bits of advice, words of wisdom that made my career what it was.

Mum – early April 1993 I was training with Norwood but not in the top 30, I was ready to come home. She told me to stick it out till we played a few games of footy. April 10th, I made my League debut for Norwood v Sturt and so it began.

Dad – I was in my early thirties and frustrated with footy and announced my retirement after our last game of the year at Ports. He said to me “you are a long time retired”. Twenty years later it will be a shorter time retire!

 

Toughest opponents–

They have all been tough the last few years.

Martin Deer (Pikey) – Cowell

While I had Pikey covered for body strength, he was wiry and had an enormous reach and seemed to be able to reach just about anything I went for. I might have kicked a few on him at times but never found it easy.

Scott Mickan (Forrest) – Cummins Ramblers

Forrest had me for height and once again had arms that could reach everything. Never gave an inch. Over several years of standing each other we probably ended up relatively even but I knew that I had to be at my best when we played Ramblers.

 

Best footballers played with and against:

The best footballers played against were the ones that generally gave you the most grief.

Steve Wildman from Cowell could change a game in a heartbeat either on ball or up forward. Dominated for several years.

Micheal Curtis (Tumby Bay) – when he came back from Sturt a dominant half back who later in his career turned himself into a crumbing forward who never missed (his words).

Robert Jackamara – hardly ever missed would have enjoyed playing more football along side him.

 

I wanted to get a country footy perspective – I greatly appreciate Richard Horgan’s thoughts below!

G’day Rulebook

Just put together a few words regarding the great man – Chris “Tractor/Primey” Prime from my perspective.

Following a successful career playing with Ports FC in the Eastern Eyre Football league and of course his few years at Norwood FC at SANFL level, Primey, who I am sure would agree, was becoming disillusioned with the game. After a season where he spent time off the field under a yellow card on many occasions decided that it was time to consider playing away from his home club, Ports. It was after the conclusion of the 2006 season when we at Tumby Bay FC became aware that Primey might be looking for a new “footy home”. Tumby had just come off a significant loss in the 2006 (which also happened to be TBFC’s Centenary year) in the Grand Final. With some good friends involved with the TBFC, the groundwork began to entice Primey to play with Tumby. Tractor made it clear that he wasn’t looking to “shop” himself around and was particularly keen on the idea of being a 3 club player ie Ports, Norwood and Tasman FC, who he had played with during the 90’s. The Tumby crew got together and arranged to meet with Tractor over a few beers and a BBQ – the rest as they say is history.

Primey joined Tumby Bay FC and turned up to their first pre-season training in January 2007, in what can only be described as “great nick”. He had obviously been doing a lot of fitness work at home and had dropped a lot of weight to be in great shape before the start of the season. This was a huge credit to him, but more importantly a sign to the rest of the players at Tumby that he meant business.

 

 

2007 turned out to be one of Tumby Bay Football Clubs best in its 101 year history. They went through undefeated to the grand final and along the way Primey had kicked 136 goals. Remarkably on GF day he added a further 14 to his tally to make it to 150 for the season. On the back of this amazing season Chris received the most votes in the league Mail Medal as the Fairest and Best player in the A Grade competition. I think the coach at the time decided during pre-season that Tractor could play across half back. In the first game of the season he played in this position until half time (he had also kicked about three goals by then as well?) As fate would have it the full forward was injured just before half time and after half time the coaching panel convinced the coach that we should move Tractor to full forward….. the rest as they say is history!

 

 

Chris endeared himself to the playing group early through his attitude to training and his team mates. He was a great “leader and teacher” of the playing group in his own right. He trained hard and was resilient on match days, missing only one match during the first three years at the club. After the first game of the 2007 season he stripped down and headed for the shower after the obligatory few beers. Once showered up and getting ready to dress he produced a black “G banger” and popped it on in front of the boys still enjoying a quiet beer. This made a few jaws drop and created a lot of humour in the rooms. Primey spent some time explaining to the boys about how comfortable they are to wear? Primey’s legend status was assured.

The following year, 2008, seemed to follow a familiar pattern and by the end of the season Tractor had kicked 131 goals and won a second Mail Medal. Unfortunately, Tumby’s only loss for the year occurred in the Grand Final, with the side losing by about two goals against a very disciplined Rambler team.

The 2009 season couldn’t come around quick enough for Tumby and despite some personnel changes, Tumby found their way into another GF. Primey was knocked out by an errant knee to the head in a marking contest early in the first term and spent the rest of the day not knowing which way was up. Tumby celebrated a win but unfortunately Primey would remember little of the day. He ended the season with 104 goals and was instrumental in the GF win.

Chris went on to play 139 A grade games and 51 B Grade games for Tumby Bay Football Club and during that time kicked 734 A Grade goals and 307 B Grade goals.

 

 

Many people know of Chris’ playing exploits, but in my mind it is the work and time he has given off the field which is perhaps more noteworthy.

 

 

Following 2009, Tractor has taken on various roles in the Tumby Bay Football Club: A – Grade coach (2010), A Grade Captain (2012 – 13), Mini Colts Coach (2013), Club President (2016 – 2017), Committee Member (2018 – 2019), Senior Colts Coach (2017 – 2019), B Grade Captain (2018), Bar Manager (2021 – 2023), Senior Colts Coach (2021 – 2022 inc. premiership coach 2022), B Grade Premiership player (2022).

In 2023, Chris took over the role of Eyre Peninsula Junior Football President.

He has more recently started a group for past players called the “Faded Blues”. This group meets at the oval and watches footy training and has a few beers, a sausage and catch up each fortnight. More like a “men’s shed” activity than anything else and a great way to stay connected.

Personally, I think this says all you need to know about Primey – he’s a great man and someone we all admire and value in our community very much.

 

 

It is this selfless and club mindedness that saw Chris awarded Life Membership with the Tumby Bay Football Club at the end of season dinner in 2023. A tremendous and well-deserved recognition of the contribution he has made, and continues to make to the club.

It should be noted that Chris didn’t make TBFC’s Team of the first Century (1906 – 2006) – but I can confidently say that his name would already be written in ink at Full Forward for the Team of the Second Century at Tumby Bay Football Club.

Remarkable playing career by a great bloke. Watch this space for more……….

 

Thanks Horgs!

 

Read more from Rulebook HERE.

 

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