by Rod Oaten
I guess it started some 15 years ago as a Da/Father/Son day
but Da gave up about 5 years ago due to age, he is now over 92, and
stays in his aged care facility in Northcote and listens on the radio.
Family days at the footy have always been important to us, I
remember going as a young lad in the late 1940s all dressed up in my
hand made Essendon footy gear to The Don’s home ground, (wasn’t called
Windy Hill then) and all the other suburban grounds with the extended
family.
The Dons have always been a great part of our family,
apparently great grandfather was always up at the cricket or football
clubs according to family history, Nana and Da never missed a match,
Mum used to play tennis for Essendon Tennis Club on the courts behind
the grandstand with Dick Reynolds fiancee and after their match would
watch games and when Dad met Mum he very soon threw his total support
for the Dons. Mum was so one-eyed that she never had a soft spot for
any other team, so if people asked if she had a second team she would
say “Essendon seconds”
OK what’s got with today’s match, I guess not a lot but
reminiscing sure bring back great memories. And now for the dark side
my son barracks for Collingwood. He says it has nothing to do with my
fathering when he was younger but rather his primary school friends who
barracked for the Magpies, and nothing that I tried worked, and some 30
years later nothing has changed. So we meet up outside the ground , get
our seats and adjourn to the Percy Beams bar for a pre-game discussion
and a calming ale. I’m hoping for a close match not a blow out like
last year and son is quietly confident of a good win for the Pies.
The Dons are underdogs and the way the game is going I
thought the experts were on the money, Collingwood 2 goals in as many
minutes and David Hille off with a busted knee. Into the ruck goes
loose-limbed, gangly Paddy Ryder and things start to happen but we
couldn’t buy a goal and it wasn’t until Winderlich got one that we were
in the contest, still at quarter time the score was Collingwood 4.2 to
the Dons 1.5. From quarter time the game tightened up and great play
from McPhee, Fletcher and Courtney Dempsey (there’s a player with a
future) kept us in the game so at the big break it was scores level and
time for another cleansing ale. Too tight to call we both decide.
Third quarter, and a new hero has emerged, Paddy Ryder. He
rucks tirelessly, winning tap outs, chasing, tackling and moving the
ball continually forward. Not a lot in it at three quarter time but Paddy
looks absolutely stuffed, how can he possibly get through the last 30
minutes?
We’re off for the last quarter, but Paddy
gets the ball forward again and after a scramble picks the ball up at
centre half forward and bangs through a very handy goal for the Dons,
but Collingwood have a few ideas of their own and score a couple of
quick goals and at this late stage of proceedings things look bleak for
the Dons. The rain starts and Rocca has a brain surge and give Fletcher
fifty, off to Andrew Lovett who lifts the G with an inspiring run to
get it to Jetta who goals. A minute later a bad kick in from the
Collingwood back line lands it out on the full and Ricky Dyson kicks
magnificently. Less than a goal in it, less than a minute to play. Ball
up, Paddy gets another punch forward to David Zaharakis (try saying
that quickly) who backs himself from about 50 metres out and drills the
goal. Pandemonium, the Dons are in front, I think I hear “Oh no” from
son.
Siren, the noise, the exploding thunder made by
tens of thousands of Don fans. The Essendon players jubilantly leap into
each other arms, I give my son a super-sized bonding hug, no guessing
who was pumped. I couldn’t hear a thing and the old eyes were a bit
misty too, but I guessed Paddy Ryder won the Anzac Medal as he left the
Essendon group and sort of jogged to the presentation stage to get the
medal.
Best for Essendon, every player on the senior and
supplementary list, the coaching staff, the medicos, the cleaners at
Windy Hill, the committee, the office staff, the doormen and the girl
that answers the phone when you ring the footy club up.
About Rod Oaten
- Web |
- More Posts
Leave a Comment