WHEN Jen Watt - Melbourne’s general manager of marketing and communications - called me late last week, I thought it was a courtesy call regarding a player appearance.

The thought of completely forgetting about doing a player appearance, and where I should have been, went through my mind (it has happened to a few people before).

 

However, what unfolded over the next couple of minutes, resulted in a once in a lifetime opportunity for me.

 

I was asked if I would like to take a helicopter ride to Murrabit (near Kerang), in northern Victoria, to meet Prince William.

 

The Prince was visiting Christchurch, parts of Queensland and Kerang following the devastating earthquakes and floods, which happened earlier this year.

 

Of course I said yes, it was a no-brainer.

 

After completing a Monday morning running session, ‘Chip’ Frawley and I headed to Hanger 103 (at Channel 7), where we also met up with Jim Stynes.

We took two choppers up. Jimmy and the reporter/cameraman were in one, while Chip and myself were in the much faster helicopter!

 

We posed for photos in front of the chopper and inside it as well and immediately uploaded them onto our Twitter and Facebook accounts (we were getting the important stuff out the way!)

 

The day could’ve ended here and I would have been greatly satisfied, however things just kept going up, literally!

 

When we got up into the air, we gave the pilot a quick game of 20 questions about helicopters and flying, before we settled into more repetitive questions like: “how long ‘til we get there?”

 

Let’s just say we were both pretty pumped to be meeting the Prince.

 

Chip insisted I already had met a Prince. Himself! He told me he was Prince Charming!

 

We landed on the first hole fairway at the Murrabit Golf Course - a dead straight par five with a slight dog-leg before the green. Anyway, golf is a little way off for me with my finger injury.

 

We were met by a Channel 7 employee who escorted us through the masses walking the streets en route to the town oval, who were just as eager to to catch a glimpse of Prince William.

 

After roughly an hour of mingling with locals and listening to the sad stories of homes and belongings lost in the floods, we began a clinic with about 30 local school kids.

 

The clinic was great fun. I love spending time with country kids, who like myself when I was younger, rarely had access to AFL players, due to the distance from the city.

 

The time arrived to meet Prince William.

 

The media had formed a thick wall about 10 metres from where Jimmy, Chip and I were carefully positioned for the meet and greet.

 

To be honest, it did feel very unnatural and set-up, but nonetheless it was a very memorable meeting.

 

We shook hands and I told him about my finger surgery and other injuries, which he got a kick out of hearing. In fact, the Prince wanted to know what injuries we had suffered before!

 

Jimmy taught him how to handball and then the Prince had a kick with Chip.

 

Before we knew it, our time with the great man was up and he was making his way back towards one of the three Black Hawk helicopters, which had accompanied him. It’s fair to say they were three to four times bigger than our chopper!

 

It was now time for us to head back to Melbourne.

 

As two carloads of Melbourne staff started its long, four-hour road-trip home, we only had a 70-minute ‘joy-ride’ back to the city.  

 

The whole day was a very memorable experience and something I will never forget.

 

I must take the opportunity to thank Melbourne and Channel 7 for the chance to meet Prince William.

 

It’s one of the perks of being injured, you get the extra appearances and duties, while the fit players need time to recover and prepare for games.

 

In saying this, I would trade the whole day and experience to be playing against the Swans in round one. But that’s footy!

 

Go the Dees! Oh and Prince William said the Dees by 19 points, but maybe that was me, the Prince of Bentleigh!