IT SEEMS that Jack Trengove’s thirst for the Holy Grail is not just related to the football field, after he nominated the song with the same title as the one that “inspires and motivates” him the most at training and on game day for a new football soundtrack called ‘Leaders List’.
The AFL, AFL Players Association and Standard Records have just released the 19-track playlist, with proceeds from the sales going to Ladder, an independent, non-profit organisation established in 2007, which tackles youth homelessness in Australia.
Ladder general manager and former Bomber Mark Bolton said Ladder was “extremely grateful to be the nominated charity partner of the AFL Leaders List”.
“With the backing of socially minded AFL players and footy fans, we are bringing together a new team committed to one goal – tackling youth homelessness. Together we can offer a brighter future to some of the most vulnerable people in our communities,” he said.
Trengove’s selection of the Hunters and Collectors’ 1992 classic – which has become somewhat of a football anthem – follows in the footsteps of the club he plays for, with his selection the oldest track on the album.
Like Trengove, three other players have opted for songs from the 1990s: Geelong’s Joel Selwood (Wonderwall, Oasis – recently nominated the best song of the past 20 years on Triple J) Fremantle’s Luke McPharlin (Hallelujah, Jeff Buckley) and Collingwood’s Nick Maxwell (Shine, Collective Soul).
Bulldog Matthew Boyd (Lay it down, The Rubens), Swan Ryan O’Keefe (Plans, Birds of Tokyo), Crow Patrick Dangerfield (Ghosts, The Presets) and Eagle Darren Glass (Revolution, John Butler Trio) have stuck with home grown artists.
New Zealand band, The Naked and Famous, opens the album with Punching in a Dream, chosen by GWS co-captain Phil Davis.
Electronic/beats are selected by Hawthorn’s Josh Gibson (Ghosts’n’Stuff, Deadmau5), Essendon’s Jobe Watson (The Look, Metronomy), North Melbourne’s Jack Ziebell (Live your life, Erick Morillo), Sydney’s Kieren Jack (Don’t you worry child, Swedish House Mafia) and Gold Coast’s Nathan Bock (Not giving in, Rudimental).
Port Adelaide’s Travis Boak went for I caught Fire by Amercian alternative rock band The Used and St Kilda’s Nick Riewoldt has chosen England by indie rock band The National.
Coldplay is the only band to make more than one appearance, with Tiger Trent Cotchin electing Every Teardrop is a Waterfall and Lion Jed Adcock nominating Paradise.
It’s a far cry from when Melbourne great Robert Flower had to sing his own version of The Village People’s Macho Man on the cult classic 1981 album Footy Favourites.
Other stars of the game back then, including Barry Round, Marc Maclure and Michael Turner, covered such music legends as Elton John (Little Jeannie), John Lennon (Imagine) and Peter Allen (I go to Rio) respectively.
And as much as the red and blue faithful would love to see Trengove take control of the Holy Grail in the not too distant future, perhaps it’s best he leaves it to the Aussie rock greats for this cause.
The track listing
- Phil Davis (GWS Giants) – Punching In A Dream (The Naked And Famous)
- Joel Selwood (Geelong Cats) – Wonderwall (Oasis)
- Matthew Boyd (Western Bulldogs) – Lay It Down (The Rubens)
- Ryan O’Keefe (Sydney Swans) – Plans (Birds Of Tokyo)
- Jack Trengove (Melbourne) – Holy Grail (Hunters And Collectors)
- Patrick Dangerfield (Adelaide) – Ghosts (The Presets)
- Josh Gibson (Hawthorn) – Ghosts’N’Stuff (Deadmau5)
- Trent Cotchin (Richmond) – Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall (Coldplay)
- Jobe Watson (Essendon) – The Look (Metronomy)
- Jed Adcock (Brisbane Lions) – Paradise (Coldplay)
- Jack Ziebell (North Melbourne) – Live Your Life (Erick Morillo & Eddie Thoneick Feat. Shawnee Taylor)
- TBC
- Kieren Jack (Sydney Swans) – Don’t Your Worry Child (Swedish House Mafia)
- Nathan Bock (Gold Coast Suns) – Not Giving In (Rudimental Feat. John Newman & Alex Clare)
- Travis Boak (Port Adelaide) – Caught Fire (The Used)
- Darren Glass (West Coast Eagles) – Revolution (John Butler Trio)
- Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda) – England (The National)
- Luke McPharlin (Fremantle) – Hallelujah (Jeff Buckley)
- Nick Maxwell (Collingwood) – Shine (Collective Soul)
