AS A BOY GROWING up in Melbourne, I used to dream of playing for Melbourne, of emulating the great Robbie Flower, of kicking a goal on the MCG, of winning a premiership.
Sadly, reality over ruled this dream.
I wasn’t gifted with height or pace or confidence, and slowly my lack of belief allowed that dream to disappear.
Fast forward, 23 years and I saw an advertisement on the MFC website, regarding ‘Play for Melbourne’.
This was an opportunity to join a corporate team, don the red and blue jumper, and run out onto the MCG.
I contacted the club and registered for the game.
The week of the game was all a blur. I am not sure how well I functioned at work and I know I didn’t do much around home - all I was thinking about was the big game ahead.
Thursday night was a team dinner. I arrived and introduced myself to the guys and found myself sitting next to AFL legend Anthony Koutoufides, who was also playing in the Universal Spartans team.
I quickly scoured the other teammates and realised that I wasn’t going to be the oldest and least fit person there.
In fact, the guys took one look at me and immediately suggested I would be up for a midfield role.
Friday afternoon was training. Rod ‘Balls’ Grinter, assistant coach for the Spartans, got us all together for a warm up and stretch, and then we started with some basic drills.
I was joined in my group by Kouta and MFC legend David Neitz.
I soon realised that I hadn’t lost my old skills and I felt like I belonged, receiving handballs from Kouta, dishing it off to Neita. The experience could have ended there and I would have been satisfied.
We talked over some tactics which included ‘get it’ and ‘kick it’. Then we headed off to the ‘G for a shower.
Then it was time for our guernsey presentation. First up were the opposition Club Assist Demons, coached by my childhood idol, Robbie Flower.
He spoke of his pride of receiving his first ever Melbourne jumper and we all understood the importance of what it represented.
Then Kouta got up with Balls to present the jumpers to my team - the Universal Spartans.
The jumpers were actual jumpers worn by the MFC earlier in the season, and I was presented with the number 16 worn by terrific young player Jack Grimes.
We also received a kit of shorts, socks and other goodies. The game was still two days away, but already the experience had exceeded expectations.
Game day arrived, and I strutted into the ‘G as if I owned it. The nervous tension during the warmup was so fatiguing, just little handballs with a jog through were exhausting. So we all had a good stretch.
In the pre-match briefing, Spartans coach John Northey spoke with conviction and passion about the game we were about to play. Balls then went through a few more tactics. I was named as rover. I think that is the only position on the ground that I have never played.
Then Northey spoke of going out onto the MCG, the greatest sporting stadium in the world, following in the footsteps of the greatest players to have played the game in over a hundred years.
The hairs were up on the back of the neck, and it was time to get out onto the ground.
I took a moment to look around the grandstands, to soak in the atmosphere and imagine what it would be like to play in front of 100 thousand screaming fans. I then noticed my mum and my two boys waving at me. It made it even more special, sharing the experience with them.
We ran through the banner and got our team photo taken, then went off for a warm up drill.
I made my way to the centre and noticed the match ball there. I picked it up to have a feel, just in case I didn’t get my hands on it during the game. The siren went and the game began. All I remember was that it was fast.
After a few minutes I hadn’t had a touch, and I was exhausted. I dragged myself to give one of the others a run. After a few minutes I was itching to get back on.
After a few touches, the siren sounded for half time and I willed myself across the ground to listen to Northey.
We had most of the play in the first half, and yet the game was still in the balance. He told us that this was our ‘Grand Final’, and that we needed to keep running, particularly to help out the backline.
I knew that I was exhausted, but that this was when I had to dig deep to help out the backline more. So I committed myself to run even harder.
We got on top even more in the second half, and started to kick more accurately. It was starting to become clear that we were going to win. I started to think about ‘that goal’ that I wanted to kick, and started to sneak forward whenever we had the ball.
A few times I was in good position, but was ignored.
As the ball moved forward, again another of my leads was ignored, as they kicked to the long option, so I ran down to the contest around 20 m out from goal.
The ball spilled to the side where I managed to pick it up, take a few steps away from the pack and snap a shot at goal around the corner. For a second it was heading straight toward the point post again!
But then it started curling around and I could see it was going to go through. I screamed out ‘Yeeeeessssss!’ and gave my team mates some high fives. As I walked back towards the wing, I glanced up at the big screen to see myself.
Now I had planned some grand celebrations if I was lucky enough to kick a goal, but I just walked back in a daze to get ready for the next contest.
Around five minutes later the siren sounded and we had won the match.
We all shook hands with one another and the opposition, we were all feeling the same way, not too many words were said. We were presented with the premiership cup and made our way to the centre circle of the ‘G.
We stood there, both winning and losing teams, arms around one another, and belted out the Melbourne theme song. The sound echoed around the MCG.
We got a team photo with the cup and just embraced the moment before going back into the changerooms. I think security had to escort me off the ground, as I didn’t want to leave, because I didn’t want my dream to end.
We all savoured our victory and then hit the showers and changed before heading up to the Harrison Room to greet our families and for the official presentation.
My son Benjamin told me that I had kicked the best goal of the match, and we shared stories of the day over a drink and some food. We were then presented with a medal for the day.
We headed out to watch the AFL Demons play Richmond and although they didn’t play too well, nothing could put a dampener on what was an amazing and memorable day.
The day I played for Melbourne on the MCG, the day I met my hero Robbie Flower, the day I trained with club legend David Neitz, the day that I played with AFL and Dancing with the Stars legend Kouta, the day I kicked a goal in a premiership winning team, all in front of my two beautiful boys and my wonderful mum.......Not even a dream could be that good!
This was an opportunity to join a corporate team, don the red and blue jumper, and run out onto the MCG.
I contacted the club and registered for the game.
The week of the game was all a blur. I am not sure how well I functioned at work and I know I didn’t do much around home - all I was thinking about was the big game ahead.
Thursday night was a team dinner. I arrived and introduced myself to the guys and found myself sitting next to AFL legend Anthony Koutoufides, who was also playing in the Universal Spartans team.
I quickly scoured the other teammates and realised that I wasn’t going to be the oldest and least fit person there.
In fact, the guys took one look at me and immediately suggested I would be up for a midfield role.
Friday afternoon was training. Rod ‘Balls’ Grinter, assistant coach for the Spartans, got us all together for a warm up and stretch, and then we started with some basic drills.
I was joined in my group by Kouta and MFC legend David Neitz.
I soon realised that I hadn’t lost my old skills and I felt like I belonged, receiving handballs from Kouta, dishing it off to Neita. The experience could have ended there and I would have been satisfied.
We talked over some tactics which included ‘get it’ and ‘kick it’. Then we headed off to the ‘G for a shower.
Then it was time for our guernsey presentation. First up were the opposition Club Assist Demons, coached by my childhood idol, Robbie Flower.
He spoke of his pride of receiving his first ever Melbourne jumper and we all understood the importance of what it represented.
Then Kouta got up with Balls to present the jumpers to my team - the Universal Spartans.
The jumpers were actual jumpers worn by the MFC earlier in the season, and I was presented with the number 16 worn by terrific young player Jack Grimes.
We also received a kit of shorts, socks and other goodies. The game was still two days away, but already the experience had exceeded expectations.
Game day arrived, and I strutted into the ‘G as if I owned it. The nervous tension during the warmup was so fatiguing, just little handballs with a jog through were exhausting. So we all had a good stretch.
In the pre-match briefing, Spartans coach John Northey spoke with conviction and passion about the game we were about to play. Balls then went through a few more tactics. I was named as rover. I think that is the only position on the ground that I have never played.
Then Northey spoke of going out onto the MCG, the greatest sporting stadium in the world, following in the footsteps of the greatest players to have played the game in over a hundred years.
The hairs were up on the back of the neck, and it was time to get out onto the ground.
I took a moment to look around the grandstands, to soak in the atmosphere and imagine what it would be like to play in front of 100 thousand screaming fans. I then noticed my mum and my two boys waving at me. It made it even more special, sharing the experience with them.
We ran through the banner and got our team photo taken, then went off for a warm up drill.
I made my way to the centre and noticed the match ball there. I picked it up to have a feel, just in case I didn’t get my hands on it during the game. The siren went and the game began. All I remember was that it was fast.
After a few minutes I hadn’t had a touch, and I was exhausted. I dragged myself to give one of the others a run. After a few minutes I was itching to get back on.
After a few touches, the siren sounded for half time and I willed myself across the ground to listen to Northey.
We had most of the play in the first half, and yet the game was still in the balance. He told us that this was our ‘Grand Final’, and that we needed to keep running, particularly to help out the backline.
I knew that I was exhausted, but that this was when I had to dig deep to help out the backline more. So I committed myself to run even harder.
We got on top even more in the second half, and started to kick more accurately. It was starting to become clear that we were going to win. I started to think about ‘that goal’ that I wanted to kick, and started to sneak forward whenever we had the ball.
A few times I was in good position, but was ignored.
As the ball moved forward, again another of my leads was ignored, as they kicked to the long option, so I ran down to the contest around 20 m out from goal.
The ball spilled to the side where I managed to pick it up, take a few steps away from the pack and snap a shot at goal around the corner. For a second it was heading straight toward the point post again!
But then it started curling around and I could see it was going to go through. I screamed out ‘Yeeeeessssss!’ and gave my team mates some high fives. As I walked back towards the wing, I glanced up at the big screen to see myself.
Now I had planned some grand celebrations if I was lucky enough to kick a goal, but I just walked back in a daze to get ready for the next contest.
Around five minutes later the siren sounded and we had won the match.
We all shook hands with one another and the opposition, we were all feeling the same way, not too many words were said. We were presented with the premiership cup and made our way to the centre circle of the ‘G.
We stood there, both winning and losing teams, arms around one another, and belted out the Melbourne theme song. The sound echoed around the MCG.
We got a team photo with the cup and just embraced the moment before going back into the changerooms. I think security had to escort me off the ground, as I didn’t want to leave, because I didn’t want my dream to end.
We all savoured our victory and then hit the showers and changed before heading up to the Harrison Room to greet our families and for the official presentation.
My son Benjamin told me that I had kicked the best goal of the match, and we shared stories of the day over a drink and some food. We were then presented with a medal for the day.
We headed out to watch the AFL Demons play Richmond and although they didn’t play too well, nothing could put a dampener on what was an amazing and memorable day.
The day I played for Melbourne on the MCG, the day I met my hero Robbie Flower, the day I trained with club legend David Neitz, the day that I played with AFL and Dancing with the Stars legend Kouta, the day I kicked a goal in a premiership winning team, all in front of my two beautiful boys and my wonderful mum.......Not even a dream could be that good!
