I’M IN MY FIFTIES now. I’ve followed the Demons all my life. Well at least since I knew what a footy team was. I was only very young when we won our last flag, but back then if you followed Melbourne there was only one number to have the back of your woollen footy jumper - Number 31.

 

Yes, Ron Barassi was my hero. My idol. I was always “him” running around the backyard kicking the footy with my mates. I even hung around outside his house in Heathmont one night, in the rain waiting for him to come home. He didn’t front and I got into so much trouble when I got home after dark and soaking wet. Mum was not impressed and didn’t care that it was Ron Barassi I was waiting for.

 

Fast forward about 30 years. I had the pleasure of attending a private pre “Oaks Day” party at a house in leafy Camberwell. There were lots of people in this rather impressive house. My wife and I retreated to the relative comfort and less crowded outdoors. We didn’t know all that many people and soon found ourselves talking with another solitary figure: a lovely lady with blond hair, sparkling eyes and a great sense of humour. We swapped jokes, stories and laughs for about half an hour. And then it happened.

 

I was intent on listening to our new friend talk when I saw an arm appear around her shoulders and a voice boom “there you are - I’ve been looking all over for you”! It was Ron’s smiling face. The lovely lady we soon discovered was Cheryl Barassi. She replied “Ron darling I’ve been having the most marvellous time talking to these lovely people”. Ron looked right at me, smiled, stuck his hand out and said “hi, I’m Ron Barassi”. I could only stammer, “yes I know who you are”!

 

For the next hour I talked with Ron like I’d known him all my life (I had actually but he hadn’t known me for longer than two minutes!). Over the course of the evening we kept bumping into each other and he would laugh and joke with me like we were best mates. At evening’s end we were arm in arm toasting each other with Bundy and Coke (what a surprise!).

 

My wife said I looked like a star struck little boy - and I was. He was, and still is, my idol and my legend. He will have long since forgotten that night but I haven’t and never will.

 

In this day and age there are so many instant superstars who don’t always behave as they should. My children will find their own heroes and legends. My only wish is that their legend can be just like Ron - everything I thought he was when I was that little boy running around with number 31 on my back.

 

Thanks Ron, you are true legend. Go Dees!