FROM time-to-time, the Etihad Stadium playing surface has come under the spotlight from different sections of the football community.
It was bright when stars such as Shaun Higgins (Western Bulldogs), Chris Judd (Carlton) and Jared Brennan (Brisbane Lions) suffered injuries there. Talk among the footy public suggested those setbacks were linked with the conditions.
But what would have happened if a surface incident occurred to a lesser like?
Would it have attracted as much scrutiny?
Hmm … somehow, I’m not so sure. And here’s why!
Let me take you back to round 19, 2009 when North Melbourne hosted Melbourne at Docklands.
The encounter may not have been remembered by many football purists - it was a sloppy affair, reasonably uneventful and had no bearing on September.
But late in the third quarter, the crowd woke up, only to be left utterly speechless.
It was bright when stars such as Shaun Higgins (Western Bulldogs), Chris Judd (Carlton) and Jared Brennan (Brisbane Lions) suffered injuries there. Talk among the footy public suggested those setbacks were linked with the conditions.
But what would have happened if a surface incident occurred to a lesser like?
Would it have attracted as much scrutiny?
Hmm … somehow, I’m not so sure. And here’s why!
Let me take you back to round 19, 2009 when North Melbourne hosted Melbourne at Docklands.
The encounter may not have been remembered by many football purists - it was a sloppy affair, reasonably uneventful and had no bearing on September.
But late in the third quarter, the crowd woke up, only to be left utterly speechless.
As I remember it, there was a North Melbourne turnover in the middle of the ground. A Melbourne player swiftly swooped on the ball and began a counter-attack, which resulted in a cute pass inside 50 to a young, tall, gangly ruckman wearing No.42 on his back.
That’s right folks! This incident I speak of happened to none other than me!
The events that followed showed a nervous looking teen strolling in for his first set-shot goal in an AFL environment.
At first, it seemed like a normal shot on goal, but at the very last moment, something strange happened - and which has rarely been seen before.
It was also highly embarrassing for yours truly!
I appeared to drop the ball cold, during the final step of my approach, leaving me with no other option but to quickly pick up the ball and slam it on my boot, in an attempt to make it look as if nothing went wrong.
Instead, I completely humiliated myself in the process.
Now to the naked eye, coming from a player with a background of relatively poor skill execution, it would seem that it was nothing else but another notorious error.
However, I am going to take the opportunity to explain to everyone what really happened and how the formerly named Coventry End at Etihad Stadium is now more popularly referred to as ‘Pencil’s Pocket’.
What really happened you ask?
I believe it’s plain and simple: the surface couldn’t support the momentum generated from my large gangly frame!
And, hey, if my memory serves me correct (which I’m sure it does), I’d just received some reassurance from our fearless leader ‘Jimmy Mac’ (aka James McDonald) that kicking the goal wasn’t out of my capabilities.
Feeling quietly confident of slotting through that illustrious first AFL goal, I took one last deep breath, began my approach and that’s when it happened.
But then all of a sudden, a flash of lightning came around the ground and underneath me, which almost swept me off my feet and caused me to drop the ball.
It was after this incident that I and many others now call the pocket at the Coventry End ‘Pencil’s Pocket’.
So there you have it, believe it or not, that’s my story and I’m sticking with it!
But unfortunately, this incident started a curse.
And after eight months, ‘Pencil’s Pocket’ struck again when young-gun Higgins went down in almost the exact place it begun!
Will it strike again? Let’s hope not. I’m just happy we play at the ‘G!
That’s right folks! This incident I speak of happened to none other than me!
The events that followed showed a nervous looking teen strolling in for his first set-shot goal in an AFL environment.
At first, it seemed like a normal shot on goal, but at the very last moment, something strange happened - and which has rarely been seen before.
It was also highly embarrassing for yours truly!
I appeared to drop the ball cold, during the final step of my approach, leaving me with no other option but to quickly pick up the ball and slam it on my boot, in an attempt to make it look as if nothing went wrong.
Instead, I completely humiliated myself in the process.
Now to the naked eye, coming from a player with a background of relatively poor skill execution, it would seem that it was nothing else but another notorious error.
However, I am going to take the opportunity to explain to everyone what really happened and how the formerly named Coventry End at Etihad Stadium is now more popularly referred to as ‘Pencil’s Pocket’.
What really happened you ask?
I believe it’s plain and simple: the surface couldn’t support the momentum generated from my large gangly frame!
And, hey, if my memory serves me correct (which I’m sure it does), I’d just received some reassurance from our fearless leader ‘Jimmy Mac’ (aka James McDonald) that kicking the goal wasn’t out of my capabilities.
Feeling quietly confident of slotting through that illustrious first AFL goal, I took one last deep breath, began my approach and that’s when it happened.
But then all of a sudden, a flash of lightning came around the ground and underneath me, which almost swept me off my feet and caused me to drop the ball.
It was after this incident that I and many others now call the pocket at the Coventry End ‘Pencil’s Pocket’.
So there you have it, believe it or not, that’s my story and I’m sticking with it!
But unfortunately, this incident started a curse.
And after eight months, ‘Pencil’s Pocket’ struck again when young-gun Higgins went down in almost the exact place it begun!
Will it strike again? Let’s hope not. I’m just happy we play at the ‘G!
