Just got back from a great lunch at the Tommy Hafey Club celebrating Rich v Carl over the years. Great old clips (didn't remember Wayne Walsh as being such a hothead). The footy was deifinately better then, fast and tough. Yes, I'm getting old.
Rex hosted and there was a vast and varied lineup of guests. You got a real sense of the 'working class' vs. 'toffs' rivalry.First was Tommy Hafey and Barassi. Tommy was as pumped as ever.Then a great highlight, Ian Wilson and Jack Elliott trading insults. You could feel the passion and old fashioned hatred between the clubs. Caro came up and interviewed Terry who really didn't have anything new to say. Then the new recuits came up, and I thought all spoke well, Jack R. very relaxed and good humor , all seemed to have good heads on their shoulders. Then we had Tony Jewell (listening to his mumbling I don't understand how he could have coached anyone) who said that 'at least we didn't need any f***n millionaire coming in to save us', Wayne Johnson who told how he became known as the dominator, Mark Maclure who spoke very well and generously about being invited, and then said to Tony Jewell 'oh, by the way, he's a billionaire not a millionaire..".
Then a couple of quick interviews with people in attendance. Ricky MacLean who originally played for carlton, got transferred and declared he loved Tommy and was a Tiger through and through. Also told a funny story about his very last VFL in the reserves where he decided to get back at someone who had hit him a year or two back, and got 16 weeks. The next year he helped his brother coach a suburban team, who got in the finals just as his ban was ending, so they talked him into playing, and in his first match back he got another 16 weeks...
Finally a brief word from Geoff Southby who revealed he was a passionate Tiger supporter as a kid, growing up in Bendigo he followed Freddie Swift. He than said 'I was scared of Ricky MacLean even when he was at Carlton..'
So it was great time, really got me pumped about tomorrow, we must kill the bluebloods...
PS:Had the room buzzing....KB was there sitting next to Tom. I've been to a few of these THC lunches and he's been the only one that hasn't come to some of the premiership reunions. I know we've discussed KB to death but it was warming to see him at a Richmond function. And they showed a clip of him handballing....