My father had organised a cricket day off season for his R.A.A.F. unit against the Saints. Bazza Breen was there. George Young. Glen Elliot, Gary Colling, Paul Callery, Gary Lofts, Trevor, Gary Sidebottom, Jim O'Dea (who should be in the Saints Hall of Fame), Barry Lawrence, Neil Besanko (gee he was fast), Bobby Muir (the best player to have only played 20 games in the VFL), Allan Davis, Jeff Sarau (what a heart) and others who I should remember but can't.
Anyway...The RAAF had made 120...The Saints were 9 for 119...Game in Balance...A few RAAF guys a "bit worse for wear" (pissed). Dad put me in the outfield. Cowboy gets hold of a long hop...ball in the air heading my way...I'm about to catch a ball that will put my hero out...I muffed it...The Saints ran the winning runs...oh well needless to say the "partying Saints of the seventies" got gloriously blotto with my Dad and his mates. Bobby Muir gave me a few hints about kicking. He was a great footballer who had to carry a lot of expectation and abuse.
I'll never forget dropping Cowboy. The last footballer to kick out using the drop kick. His last drop kick (against Hawthorn) went 60 meters. And I'll never forget him carrying Trevor's coffin. The big man...Up the Saints.
