AFL champion Gavin Wanganeen plays a blinder in country footy comeback

Aussie rules champ Gavin Wanganeen has played a blinding comeback to the game after more than a decade, kicking a bag of goals for an SA country footy side.

• Wanganeen to come out of retirement to play for Moonta

It took less than two quarters of football for 300-game AFL legend Gavin Wanganeen to light up his new local team, the Moonta Demons in the Yorke Peninsula Football League on Saturday.

His first possession deep in the first quarter had been uneventful by his standards - chasing down a Wallaroo Dogs opponent for a holding the ball decision.

But his next around the corner kick, 25 metres out from Moonta oval’s corner pocket, went home for his first goal in SA country footy.

Half way through the second quarter, the Wanganeen bag of tricks opened.

After gathering a loose ball in almost exactly the same position as his first goal at the other end of the field, he evaded two Wallaroo defenders to easily to snap at an extreme angle and grubber the ball through.

“That’s what we came to see fella,’’ yelled one fan.

Another yelled, “Rubbbbbbbbber maaaaaaan” evoking one of the nicknames Wanganeen earned via his extraordinary evasive skills.

Wanganeen goes in for the tackle during Saturday’s match. Photo: Tom Huntley

A third fan then screamed: “Eddie Betts would be proud of you.”

The relief on the face of his wife Pippa Wanganeen spread further than after his first goal, although some catastrophic injury was still foremost in her mind.

“Goooo Deees and goooo Gav,” she cheered.

“He may have to have a knee replacement during the game, or it might speed it up later on, but he may as well get it doing what he loves.

“I don’t know what he is thinking doing this, I’ve very nervous but the kids are so excited because they weren’t born when Gavin was playing.”

Moonta oval was a far-cry from the big time for the Brownlow medallist, dual premiership winning player and five-time All Australian.

But several thousand fans enjoyed the return of one of the greatest ever players – and on one good knee – which forced his 2006 retirement after a career with Essendon and Port Adelaide.

Doctors determined Wanganeenm, 46, was playing with bone on bone in one knee after his AFL career ended in 2006, and despite a five-week fitness regimen before Saturday’s return, it was his major concern.

JOB WELL DONE: Wanganeen heads to the bench in the dying minutes of the game. Photo Tom Huntley

Playing almost the entire game, which Moonta won 13.11 to Wallaroo’s 10.5, he showed no obvious effects in the cool down.

Coming off halfway through the final quarter, he bagged four goals and one behind.

Any pain was courtesy of good mate and Moonta A player Aiden Zwar, who after his season ended in round 4 roped Wanganeen in as a replacement – hopefully for the rest of the season.

“It is definitely still bone on bone but I was so much looking forward to this,’’ Wanganeen said before the game.

“Country footy, country atmosphere, I’ve been out of the game for a long time but just to be back in a team environment and out there it brings back some really special memories.’’

#pafc and #Essendon legend Gavin Wanganeen gets his first #moonta Demons goal aged 46 and on one good knee. Chased down #wallaroo dogs defender and it was baaaaall ⁦@theTiser⁩ #afl pic.twitter.com/XcvScRLHFk

— Miles Kemp (@bykemp) August 3, 2019

Moonta lifetime devotee Rosemary Appleton said dwindling numbers made country football a struggle.

“Gavin was our number one ticket holder many years ago and so this is fantastic because sometimes there aren’t many people here,’’ she said.

“It has brought football alive. The colts didn’t have a game today because of numbers and it is great what Gavin is doing to promote the sport in the country.’’

The country carnival atmosphere was ubiquitous on Saturday as youthful sledging was even reined in by the older fans when they crossed the line.

CENTRE OF ATTENTION: Wanganeen celebrates with his Moonta teammates after a big win on Saturday. Picture: Tom Huntley

“Knee hurting now Gavie,” one Wallaroo fan taunted when Wanganeen pulled up limping from one tough contest.

News of Port Adelaide’s win over Wanganeen’s other former team Essendon in the AFL rippled around the ground after halftime with several fans unsuccessfully trying to call the result out to the former star.

Nobody felt the surge of visitors more than Moonta’s Taste the Yorke cafe owner Jo Gibbons, who was serving lunches to a nearly full house.

She admitted to slipping an extra shot in Wanganeen’s almond milk latte to help “get him going’’.

“I think it is a great opportunity to have such a significant footballer up here supporting our local footy.”