Where Are The Now, with Jesper Fjeldstad. This week: Greg Phillips

JESPER Fjeldstad catches up with Port Adelaide premiership captain Greg Phillips, whose son-in-law Shaun Burgoyne plays for Hawthorn.

GREG Phillips is Port Adelaide royalty. The uncompromising defender played in eight premierships with the Magpies, was the premiership captain in 1992, won the best-and-fairest in 1988 and is a South Australian Hall of Famer inductee.

He played 343 games for Port Adelaide, 84 for Collingwood and 20 for South Australia. He’s watching two teams closely in the finals: Port and Hawthorn, where son-in-law Shaun Burgoyne plays.

JF: What was it like watching Port Adelaide win a final in a Magpies jumper on the weekend?

GP: I was quite speechless, actually. I just couldn’t believe the start we had and how Richmond was just shell-shocked. It was just amazing. And it looked really good. There had been all the controversy over who should be wearing what but when they went out there it was just unbelievable. Even my wife Julie said, “Don’t they look good?’’ In my situation, having been at Port Adelaide, the meaning just sunk in a bit more. On the other hand, I was feeling for good friends who barrack for Woodville-West Torrens and are really strong Power supporters. They didn’t know who to barrack for. But there was too much talk about it.

JF: What’s keeping you busy now, Greg, in work and football?

GP: I work in excavations and we do a lot of work for SA Water; water connections and sewer connections. I’ve been here for about four-and-a-half years and I haven’t coached any football for two years. My last year was Virginia (in the Adelaide Plains League). My time’s been consumed just watching the footy and following Hawthorn, as well, because Shaun Burgoyne is married to my daughter Amy. We go over there and always have Easter over there. I don’t know who I’m going to barrack for if the Power beats Freo because then we’ve got to front up against Hawthorn. I’ll have to put a Hawthorn jumper on when I see Shaun and then take it off after he’s walked off.

JF: What about when Port Adelaide plays Collingwood — is there any conflict there?

GP: No. I still like to keep in touch with the Collingwood players, such as Tony Shaw, Brian Taylor and other boys you keep bumping into. But other than that I’ve lost touch a bit in that area.

JF: And you’re still very close to Port, aren’t you?

GP: I’ve been working at the Port football club on the Thursday night just for a few hours, as a past player, and that’s good. You mix in with the supporters and talk footy. And I’ve been working during the year at the club when Magpies play at home on Saturdays. I get along really well with the people who have been around the club for 50, 60 years. I’ve sort of been involved in the club that year and that’s been really enjoyable, because you also tend to catch up with past players and even current players.

JF: Who are some of your good mates from your playing days?

GP: I used to muck around with Tony Giles and Kim Kinnear, Ivan Eckermann and Darryl Cahill — we keep in touch. Stephen Clifford, David Baker, Greg Anderson ... there’s a few of us who all catch up from time to time. They come to the club or we go out and we share a lot of good memories.

JF: Did you find it difficult to retire when the time came?

GP: I was about 32 and I thought it’s time to retire. I think I was on about 440 (club) games and it was tempting to go on to reach 450 but then you think, “Where’s the end?’’ At the time there were a lot of good lads coming through. I was the captain then and I just thought it was time. But I made the decision overnight — I didn’t sort of mull over it. I didn’t want to go through another pre-season. I thought I’d had a good run because I’d only had one injury and that was an ankle that kept me out for about 14 weeks. I made the decision and I’m happy with the result and the friendships I made.

JF: Do you love today’s game as much as the one that was played in your era, Greg?

GP: To be honest, in the last three or four games I’ve turned off games and not watched them. My wife’s always got a few things that need doing out the back and the game’s not pretty and not like it was. It just amazes me how this AFL game changes in the finals — it always seems to be more free-flowing and fewer tiggy-taggy (free kicks). We could scrag and have a real fight one-on-one to get the ball. That bit frustrates me. But I really adore the players, the fitness and the work that they do. But that’s the way it’s gone but it’s still enjoyable, but I think it could still be a lot better. My pet hate is probably the kick backward (being awarded a mark). It’s just holding up the game.

JF: What players do you like in the modern game, other than Shaun, of course?

GP: I always used to like Jonathan Brown at his peak. I’d think, “How would you go standing a guy like that?” But I get a lot of enjoyment watching the younger guys and see their development. Other than Shaun, I don’t really go just to watch one player. I like to see them develop, busting their guts to get a game.

JF: Do you think you’ll coach again?

GP: I’m thinking of doing some country football again because my grand children are growing up and it’s always good to do something for them to watch and get involved with. Rach, my oldest, has three girls and they’re all into basketball; Shaun and Amy have two boys so there’s plenty of time for them to get involved. But (pro basketballer) Erin, my daughter, it’s really good to keep an eye on her. They’re in there again with another go at the WNBA championship and I was over there a couple of weeks ago. If I’d been coaching, I wouldn’t be able to do things like that. But it’s in the mix of and I definitely wouldn’t mind getting involved in the country again.

JF: I was going to ask you about other sports and I guess basketball is a no-brainer. Have there been many others that you've been keen on over the years?

GP: I used to love my cricket and when I was in Port Lincoln I always played cricket and tennis. But now that I’m retired, I’m a cricket and tennis TV watcher. But I enjoy all sports. I could sit down and watch table tennis, hockey ... anything with sport.

JF: Back to football, who wins the premiership this year, Greg?

GP: I would like to see North Melbourne in there and I think they’re going to get over Geelong. I hope Power beat Hawthorn (if successful against Fremantle first) but I think the away game is going to be a little bit against them. Who knows? The best part is that the Power’s still in there.