Sunday Shout: Tom Hawkins’ Beaufort heroics, Jon Anderson speaks to Terence Crawford
Tom Hawkins starred in a cameo appearance for a country football battler, helping the club achieve just its third win since the start of 2023. That and more in the Sunday Shout.
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A Tom Hawkins goal after the final siren was the perfect finish for Beaufort and its newest star.
The retired Geelong great booted four goals as the Crows recorded a 36-point win over Central Highlands league rival Hepburn on Saturday. Beaufort kicked away with a seven-goal final term which delighted locals.
It was just Beaufort’s second win of the season and only the club’s third senior footy victory since the start of 2023.
Beaufort coach Daniel Jones described Hawkins’ influence on the club as “brilliant”.
“He’s as genuine a person as you will come across,” Jones said.
“I spoke to him on the phone on Friday and he ended up in the players’ WhatsApp group and was getting around the boys.
“He just took over in the second half. He was clunking everything and kicking goals from everywhere.
“The goal after the siren capped it off.”
The crowd packed into Goldfields Recreation Reserve in Beaufort to see Hawkins in his one-off appearance as part of the Carlton Draft, an initiative which sends ex-AFL guns back to country footy for a day.
“As close to a country league grand final as you’d see,” Jones said of the size of the crowd.
“It’s a great day for our community after the difficulties of drought and having fires come through about 18 months ago.
“It enabled people to take the difficulties of life off their mind. We couldn’t be more thankful for this opportunity.”
ANDO VS CRAWFORD: ONE-ON-ONE WITH BOXING SUPERSTAR
JON ANDERSON: You have never been to Australia before Terence, so why come and what are your impressions?
TERENCE CRAWFORD: I just wanted to see the country and meet the people. My first impressions were of all the poisonous animals that are here. But I got to see some of those cool kangaroos down on the Gold Coast. The people here are so friendly, kind and respectful.
JA: You have an Australian connection given you beat Jeff Horn in 2017?
TC: He was a typically rugged fighter who used his strength and power to try to bully his way to victories. And he was successful until he came up against me.
JA: Is it the money or your place in history that truly motivates you?
TC: Don’t get me wrong, the money is nice (he will earn at least $50 million for the Canelo fight) but I want to go down in history and be spoken about with the other greats in my sport. When people sit back and argue who is the best, they put me in that company.
JA: You won your first world title at 61kg (135 pounds) and your fight with Canelo will be at 76kg (168 pounds). Why didn’t you ask him to come down in weight?
TC: Because I want my legacy to show that I moved up and beat the best. That is what the best have done. I could take easier fights and make good money, but that is not who I am.
JA: It’s a brave thing to do. Will you box him from range?
TC: We’ll have to wait and see (laughter). We shall see.
JA: And say you shock the world and beat Canelo, what then? A 50-0 record like Floyd Mayweather given you are 41-0.
TC: I’ll be 38 in September so I won’t be going that much longer and won’t be going to equal Mayweather.
JA: Why are you so darn good?
TC: I don’t drink. I don’t smoke. I train hard. And thanks to God for blessing me with the tools he has blessed me with. When I retire I have a gym back home so I will probably stay involved, just help the youth out. I want to leave my mark and help others who haven’t had my good fortune.
JA: What about your children, any budding boxers?
TC: I have seven children and some of them want to box but I keep them away from it. Boxing can be a cruel and dangerous sport.
JA: Your eye and footwork seem to keep you out of trouble. Have you ever been really hurt?
TC: (Yuriorkis) Gamboa got me pretty good (2014). I was overconfident and walked into a shot with my hands down and I paid the price for it. I’m just glad I got the opportunity to correct it (he knocked Gamboa out in the same round).
JA: At 37 your powers should be fading yet there are no obvious signs?
TC: The last thing a boxer loses is his power so I still have knockouts in me. Errol Spence, which was one of my best fights, was only one fight back. I spend a lot of time on my footwork, some of which is natural and some of which comes from playing a lot of different sports when growing up.
JA: Who is your all-time favourite boxer?
TC: Roy Jones Jr was my favourite. And of course Sugar Ray Leonard. I would have loved to have fought Sugar Ray because it would have been some fight.
JA: Who would have won?
TC: Who do you think? (smiling).
LYON V BT: SPAT ERUPTS OVER FOX CRITICISM
The spat between Channel 7 and Foxtel, in which Seven’s Brian Taylor asked why the Foxtel callers were in their studio rather than at the MCG, has some life left in it yet.
“BT” was having a crack at Foxtel management, as distinct from their on-air talent, but his old mate Garry Lyon took it to heart and responded by querying Taylor’s player-identification skills. Buckle your seat belts.
THE YIN AND YANG OF THE GOLF COURSE
Thanks to the eagle-eyed golfing fanatic named Kevin who noted that Yin and Yang were tied for 19th after the first round of the US Women’s Open. That brought back memories of the Soh brothers, Shigeru and Taheshi, who challenged Robert de Castella in the famous 1983 Rotterdam Marathon and promptly became the “Soh and Sohs”.
THE PARADE COLLEGE CONNECTION
Parade College has a long history with the AFL, having produced guns such as Jock McHale, Sergio Silvagni, Peter Bedford, Brad Boyd, Trent Cotchin, Ben Johnson, Paul Licuria, Daniel Harford and Blake Caracella.
And the tradition continues with Essendon quartet Nate Caddy, Jade Gresham, Zac Johnson and Isaac Kako all from Parade.
CRICKET STAR’S WHIRLWIND JOURNEY
Cricketer Sikandar Raza’s whirlwind journey from England to Lahore epitomised dedication. After a Test defeat against England in Nottingham last Sunday in which Raza made 7 & 60 and bowled 24 overs, he embarked on a frantic 24-hour trip to join Lahore Qalandars for the Pakistan Super League T20 final.
The Zimbabwe all-rounder’s commitment was evident as he flew economy, endured layovers and was in a car on the way to the ground as the captains tossed the coin. Despite exhaustion, Raza delivered a stellar performance – he hit 22 not out off just seven balls, including the winning runs, and took a wicket as Lahore won by six wickets with just one ball to spare.
12YO PRODIGY REWRITING RECORD BOOKS
The 12-year-old distance running prodigy James Hall continues to rewrite the Australian and world record books for his age group. The Scotch College student, fresh off running a 2min 05sec 800m and 4min 11sec 1500m at the Australian Junior Championships in April, blitzed his 3km rivals in the APS cross-country last Wednesday in a time just outside his own world record.
REMEMBER THIS RORY IN OZ?
Much has been made of Rory McIlroy’s appearance in the next two Australian Opens and the fact he previously won the event in 2013, but it seems few remember his first trip to Australia. It was 20 years ago when a 16-year-old McIlroy played as an amateur in the 2005 Australian Masters at Huntingdale. He returned in 2007 and finished 16th in his sixth professional tournament.
ANOTHER GRANDFATHER-SON PUSH?
An AFL grandfather/grandson rule was one that Bob Davis campaigned for mainly because Port Adelaide ruckman Matthew Primus was the grandson of Geelong legend Reg Hickey.
Could we see the great Kevin “KB” Bartlett follow the Hickey/Primus model given his grandson Callum Smith is making pleasing progress with Caulfield Grammar and the Dandenong Stingrays?
NEWMAN NEARS 80 BUT NOT SLOWING DOWN
He may well be nearing his 80th birthday this December, but Sam Newman shows no sign of slowing down as his Zero Filter Tour plays out to packed audiences across the state.
Country folk are lapping up Newman’s lack of political correctness, his recent shows all sellouts with guests paying $110 for a picture with him or $400 if you want it framed.
Originally published as Sunday Shout: Tom Hawkins’ Beaufort heroics, Jon Anderson speaks to Terence Crawford
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