Charlie Dunn is 11 and yet to see his beloved Essendon win a final. But on Saturday, he did get to see his favourite former player Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti win a grand final in Mildura.
On a day when a number of country leagues celebrated their season finales around the state, the former Bomber livewire helped Imperials, the Sunraysia league club he joined this season, rocket from wooden spooners in 2023 to premiers on a windy afternoon just 12 months later at Mildura Sporting Precinct Oval, in front of 8000 fans.
Charlie Dunn, 11, and former Essendon player Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti.
Charlie and his parents, Sarah and Leigh, made a 12-hour round trip from Cobden, near Warrnambool, to Mildura for the third time this year to watch McDonald-Tipungwuti’s Imperials beat Wentworth by three points, 6.11 (47) to 6.8 (44). For the grand final, Charlie even shaved “Tippa” into the back of his head.
“Being able to watch him [McDonald-Tipungwuti] play in the grand final, it’s pretty special,” said Sarah.
“Tippa has always been that player that has a very special place in his [son Charlie’s] heart. So yeah, it is a very special weekend for us.”
McDonald-Tipungwuti’s impact was evident on and off the field. On it, he delivered a crucial goal in the third quarter: having slipped, he bobbed back up with true craftsmanship to whack the ball on his boot and drive it home.
While he wasn’t the best former AFL player on the scoreboard – that honour went to former GWS and West Coast player Jarrod Brander, who kicked five goals for Wentworth – “Tippa” shone when the premiership was on the line.
In the final term, when Imperials were two goals down, McDonald-Tipungwuti was moved from the forward line on to the ball for the last 15 minutes. Imperials booted three goals to Wentworth’s one to clinch the flag.
‘Opposition clubs come to watch Tippa’
Malcolm Kalms was working flat chat behind the bar at the ground on grand final day, and had umpired the under 16s grand final earlier in the day. The new-look Imperials headlined by McDonald-Tipungwuti had drawn the community to their games this year.
Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti celebrates Imperials’ premiership in Mildura on Saturday.Credit: Ben Gross/Sunraysia Daily
“On match day, we see the little kids down one end where Tippa is, and they sprint down the other end at quarter-time because they want to be down the other end where Tippa is,” said Kalms.
“It brings in a lot [of a] different crowd, brings back more members and opposition teams come to watch Tippa.”
11-year-old Charlie Dunn and former Essendon player Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti.
Kalms also used to play for Wentworth, so he claimed “neutral” status on Saturday, just wanting a good game. But one thing he’d be happy about was the steady stream of people pouring in for a cold beverage, despite the wind and the cold.
“Our sales have been unreal. Like our Draft sales, due to the older crowd that come along to watch Tippa, we’ve already outsold what we did last year in Carlton Draught and that was before the senior game started,” Kalms said.
“He doesn’t get many touches but every time he gets near the ball, something happens.
“So, if you miss one second, you might miss an awesome tackle he lays [or] he grabs the ball and he ducks and weaves, then spins around and kicks one over his head.”
Not everyone was a fan of Imperials’ resurgence
Wentworth fan Dallas Kalms – Malcolm’s cousin – was hoping that Imperials would be “flogged”. But he admitted that McDonald-Tipungwuti’s addition to the club was hard not to like.
Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti jumps for joy in Imperials’ premiership win in the Sunraysia Football League.Credit: Ben Gross/Sunraysia Daily
Imperials are by far the most successful club in Sunraysia league history, regularly featuring in the grand final and boasting AFL talent in their ranks, including Josh Hunt (Geelong), Matthew Croft (Footscray), Dale Weightman (Richmond) and Matthew Knights (Richmond) and Hannah Priest (St Kilda for netball).
Did Dallas like seeing “Imps” down the bottom of the ladder last year?
“Yes,” said a defiant Dallas.
“Because the Imps have been so successful for such a long period of time, I think everyone has a rivalry with Imps and they love seeing them down the bottom.
“I really don’t like them. They’re a really good club, very successful, but not my favourite team up here. I’ve only watched the games we played against them and Tippa has been quite good on them, but I have seen even like our juniors will actually go and find out Tippa and get autographs and photos, meet with him.
“He’s been very welcoming of the kids.”
This is illustrated by the first trip Charlie and his parents made to Mildura to watch McDonald-Tipungwuti play, in April. They had hoped for a photo at the most.
Instead, Charlie was welcomed by Imperials into the clubroom to meet his idol and run out with him. McDonald-Tipungwuti gave him his game-day jumper, along with his old training shorts and socks that he used to wear when he played for Essendon.
“We’ve met him a few times now and he’s just been wonderful with him [Charlie]. Very humble, kind, generous person. He was so thankful that we’d come up earlier in the year to initially meet him,” said Dunn.
“And last fortnight ago, we came up to watch the semi-final and of course, when Imperials won, he went into the clubrooms, he got to sing the song in the circle with Tippa. So, it’s been really, really beautiful experience.”
It was this kit that Charlie wore on Saturday, a good luck kit for the player who helped lift a club from the bottom of the bush league, to premiership glory.