Ando’s Shout: Eddie McGuire would’ve loved to see Collingwood beat Carlton as dream finish to 23-year career
Eddie McGuire’s dislike for Carlton is no secret – seeing Collingwood beat them one last time would’ve been the perfect end to his presidency, writes Jon Anderson.
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Always blessed with a sense of theatre, former Collingwood president Eddie McGuire would have loved to have overseen two more Magpie games before he brought a close to his illustrious 23-year term.
McGuire will remain a keen student of black-and-white history and as such is acutely aware of the significance of Collingwood’s Round 2 game against Carlton at the MCG on Thursday, March 25.
The teams have previously met 258 times, with a remarkable win/loss record tied at 127 each (four draws, Collingwood having a positive record against every other Victorian-based club). One last chance to preside over a beating of “Carrrrrrllllton” would have been the perfect farewell gift for McGuire.
NEW BEGINNING
Collingwood’s president-elect in Peter Murphy will bring a very different CV to the role should he become just its sixth president in 40 years.
Murphy comes from an entrepreneurial background with a strong emphasis on charitable work, such as his involvement as a board member with Global Citizen, which fights global poverty.
That includes an annual concert in New York’s Central Park, an event Murphy has previously attended with Jay-Z as the star attraction in 2014.
BOXING DURING BUSHFIRES
It was a time where sand liquefied to glass and steaks were cooked well done in freezers, the horrific February 16 night in 1983 that history remembers as Ash Wednesday.
While 47 Victorian lives were tragically lost, along with more than 3000 homes, two young pugilists named Barry “Boy” Michael and Frank “The Tank” Ropis prepared for their own battle in a Melbourne Town Hall building without airconditioning.
And on a day when the temperature reached 45C outside, Australian lightweight champion Michael (61.25kg) and welterweight champion Ropis (66.2kg) fought for the Australian vacant junior welterweight (63.5kg) title in a ring where the heat was measured at 55C.
As predicted, the pair went to hell and back before the fight was called off in Michael’s favour early in the 11th round.
FRANK ROPIS: There is no hope in today’s world that Occupational Health and Safety would have allowed that fight to go ahead. To think two men would get into the ring and fight for 12 rounds is ludicrous when you look back. In my attempt to replace fluids, I drank three bottles of Lucozade before the fight to give me energy. It made me nauseous and led to diarrhoea, meaning I couldn’t eat. The heat, we just had to block out. The idea was to get Australia’s two best boxers at the time to try and inject some interest back in the game. But I got beaten by the smartest fighter I ever fought, a master strategist who is totally underrated in this country as he is one of our greatest. I couldn’t afford to give him space, so I had to attack so he couldn’t use his body shots.
BARRY MICHAEL: Frank only knew one way, which was flat out. Hank Stanley promoted the fight and offered $30,000 to the winner and $25,000 to the loser. That was very good money for a local fight. Frank and I had sparred a lot and they were always wars. We got on fine but as the fight got closer, things got a bit nasty. At that time he had lost just once in eight years and Frank Ropis should have won a world title, no doubt. Strong as an ox, all muscle, I was oblivious to the carnage that was going on with the bushfires. But in the ring it was stifling, the worst conditions I ever fought in. I would hurt him with body shots that could drop a heavyweight, but he kept walking through them. S--- he was tough. I knew the fight was close, then late in the 10th I hurt him badly. Then his corner threw the towel in early in the 11th. What did Ali say after Manila? It was the closest thing to death.
SWING AIN’T THE THING FOR HOGG
Had Jimmy Anderson chosen music over cricket as his career, clearly swing would have been his preferred option given his mastery of movement with ball in hand.
Lancashire-born Anderson, 38, has claimed 611 wickets at 26.49 since making his Test debut in 2003.
The right-armer with a minimal run-up is proof you don’t need to bowl 140km/h-plus to be an international success.
So, just where does he sit with the Sultans of Swing over the past 50 years?
I put that question to Rodney Hogg, a man who openly admits he didn’t swing a ball in his career after turning 12.
“I got one to move away in the backyard to Dad but when he smacked me through covers, I decided bouncers and yorkers were my go, although I’m jealous of anyone who can swing a cricket ball,” Hogg said.
“For this exercise, I have selected bowlers who largely relied on swing to get their wickets, as distinct from someone such as Wasim Akram, Malcolm Marshall and Richard Hadlee, who could do everything.
“The two best swing bowling displays I have seen both came from Australians with Bob Massie at Lord’s in 1972 (8-84 and 8-53) and Gary Gilmour three years later in the World Cup at Headingley (6-14), but sadly neither were able to do it for long enough to make my top eight.”
RODNEY HOGG’S SWING KINGS:
1. Dale Steyn (South Africa)
2. Kapil Dev (India)
3. Jimmy Anderson (England)
4. Imran Khan (Pakistan)
5. Terry Alderman (Australia)
6. Ian Botham (England)
7. Waqar Younis (Pakistan)
8. Vernon Philander (South Africa)
9. Damien Fleming (Australia)
10. Adam Dale (Australia)
HUXLEY BRANDISHED PEN TO GREAT EFFECT
When he found the passion to truly extend himself, Melbourne racing journalist Ray “Hucca” Huxley might just have been Australia’s closest version of famed US sportswriter Damon Runyon.
Huxley, who died, aged 76, on Friday morning from cancer, was blessed with a whimsical nature that led to unique situations.
I observed one 10 years ago at his watering hole, the Orrong Hotel in Armadale.
Propped up at the bar with a cold pot and clear viewing of the day’s racing, Huxley noted a lively young lad of about 10 who was brandishing a plastic sword with annoying effect.
As patrons tried to distance themselves from the “would-be Zorro”, “Hucca” grabbed his Biro and sprung around to engage the youth in combat.
“What are you doing, ‘Huc’?” I asked.
“Just teaching him that the pen is mightier than the sword,” laughed Hucca. He will be greatly missed.
TOP TENNIS QUOTES
There is too much money at stake for tennis to ever be considered a source of comedic genius, but just occasionally over the years there have been moments of gaiety.
Here are five.
1. “Sure, on a given day I could beat him. But it would have to be a day he had food poisoning.” – US player Mel Purcell on Ivan Lendl.
2. Andre Agassi to Andy Roddick: “Let’s see what you’ve got, big boy.” Roddick’s reply: “Hair.”
3. “Whoever said, ‘It’s not whether you win or lose that counts’, probably lost.” – Martina Navratilova.
4. “Sex doesn’t interfere with your tennis. It’s staying out all night trying to find it that does.” – Andre Agassi.
5. “If you’re against a girl with big boobs, make her play backhand at the net. That’s the hardest shot for the well endowed.” – Billie Jean King.
UNITED IN THE QUEST
The red-hot Melbourne United basketball team is the latest local side to compete for a trophy.
Hot on the heels of Richmond Football Club, Melbourne Vixens and Melbourne Storm comes United’s quest for the inaugural NRL Cup, a competition that starts on Saturday, February 20, and features prizemoney of $300,000 for games played at John Cain Arena and the State Basketball Centre.
GUN’S RUNNING RECORDS
Is there a fitter 60-year-old Australian than legendary professional runner Mark Hipworth?
“Hippo”, as he’s known recently, set two Victorian over-60 records for the 800m (2min 15.35sec) and mile (5:14.15), both coming 35 years after he was making Stawell Gift finals and dominating over 400-550-800-1600-3200m. An extremely versatile runner.
WHO’S WHO OF BOXING
Not that the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria in Williamstown is an establishment renowned for trouble, but should the need of some physical persuasion be required, then a recent wake for Len Swettenham would have provided numerous volunteers.
Swettenham, the 97-year-old war hero father of boxing world champion Barry Michael (Swettenham), was farewelled by a Who’s Who of Australian boxing.
They included Wayne Bannister, Graeme Brooke (Commonwealth champion), Andy Broome (Australian champion), Charles Dando, Lester Ellis (world champion) Bryan and Damian Membrey, Andre Meunier, Chris Noble, Rocky PirrotTina, Les Paynter, Frank Ropis (Australian champion), Ivan Rukavina, Tony Russell, Jimmy Slater, Steve Stenborg and Glenn “Whipper” Walsh.
LOCAL FOOTY WHISPERS
Here’s the latest in the trials and tribulations of proud VAFA club Parkdale, with the Vultures originally requesting a demotion to C-Grade for 2021 given fears over their competitiveness.
As it stood at close of play on Friday, Parkdale will remain in B-Grade this season.
Player news in the Lily Whites includes sightings of Alex Fasolo and Hugh Goddard training with A-Grade 2019 premiers University Blues.
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