Brisbane rugby league caller John Devine adapting to life in isolation by livestreaming weddings and funerals

John Devine would normally be spending his weekend livestreaming and calling up to six league games. But these aren’t normal times, so he’s had to think outside the square, with his services now extending to weddings and funerals.

Jim Devine has gone from calling rugby games to livestreaming weddings and even a funeral.

Is there a better metaphor for the tough times in grassroots sports than the commentator who livestreamed a funeral this week instead of calling a busy weekend of Brisbane rugby league?

John Devine’s choice was simple … be creative and adaptable for his small company or watch his bank balance go into an Olympic-level dive.

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John Devine has gone from calling rugby games to livestreaming weddings and even a funeral.

“Super busy to nothing is basically it because normally we’d be livestreaming and commentating on six or more Intrust Super Cup or Rugby League Brisbane club games this weekend,” Devine said.

“You keep your chin up in times like this and think outside the square because you know there are so many people doing it tougher than you health-wise.

“Two of my daughters are nurses so I’m a very proud dad at this time as well with them in the frontline.”

Devine, 56, is living out the name of the old 1980s and ‘90s Aussie rock band, Weddings, Parties, Anything.

Actually, it’s more like Weddings (at a distance), (no) Parties, Anything (please) for the former long-time radio host of the Bay FM Sports Show who now runs livestreaming outfit Calling All Sports Brisbane.

He is doing a virtual tour of a new house for a builder but livestreaming his first funeral really scrambled his emotions on Friday.

“I set up the camera 25m away on zoom so I didn’t take the spot of a relative among the 10 people allowed to gather for the funeral,” Devine said.

“I can’t imagine the emotions of those people saying goodbye to a loved one when 80 or so people weren’t allowed to be there when they really wanted to be.”

Those affected in sport by the restrictions and cancellations forced by the coronavirus scourge are definitely not just the top-tier NRL and AFL players who are taking hefty pay cuts to live on “only” $250,000-plus per year.

Grassroots sport is hurting big time. Silent Saturdays are affecting players, coaches and volunteers alike because their fields and courts are normally filled with kids and a healthy cacophony of effort, urging and joy.

Small clubs are wondering if participation numbers will be down when this is all over, whether financially-crippled sponsors will return and how to make up for the hit taken by the weekend burger and sports canteen economy.

Wests rugby players Tiko Twist (left) and Ben Navosailagi are delivering family meals from the Toowong club’s kitchen.

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Just as Devine is finding a way so is Wests Rugby Union president Graham Brown for his club at Toowong.

Luncheons, weddings and school functions disappeared overnight so the club’s committee decided on re-purposing the kitchen to provide home delivery family meals to the local community.

Players like Ben Navosailagi, Tiko Twist and Jack Geraghty can’t deliver a slick pass or score tries, for who knows how long, but they can deliver a fine curry, Thai-and-rice, jumbo lasagne or fresh veges pack.

“We’re doing home deliveries Thursday-Friday-Saturday so we have players working as casuals,” Brown said.

You have to love inventive minds like this.

Mel Butt was recently crowned Netball Queensland Community Coach of the Year yet can no longer buzz around her six sessions a week for junior girls and school teams from Buderim’s Matthew Flinders Anglican College.

“I’ve gone from manic weeks to virtually nothing because I’m part-owner in a gym that had to shut its doors as well,” Butt said.

“I feel for the girls because all of a sudden they have been cut-off from a team sport that is as much about the social as the physical aspect.

“The girls feel that isolation but they are all over the Zoom (group chat) thing and the upside is teaching a coach like me to upgrade my social media skills so we’re filming skills and drills.”

Netball Community coach of the year Mel Butt’s usual week has changed markedly since the coronavirus crisis set in.

Netball Queensland shrewdly fast tracked the release of a new app, in conjunction with iNSPIRE Sports Online, that is helping players connect with fitness, training and nutrition programs until a return to the courts.

Downey Park Netball Association president Michelle Prado said cancelling the winter season for more than 4000 players in the state’s biggest association was tough.

“Saturday at Downey Park is what our girls, adult players, parents, officials and volunteers look forward to so it was quite an emotional decision for our netball community,” Prado said.

Long-time volunteer Joan Baillie feels cut off because Souths Logan Magpies have been part of her life connected to rugby league for more than 50 years.

“The water from the floods (in 2011) stopped at our gateway (at Davies Park) but I’ve never seen anything like this,” Baillie, 77, said.

“I absolutely love game day. I just miss the social side and when I was helping out on the gate for Round One I just thought ‘this is going to be a good year’ because it was busier than normal.”

There’s been no Round Two. Yet.

Clubs, fans, volunteers, junior coaches, kids and community sports everywhere can’t wait to get back on the park.

“Everyone I’ve spoken to is keen for a late season, rather than none at all, because they want to appreciate a normal weekend at kids’ sport again and for that reason I don’t think there will be a drop-off in numbers,” Brown said.