Ivan Maric is a heart and soul player every club would love to have, writes Patrick Dangerfield
IVAN Maric announcing his retirement this week may have passed unnoticed by many but PATRICK DANGERFIELD says his former Adelaide teammate belongs in a special group.
Patrick Dangerfield
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IVAN Maric announcing his retirement this week may have passed unnoticed by many.
But the sight of my former Adelaide teammate addressing Richmond players got me thinking about heart-and-soul players.
There are only a few in the league I look at and straight away think that.
These are the guys who embody the passion and spirit of their teams and what they endeavour to represent.
Ivan’s certainly not the most talented player ever to have played the game, but he’s got more out of himself than a thousand before him.
When I played with him, everything was about the team and he was really empathetic towards the young recruits, a really kind person.
Then, when he moved to Richmond and played his best football, he was always the one giving out as many bear hugs as instructions.
Ivan’s influence at Punt Rd has been significant.
I spoke to Tigers skipper Trent Cotchin about him during the week and Trent referred to a term — “the edge” — that the big fella likes to use.
The edge is an attitude of always doing that little bit more, being the first to arrive and last to leave.
Ivan is always thinking about others. He even stays behind to help the staff clean up the rooms after training and games.
His ability to develop relationships and connect with everyone at the football club, not just his teammates, is exceptional.
This is evidenced by the fact that one of his best friendships outside of the players is with the Tigers’ property guy.
At the Cats, the player who just screams heart and soul of the footy club is Andrew Mackie.
I remember he was smashed when he first came to Geelong.
He was the whipping boy for years and years.
Now, 270 games, later there are few others who embody the Geelong way as much as he does.
He is always about enjoying the game, always telling his teammates the reason we are here is to enjoy the game.
Football can be so serious at AFL level, but Mack always brings it back to the fact we’re all here to have fun.
I watch him get around the group and he’s always giving out these wonderful words of encouragement and I think: “God, I just love playing with you.”
Some of his stories are hilarious, particularly about how every new strength and conditioning coach who has walked through the door has declared he’ll be able to put 10kg on his frame.
I’m not going to throw stones here because during our warm-ups before we train Andrew and I are often seen off to the side discussing life and talking through the big issues of the day.
Ivan and Mack are two examples of heart-and-soul people with whom I’ve been lucky enough to spend time.
There are others around the league who you can pick by just looking from afar.
Port Adelaide’s Travis Boak just screams team-first when you watch how he goes about his football. The way he speaks to the group and how, when they need guidance, it’s Boak who will step up and give direction.
He’s drawn similarities to Luke Hodge at Hawthorn.
What I love about Hodgey is that he could have been a six-time All-Australian. He could have said, ‘I’m playing in the midfield and I’m getting 30 possessions every week’.
But Hawthorn needed him to do another role.
It wasn’t all about him or getting accolades, so he went to half-back and was happy to get his 20 touches during the home-and-away season.
The thing with Hodgey is when the big games come around, he says: “Right, I’m here and I’m controlling the game.”
I have no connection to Jack Ziebell but when you talk about what North Melbourne represents and the Shinboner spirit, I think of him straight away.
He has a presence about him and a “follow me” mentality.
He makes the big moments count.
I remember a game in 2014 when I was playing with Adelaide against North Melbourne in Hobart.
Ziebell kicked 4.5 and had it 25 times. He just dominated us and it was like Wayne Carey was playing, not Jack Ziebell.
Then there is Jobe Watson.
He led Essendon through arguably the most difficult time any club has ever been through.
Jobe was the face of the supplements saga. He took the full brunt of everything and when players and their families were searching for answers, he was the one who led them.
I hope people understand how demanding that would have been, how draining and obviously what he lost personally because of the saga.
Football is so much better for having Jobe Watson back involved.
When I watch these players there is a sort of spine-tingling scenario that takes place.
They are unconditional in their approach for their clubs and, while they all have their own methods, they all do it with heart and soul.
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