Jon Anderson: Footy identity Rex Hunt opens up on weeding fork road rage incident in Beaumaris

Rex Hunt has spoken for the first time since a traffic confrontation in Beaumaris where he brandished a small pitchfork and asked a motorist “do you want to die”.

Unscathed and unrepentant, 73-year-old road warrior Rex Hunt won’t be backing down from any “pieces of filth” in the near future.

Hunt was involved in a traffic confrontation in Beaumaris during the week, where he was filmed carrying a garden fork before asking his assailant “do you want to die?”

“He was tailgating me along Reserve Road before running into the back of my towbar. Would you put up with that? I haven’t made a complaint to the police and as far as I know they haven’t received one,” Hunt said.

“Compared to having 17 stone John Nicholls bearing down on me in front of 117,000 in the 1973 grand final, this was very minor. And fortunately I had Laurie Fowler to fix up ‘Big John’ back in ’73.

“It will just end up another chapter in my book which I might add has a few people very nervous, as it should.”

Football broadcaster Rex Hunt brandished a small pitchfork in road rage incident. Picture: 9News

Billy’s magnificent mark that never was

Billy Picken was a high-flying star from the moment he made his Collingwood debut against Carlton at Victoria Park in round 5, 1974.

Playing as a forward before reserves coach Ron Richards before later turned him into a rampaging centre half-back, Picken flew for this grab in the goalsquare but sadly didn’t complete it, although four weeks later he claimed mark of the year against Richmond at the MCG.

Picken, who died of a suspected heart attack aged 66 last weekend, takes his place in “The Greatest Marks That Never Were”.

Leading the way is Gary Ablett Sr’s extraordinary attempt at Kardinia Park in 1988 against West Coast, one that had it stuck would surely have been in contention for Mark of the Century.

Billy Picken flies for a speccie, but didn't come down with the ball

Gary Ablett’s incredible marking attempt at Kardinia Park in 1988.

Collingwood’s Jamie Elliott has twice just missed similar attempts as has Andrew Walker, Joel Smith, Winston Abraham, Dale Thomas, Eddie Betts and Jeff Garlett.

And then there was Hawthorn’s Gary Buckenara in the opening quarter of the 1986 grand final when he lifted himself into the air in acrobatic attempt to mark over Carlton’s Peter Dean and Peter Motley.

“It was about 10 minutes into the first quarter and ‘Dipper’ (Robert DiPierdomenico) kicked the footy and I had the perfect run-up,” Buckenara said.

“As I jumped on Peter Dean’s shoulder he jumped as well which propelled me at the ball, meaning I lost my timing, pushing me directly at the footy rather than going straight up.

“I got both hands to it but sadly didn’t take it. I reckon it cost me a four-wheel drive because that was the prize on offer that year, but I think it won Picture of the Year for the photographer who took it.

“But guess what, about 20 years ago Cadbury did a card of that photo as an actual mark! I’m sure they didn’t know it wasn’t a mark. It was part of a release featuring the greatest marks ever taken.

“As kids in Perth we used to do it down the park where some poor bugger had to stand in front of you while we went for a big one. But it did teach you how to land. In Perth I was a contender for mark of the year in each season of the three years I played in the WAFL, but none were as high as that one in the 1986 GF.”

Trading places

Gareth Hall, the talented and quirky host of racing radio’s morning segment titled RSN Central, is on the move to SENTrack to fill the void left by Andrew Bensley.

Bensley is moving in a reverse direction, set to join RSN in September.

Players, clubs in battle to distance gambling connection

Gambling remains a major issue for AFL clubs, with some seeking to distance themselves from financial reliance despite the AFL continuing to accept huge sponsorship dollars.

Every week there is a new casualty, most recently a former player who now works in the media and who has found himself in a mire that is getting harder to dig himself out of.

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