Victorian State of Origin legends penned letters to inspire Big V before bushfire relief match
Collingwood defender Darcy Moore said he was “pinching myself” in the Big V locker room with so many stars of the game. But it was a “special” gift from father Peter that helped him understand what it meant to play for Victoria.
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The final meeting of the Victorians drew to a close and as the coaches gathered their whiteboards to head to the box, players filtered back to their lockers.
Where they had left stray boots, footy bags and ankle tape lay an envelope.
A letter, penned personally to every individual player by a Victorian great — some memories, a photo or two — to be read just before they ran out in the aid of bushfire-affected communities across Australia.
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To represent the famed Big V with pride.
For one, it was the words of the bloke known just as “Dad”.
“It was pretty special. It was a really intense moment,” Collingwood defender Darcy Moore said.
His father, Peter, played 249 games for Collingwood and Melbourne and represented his state, but as he watched the game from the US — at 4am, no less — had managed to stay mum on the matter of the letter.
“It was sitting in the locker waiting for me, and Dad’s actually overseas at the moment, in the US, so I wasn’t expecting it at all,” Darcy said.
“He didn’t tell me. It was cool.
“I’ve obviously heard lots of greats from the past talk about it in the last few weeks, but to have my dad put it in his own words what it meant for him to play for Victoria was special and really surreal. I just looked up and saw the sorts of guys that were sitting in the locker room and I was just pinching myself. It was amazing.”
Moore, 24, said his letter was split into two parts — what it meant to Peter to play for Victoria, “and then the second part was really just about him as my dad”.
He said he doesn’t often consider his father’s dual-Brownlow career, but the charity clash had changed that.
“The thing that’s been really nice for me about this whole process of the state of origin is I’ve reflected on it a lot more and talked to him about it a lot more than I probably normally would,” he said.
“It’s been really nice and sentimental and it’s great.”
The idea was the brainchild of Victoria coach Damien Hardwick — known for his personal but at times left-of-centre gifts to his players at Richmond — who contacted each of the 27 greats to canvass their interest.
Hardwick wouldn’t be drawn on the idea as he mingled in the rooms on Friday night, Toby Greene and Lachie Whitfield with a Carlton Draught in hand and a few selfies for others.
Best-afield Dustin Martin was quick to ditch his medal, as is his usual humble style, but took home words from arguably the game’s greatest-ever player, Leigh Matthews.
Matthew said he doesn’t know Martin well — other than having presented him with plenty of silverware — but considers him to sit among the best of the current crop.
“It was a letter for Dusty,” Matthews said on Saturday.
“If he wants to show people, that’s fine, but it was just my memories of my Victorian days and how it’s changed over the generations.”
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Five-time Victoria representative and later coaching great David Parkin was invited to share his wisdom with Giants speedster Lachie Whitfield.
“It was just amazing,” the Mornington Peninsula product beamed post-game.
“His writing’s a little bit hard to read. He told me about what he’d done for Victoria, because he was a player and a coach. And the wins he had, and how it was the best time he’s had in footy. Just so good.”
As Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield prepared to leap out onto Marvel Stadium, the words of fellow Brownlow medallist did just that.
“Just knowing Gerard and how much representative footy means to him … I’ve known Gerard for a while and travelled with him overseas for the Internastional Rules series,” Dangerfield said.
“So to have him write a letter with words of such passion and meaning and enthusiasm … you could just tell, they were leaping off the page with how much it’s meant to him and that was a really special thing to have before running out.”
Adelaide star Rory Sloane didn’t want to share who had written to him, as was his right.
This was special. In occasion, in meaning.
It might not have been “real” Origin, but the sentiment was as strong as ever.
All the Big V names had hit the pens.
There was Kevin Sheedy, Simon Madden, Francis Bourke and Wayne Johnston.
Gary Ayres, Geoff Southby and even Michael Turner, who North Melbourne midfielder Shaun Higgins acknowledged he had a “long association” with.
New Western Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli thought he had realised the significance of Origin football.
But his letter — penned by former Melbourne captain Garry Lyon — was the moment it hit home.
“Garry’s was very much about what the jumper and the experience meant to him. And he sort of reassured that you deserve to be where you are, and how much of an honour it is to pull on the Big V jumper,” Bontempelli said.
“It was a pretty special thing to read just before going out, and really nice final note before you jump out on the field.
“I’ve gotten to know him more and more over the course of my career and really respected him. It was a great letter, it’s a great feeling to have someone say those things about you. I’ll definitely give him a call to thank him.”
Lyon told the Sunday Herald Sun that when the call came from Hardwick, he didn’t hesitate.
Once he “scrounged around for a decent bit of paper” — often quite a task in an era of text messages and emails — Lyon took some time alone to put his thoughts together, recognising the significance of the task.
“I had thought about it for a day or two, what you might write, and then you’ve got to try and put it into words. Hopefully I got across what I was trying to say,” he said.
“My concern with Origin being lost to the calendar was that people like Marcus and all those other younger fellas … was that they wouldn’t get that experience that we were lucky enough to have. Getting together, getting to training, seeing all the blokes you idolise and realising that you’re going to run out with them.
“I loved the thought that one day, they’ll sit back at the end of their careers and all their favourite memories will be with their clubs, of course, but then this sits off to the side but equally as high. I’m just rapt that they got that chance.
“It was just well received from everyone, and it’s a great idea.”
LEGENDARY LETTERS
Marcus Bontempelli – Garry Lyon
“Garry’s was very much about what the jumper and the experience meant to him. And he sort of reassured that you deserve tobe where you are, and how much of an honour it is to pull on the Big V jumper. It was a pretty special thing to read justbefore going out, and really nice final note before you jump out on the field.
“I’ve got to know him more and more over the course of my career and really respected him. It was a great letter, it’s a greatfeeling to have someone say those things about you. I’ll definitely give him a call to thank him.”
Jade Gresham – *unknown
Shaun Higgins – Michael Turner
Andrew Gaff – Robert Dipierdimenico
Dustin Martin – Leigh Matthews
Toby Greene – Tim Watson
“It was really good. It touched on the pride of playing for the Big V, and getting the chance to do that. Obviously it hasn’tbeen done for a long time. He just said what it meant to him, and we took that into the game, especially the last quarter.I probably wasn’t emotional as such, but I definitely loved what it was and what it meant and thought it was a great ideaby Dimma. It’s something I’ll definitely keep forever.”
Travis Boak – Kevin Bartlett
Scott Pendlebury – Kevin Murray
Trent Cotchin – Kevin Sheedy
“As Sheeds is, he’s an incredible storyteller. But very emotional person. His one main statement was just about seizing themoment and enjoying the opportunity.”
Jack Macrae – Bobby Skilton
Tom Papley – *unknown
Stefan Martin – Simon Madden
Bachar Houli – Francis Bourke
“The great Francis Bourke. It was quite long – it was actually two pages. It took me a while to get through it, but very meaningful and something I’ll definitely keep.
“It was about the meaning of playing and representing your state. It’s such a great cause. Individually, he said he’d been following my progress over the last 10 years at Richmond and is really proud of my efforts and said I should be proud of being able to represent my state, something that you’ll cherish for the rest of your life.
“To get that sort of message from a superstar both on and off the field … we’ve got an award named after Francis, which is quite remarkable and such an important award. To be able to receive a letter from such a champion is an honour.”
Jeremy Cameron – Dermott Brereton
Tom Lynch – Peter Knights
Nick Haynes – Terry Daniher
James Sicily – Chris Langford
Todd Goldstein – Gary Dempsey
Lachie Whitfield – David Parkin
“It was just amazing. His writing’s a little bit hard to read! He told me about what he’d done for Victoria, because he was a player and a coach. And the wins he had, and how it was the best time he’s had in footy, pretty much. Just so good.”
Josh Kelly – Wayne Johnston
Steele Sidebottom – Bruce Doull
Darcy Moore – Peter Moore
“It was pretty special. Super special. It was a really intense moment. It was sitting in the locker waiting for me, and Dad’s actually overseas at the moment, in the US, so I wasn’t expecting it at all. He didn’t tell me. It was cool. I’ve obviously heard lots of greats from the past talk about it in the last few weeks, but to have my dad put it in his own words what it meant for him to play for Victoria was special and really surreal. I just looked up and saw the sorts of guys that were sitting in the locker room and I was just pinching myself. It was amazing.
“The first part of the letter was about playing for Victoria and what it meant to him, and then the second part was reallyjust about him as my dad. It was pretty cool.”
Rory Sloane – *did not want to reveal
Patrick Dangerfield – Gerard Healy
“To have him write a letter with words of such passion and meaning and enthusiasm…you could just tell, they were leaping offthe page with how much it’s meant to him and that was a really special thing to have before running out.”
Adam Saad – Keith Greig
Jake Lloyd – Gary Ayres
Mark Blicavs – Geoff Southby
