Paul Couch was a man everyone gravitated to on and off the field, writes Scott Gullan

WHILE Gary Ablett operated on a planet above everyone else in Geelong throughout the 1980s and ‘90s, the main lieutenant of the support cast was a man known universally as ‘Couchy’.

Paul Couch was among many former and present Cats at Geelong great Ron Hovey's funeral at St Mary's Basilica, Geelong. Picture: Nathan Dyer

WHILE Gary Ablett operated on a planet above everyone else in Geelong throughout the 1980s and ‘90s, the main lieutenant of the support cast was a man known universally as ‘Couchy’.

Given Gazza’s aloofness, Couchy was always the one everyone gravitated to on and off the field.

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His CV tells the story of his quality as a player who was initially told by Fitzroy he was too slow to make the grade.

The kid from Warrnambool found his way to the Cats and became a part of the furniture, scratching out 259 games despite never kicking on his right foot.

He was an old-fashioned centreman who overwhelmed all-comers in 1989 to win the Brownlow Medal, which sat nicely with his three best and fairests.

The thing about Couchy was his generosity. He’d stop and have a yak to anyone at anytime.

He had fingers in a few pies over the journey in business but one constant was his love of horses.

Couchy was always good for a tip.

And the thing was given he was one of those people who seemed to know everyone, any punting advice was listened to intently.

The last time we crossed paths was at a pizza restaurant in Geelong a couple of years ago.

It was at the start of the spring carnival and Couchy made his way over to the table and after exchanging pleasantries with the family, he leaned in closer.

“I’ve got one for you,” he said with that cheeky smile that Cats fans had learned to love.

He had a man connected with Darren Weir who’d told him to follow a particular horse. While its form was great, there was a big picture target.

Naturally, Couchy was already on.

A month later the horse won at odds and immediately the thoughts went back to Couchy giggling with excitement in the pizza shop.

He loved a winner just as much as he loved his Cats.

Gary Ablett is a legend at the Cats, but he got plenty of help from Paul Couch.

PAUL COUCH — BY THE NUMBERS

Recruited from: Warrnambool

Games: 259

Goals: 203

Finals: 18

Grand Finals: 4 (1989, 1992, 1994, 1995)

State matches (Victoria): 5

Playing honours: Brownlow Medal 1989; All Australian 1991, 1995; Geelong best and fairest 1986, 1989, 1995; named in Geelong’s Team of the Century

Originally published as Paul Couch was a man everyone gravitated to on and off the field, writes Scott Gullan