Sunday Shout: Why Sam Kekovich is boycotting North Melbourne’s 1975 premiership celebrations

Fifty years after a historic premiership, Sam Kekovich is boycotting North Melbourne’s celebrations on July 3. He tells JON ANDERSON why.

When Sam Kekovich first arrived at Arden St Oval in 1968, the words of former coach Alan Killigrew made a deep impression on the teenager from Myrtleford.

“The 20 players who bring home North Melbourne’s first ever premiership will gain football immortality,” was Killigrew’s quote.

Those words lived with Kekovich until he and 19 teammates achieved “immortality” in winning the 1975 VFL flag.

Fifty years on and Kekovich is boycotting the club’s celebration of the event with a function scheduled at Marvel Stadium on Thursday, July 3.

JON ANDERSON: When were you first alerted to the function?

SAM KEKOVICH: Three months ago and I was disgusted. I had been waiting for an invitation to a gala dinner which would have been the way Ron Joseph, Albert Mantello, Allen Aylett and Barry Cheatley organised it, a glossy gold invitation hand delivered by courier at a premier venue.

JA: As distinct from?

SK: An audio message from the marketing department saying in conjunction with the AFLW women and 100th anniversary we could bring a partner to the Bulldogs game at Marvel Stadium where we could have a pot over the drip tray.

JA: No independent dinner?

Doug Wade and Sam Kekovich with the 1975 Premiership Cup.

SK: After word got out on 3AW’s Rumour File about the dissatisfaction of some, the club decided to offer us a breakfast on the morning of that July 3 game. That is an even bigger insult and defies logic that someone could think that was a good idea.

JA: Not all agree with your stance.

SK: I noted Caroline Wilson in her infinite wisdom described my actions as “churlish”. It’s not a case of being churlish, but one of disrespect from a club bereft of yesterday’s relevance.

JA: Alan Killigrew’s words remained with you?

SK: His quote was emblazoned on the wall of the social club restaurant. What is disappointing is the lack of understanding from people at the helm of the event’s significance. I’m not the only one who won’t be going, but I won’t be speaking on behalf of others.

JA: What do you think should have happened?

SK: The club should have gone to the AFL and asked for a Saturday afternoon game against Hawthorn at the MCG with a dinner that night. Is that too hard to organise? And every footballer who played a game that year should be invited, along with the families of club legends such as bootstudder Jimmy Cook and property steward Ron House.

The 1975 Kangaroos premiership team.

JA: Was Ron House the bloke you slipped $20 to when you had to be weighed each week?

SK: We had an archaic set of scales that were in Roman numerals which fortunately coach Ron Barassi couldn’t read.

JA: You sure this isn’t a case of bruised egos?

SK: It isn’t about our egos because we know who we are and what we achieved. It’s about so many other people who enabled the club to win that 1975 flag.

JA: How do you answer criticism that your anger is based partly on the club being run by a female president and female CEO?

SK: Before the do-gooders start screaming misogyny, one of the finest football administrators in my lifetime was the late Jill Lindsay at the VFL/AFL. She got football, unlike some of today’s crew.

KEY FIGURE MISSING FROM HAWKS REUNION

Hawthorn’s star-studded premiership reunion on Friday night was missing one of the club’s biggest voices, with a hoarse Jeff Kennett pulling out late.

Kennett was keen to join the triple-premiership celebration, which honoured all three of the 2013-15 triumphs, but told Sunday Shout he decided it was best to stay home instead due to cold symptoms.

Jeff Kennett missed the celebrations. Picture: Michael Klein

Kennett was not president during the three-peat – he led the club during the 2008 triumph, stepped down in 2011 and returned in 2017 – but was still an influential figure in the dominant period.

The Friday night soiree at Melbourne Town Hall was not short on star power, with Lance Franklin walking into the event with forwardline teammate Jarryd Roughead.

Daniel Harford led onstage discussions, with superstars including Franklin, Roughead, Sam Mitchell, Luke Hodge, Josh Gibson and Brian Lake.

SON OF A GUN GOES VIRAL

Shane Crawford’s Instagram post of his son Ben’s first goal in senior football – for the Coolangatta Blues – went viral recently.

Ben, 16, loves playing with his mates in the club’s under 17s side, but he and a few of his junior teammates were rewarded earlier this month with their first senior games.

Former Brisbane star Pearce Hanley is the club’s senior coach and he wanted to give a few of the younger players their first chance to play against men.

Ben kicked three goals for the game, including the one featured on the Instagram post, which came after some good-natured heckling about how he might never scale his dad’s footy heights.

He went back and slotted through the goal, which brought about a bit of lighthearted push and shove before his teammates celebrated with him.

Former Giant and Hawk Jonathan Patton was playing on the other side.

Crawf’s Instagram post read: “My Son’s 1st Senior Game, 1st Goal, 1st Fight, 1st to get top off.”

HOT

JELENA DOKIC

Her speech at “Spud’s Lunch” this week was nothing short of breathtaking.

CAM RAYNER

So good when hot, leaving you crying out for more.

NOT

ANDREW MCDONALD

Has been impressive but why guarantee Usman Khawaja Ashes selection?

HORSE RACING

It will please some to know the industry has never faced so many hurdles.

Originally published as Sunday Shout: Why Sam Kekovich is boycotting North Melbourne’s 1975 premiership celebrations