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Huxtable will now step back into the qualifier series, hoping to claim a spot on the tour as he heads to Indonesia, potentially with a Sherrin packed among his gear. And if he can’t make it on the tour, he’ll at least have a few stories to tell his footy club about the weekend he beat Slater and Robinson at Bells.
“He is a guy who fits into our culture. Obviously, we’d prefer him to do what he is doing in the surfing world, but if he can ever come back and play for Lorne that would be a bonus for us.”
Lorne’s Jimmy Kambouris on their star of the surf, Xavier Huxtable
NORWOOD A HAPPY HUNTING GROUND FOR HAWKS
Norwood Oval will host their first AFL games for premiership points during Gather Round, but it is not the first time the skinny oval with wings as big as a bee hummingbird has been the centre of the footy world.
It was the centre of the 1976 night series that became the forerunner for the much-loved midweek night series played at Waverley Park on Tuesday nights until 1987.
In 1976, Hawthorn thrashed North Melbourne in the grand final under lights on Tuesday August 17, just two weeks before the finals began, collecting $21,000 which The Age reported was to be used to fund the players’ end of season trip. Just imagine the uproar if that happened now!
Don Scott, then the Hawks’ skipper, recalled the team was fired up to beat the Kangaroos any time they met that year after losing the 1975 grand final to North Melbourne.
His job was to stand up forward and stop David Dench’s run while Bernie Jones handled the ruck. With David Parkin coaching the night series side as part of his apprenticeship under John Kennedy, the Hawks won by 48 points with Scott recalling his teammates yelling at him to tear the blue and white streamers off one handle of the cup.
“They said if we participate [the money] would go into the footy trip. We went to Bali [and] then off to Singapore,” Scott said.
All-time greats: Hawthorn vice-captain Leigh Matthews (left), coach David Parkin (centre) and captain Don Scott (right) after winning the 1978 VFL premiership Credit: Fairfax Media
There was no respite for the Hawks, however, as Scott said they trained the next day before losing to Carlton the following week and being written off as flag contenders. A loss to Richmond to finish off the season didn’t help their mood.
But they lifted to win their three finals, taking both premierships on offer with the 1976 flag forever known as “Crimmo’s Cup”. Snap Shot reckons it would have been a some footy trip.
Carlton, Richmond and the Bulldogs were the other Victorian teams competing against Norwood, Glenelg, Sturt, Port Adelaide, West Perth, South Fremantle and Swan Districts. The grand final was the 11th game Norwood Oval hosted in the 1976 series played with white footballs.
ON THE COACH’S WHITEBOARD
Before you go, here are ... five ways the broadcast could be improved for Richmond coach Damien Hardwick, who said on Saturday, “It was raised on the broadcast? I’ve listened to the broadcast recently. They’re not great.”
- Watch it while on medicinal cannabis
- Have Daisy Pearce in the rooms post-match on Thursday nights
- Get weather presenter Jane Bunn in as a boundary rider for Tiger games to give “Dimma” as good as he gets
- Have ‘Richo’ remove himself from Richmond games and stick to the Talking Tigers podcast
- Get all commentators wearing “Make the Broadcast Great Again” caps
Damien Hardwick could be angling for a spot in the Green Guide after his comments on the football broadcast. Credit: Getty
THEY SAID
“It’s not like they are fighting on a daily basis”: Brad Scott on the relationship between Adrian Dodoro and Josh Mahoney on Nine’s Footy Classified.
... BUT THEY FORGOT TO SAY
“Essendon CEO Craig Vozzo has brokered a ceasefire that could be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize if it holds.”
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